Absenteeism: Its effects on the Academic Performance of Selected SHS

School, colleges and universities have no worth without student. Students are

most essential asset for any educational institute. The social and economic

development of the country is directly linked with student academic performance.

The students performance (academic achievement) plays an important role in

producing the best quality graduates who will become great leader and manpower

for the country thus responsible for the countrys economic and social development

(Ali et.al, 2009).Student academic performance measurement has received

considerable attention in previous research, it is challenging aspects of academic

literature, and science student performance are affected due to social,

psychological, economic, environmental and personal factors. These factors strongly

influence on the student performance, but these factors vary from person to person

and country to country.

Absenteeism

Absenteeism in school is the habit of staying away from school without

providing a genuine or any reason for not attending classes. Absenteeism is a truant

behavior that negatively affects the performance among (Child Trends Databank,

2015 & Keter, 2013).

Absenteeism can lead to depression and also result in poor quality of

education as a result of time lost while being away from school. It could also lead to

moral degradation that leads to drug abuse, early pregnancies and unruly behavior
(Ready, 2010). Absenteeism can be remedied by providing adequate co-curricular

activities to students. It could be curbed by creating of clubs and societies to keep

students busy when they are out of class. Schools should strive to have up to date

learning facilities like libraries as well as sporting facilities to make students

enhance student retention (Teasley, 2004).

Types of Absenteeism

There are two types of absenteeism (Vandeweerd, 2012), each of

which requires a different type of approach.

1. Innocent Absenteeism

2. Culpable Absenteeism

Innocent Absenteeism

It refers to students who are absent for reasons beyond their control like

sickness and injury. Innocent absenteeism is not culpable which means that it is

blameless. In a labor relations context, it cannot be remedied or treated by

disciplinary measures (Vandeweerd, 2012).

Culpable Absenteeism

It refers to students who are absent without authorization for reasons which

are within control. For example, a student who is on sick leave even though he/she

is not sick. It can be proven that the student was not sick is guilty of culpable
absenteeism. This attitude is blameworthy. This means that progressive discipline

can be applied (Vandeweerd, 2012).

Effects on Absentee

Teachers identified six interconnected effects of absence on children who missed

school. There were: (Malcolm, 2003)

1. Academic underachievement

2. Difficulty making friends

3. Loss of confidence and self-esteem

4. Engagement in premature sexual activity and

5. Impaired socialization for work.

Psychological Problems Pertaining to Absenteeism

Problem of lack of attention has been one of the most frequently mentioned

characteristics of teach disabled population (Hallahan and Reeve, 1980). Over the

years of research has indicated the learning disabled students have attention

deficits in both auditory and visual domains. The teachers consistently rate learning

disabled students as less attentive than their non-handicapped pairs (Mckinney,

McClure and Feagons, 1982).

 Attention deficit problem fall into three categories; coming to attention,

decision making and maintaining attention. Most of research in learning disabilities

has focused on selective and sustained attention.

Some learning disabled student also have difficulty in staying with a task over

a period of time. This problem area is typically referred to as sustained attention. In

general, investigations in this area suggest that some learning disabled individuals

cannot concentrate because they are unable to organize what they are to do and

are consequently distracted by irrelevant stimuli (Hallahan and Reeve, 1980).

In most recent version of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental

Disorders ( American Psychiatrist Association, 1980) suggested that the features of

Attention Deficit Disorder are inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity.

Inattention: at least three of the following

1. often fails to finish things

2. Often does not seem to listen

3. Easily distracted

4. Has difficulty on school work or other tasks requiring sustained attention

Impulsivity: as least three of the following

1. One often acts before thinking

2. Shifts excessively from one activity to another

3. Needs a lot of supervision

 4. Frequently calls out in class

5. Has difficulty awaiting turns in games or group situation

Hyperactivity: at least three of the following

1. Runs about or climbs on things

2. Has difficulty sitting still or fidgets excessively

3. Has difficulty staying seated

4. Moves about excessively during sleep

Causes of Absenteeism

Absenteeism is caused by many factors as such as phobic adolescence, lack

of interest, teacher approach, pampering by the family, private couching, diseases,

school infrastructure facilities, entertainment (Keter, 2013).

Phobic Adolescence

There is a lot of fear for a teenager due to their growth as a result of

physical changes on the body like growth of pimples, turbulent emotions,

etc., scaring the teens away from school.

Lack of Interest
 Students could be lacking interest in the school subjects, which could

be as a result of content that is difficult for them to grasp hence pushing

them away from school.

Teacher approach

The approach used by teachers may not be understood by the student

and this could lead them to lose interest in school. Punitive attendance policy

plays a big role in absenteeism too.

Pampering by the family

Students who receive excessive pocket money from their families are

most likely to absent themselves from school since they need time to spend

all the money on anything they want.

Private Couching

Flexible private couching encouraged by some parents could be a

cause that drives a number of students away from the conventional school

timetable.
 Diseases

Diseases such as asthma which requires around the clock attention

and care as well as an environment that is warm and clean could make the

students remain at home.

School Infrastructural Facilities

Lack of libraries, sports facilities is a hindrance to attendance of school

among students.

Entertainment

Accessibility of entertainment facilities like computer shops, billiard

pools, and cinemas could divert the attention of some students from school.

Attendance

Attendance is an important factor in school success among children and

youth (Epstein & Sheldon, 2002). Studies show that better attendance is related to

higher academic achievement for students of all backgrounds, but particularly for

children with lower socio-economic status (Ready, 2010). Beginning in kindergarten,

students who attend school regularly score higher on tests than their peers who are

frequently absent (Bruner, Discher, & Chang, 2011).

Chronic truancy, or frequent unexcused absence, is a strong predictor of

undesirable outcomes in adolescence, including academic failure, dropping out of

school, substance abuse, gang involvement, and criminal activity. However, chronic

absence, regardless of reason, is increasingly identified as an important early

warning sign that a student is at risk for school failure and early dropout (Baker,

Sigmon, & Nugent, 2001). Chronic absenteeism is usually defined as missing ten

percent or more of school days. Unfortunately, few school districts currently have

the capacity to analyze attendance data to identify those students who are

chronically absent. Many factors can contribute to student absenteeism. Family

health or financial concerns, poor school climate, drug and alcohol use,

transportation problems, and differing community attitudes towards education are

among the conditions that are often associated with a childs frequent absence from

school (McCluskey, Bynum, & Patchin, 2004). Chronic absenteeism not only affects

student achievement, it can affect a students attitude and behavior at school.

When a student has attendance issues, achievement issues and behavior issues it

increases their risk of dropping out of school (Carlson, 2017).

Academic Performance

Academic performance is measured by the final grade earned in the course

(Elmore, Young, Harris, & Mason, 2017). It is measured using a trimesters grade

point average (GPA) and an academic years cumulative grade point average (CGPA)

(Masrom & Usat, 2015).

 Parent involvement in a child's education is consistently found to be

positively associated with a child's academic performance. Specifically, children

whose parents are more involved in their education have higher levels of academic

performance than children whose parents are involved to a lesser degree. The

influence of parent involvement on academic success has not only been noted

among researchers, but also among policy makers who have integrated efforts

aimed at increasing parent involvement into broader educational policy initiatives.

Coupled with these findings of the importance of early academic success, a child's

academic success has been found to be relatively stable after early elementary

school (Hill & Craft, 2003).

A positive student-teacher relationship has been defined as the teacher's

perception that his or her relationship with the child is characterized by closeness

and a lack of dependency and conflict. Closeness is the degree of warmth and open

communication between the student and teacher, dependency is the over-reliance

on the teacher as a source of support, and conflict is the degree of friction in

student-teacher interactions. Previous research found that close, positive student-

teacher relationships are positively related to a wide range of child social and

academic outcomes in school (Hughes, Gleason, & Zhang, 2005). Specifically, a

close student-teacher relationship is an important predictor of a child's academic

performance (Hamre & Pianta, 2001).

Reduction of Absenteeism
 Students who are chronically absent are more likely than other students to

drop out of school. Many schools have goals to reduce student truancy and to help

chronically absent students attend school regularly. In particular, communicating

with families about attendance, celebrating good attendance with students and

families, and connecting chronically absent students with community mentors

measurably reduced students chronic absenteeism from one year to the next. Also,

schools that conducted a greater total number of attendance-focused activities

were more likely to decrease the percentage of students who missed twenty or

more days of school each year (Sheldon & Epstein, 2004).

Emphasis should be given to oral health and overall body wellness. Teach

them how to avoid communicable diseases. Give them information on how to

properly wash their hands, which is the main source of germs and bacteria among

children. Let them develop proper eating habits. Since most of the children in the

school come from poor families, point out to them the cheap but healthy foods. Ask

them to pass on this information to their parents. Motivate them so they will be

looking forward to attending their classes regularly. For those who wake up late,

encourage them to get an alarm clock. Do not scold the pupils who come late. Give

them a time-table to change their sleeping habits and to study before bed instead

of watching TV (Murcia, 2015).

Bibliography

Baker, M. L., Sigmon, J. N., & Nugent, M. E. (2001). Truancy reduction: Keeping

students in school [Electronic Version]. Juvenile Justice Bulletin. Retrieved

from http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/188947.pdf
Bruner, C., Discher, A., & Chang, H. (2011). Chronic elementary absenteeism: A

problem hidden in plain sight. A Research Brief from Attendance Works and

Child and Family Policy Center. Retrieved

from http://www.edweek.org/media/chronicabsence-15chang.pdf

Carlson B. (2017). The Effects of Chronic Absenteeism. Retrieved February 28, 2017.

Retrieved from http://www.isd423.org/wp-content/uploads/download-

manager-files/08%20Bill%20Carlson%20-%20The%20Effects%20of

%20Chronic%20Absenteeism.pdf

Child Trends Databank. (2015). Student Absenteeism. Retrieved

from https://www.childtrends.org/?indicators=student-absenteeis

Elmore, W.M., Young, J.K., Harris S., & Mason D. (2017). The Relationship between

Individual Student Attributes and Online Course Completion. Retrieved from

http://www.igi-global.com/chapter/the-relationship-between-individual-

student-attributes-and-online-course-completion/165779

Epstein, J. L., & Sheldon, S. B. (2002). Present and accounted for: Improving student

attendance through family and community involvement. Journal of

Educational Research, 95(5), 308-318.

Hallahan,D. P., & Reeve, R. E. (1980). Selective attention and distractibility. In B. K

Keogh (Ed.), Advances in special education (Vol. 1, pp. 141-181). Greenwich,

CT: JAI Press.

Hamre B.K. & Pianta R.C. (2001).Early teacher-child relationships and the trajectory

of children's school outcomes through eighth grade, 72(2):625-38.

Hill N.E. & Craft S.A. (2003). Parent-school involvement and school performance:

Mediated pathways among socioeconomically comparable African American

and Euro-American families. Journal of Educational Psychology, 96:7483.

Hughes J.N., Gleason K.A., Zhang D. (2005).Relationship influences on teachers'

perceptions of academic competence in academically at-risk minority and

majority first grade students, 43(4):303-320.

Keter, T. (2013). Absenteeism in School. Retrieved from

http://enezaeducation.com/absenteeism-in-school/

Malcolm,H. & Wilson, V. (2003). Absence from School: A study of its causes and

effects in seven LEAs. The SCRE Center: University of Glasgow

Masrom, M. & Usat, S. (2015). Use of Online Social Networking and Academic

performance of Students. Retrieved from http://www.igi-

global.com/chapter/use-of-online-social-networking-and-academic-

performance-of-students/112682

McCluskey, C. P., Bynum, T. S., & Patchin, J. W. (2004). Reducing chronic

absenteeism: An assessment of an early truancy initiative. Crime and

Delinquency, 50(2), 214-234.

Murcia, L. (2015). Action Research on Student and Pupil Absenteeism in School.

Retrieved from https://owlcation.com/academia/action-research-on-student-

absenteeism

Ready, D. D. (2010). Socioeconomic disadvantage, school attendance, and early

cognitive development: The differential effects of school exposure. Sociology

of Education, 83(4), 271-286.

Sheldon, S.B. & Epstein, J.L. (2004). Getting Students to School: Using Family and

Community Involvement to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism. Retrieved from

http://search.proquest.com/openview/82f9654345b9e1bfb4f5a53f84d66ba2/1

?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=28213

Teasley, M. L. (2004). Absenteeism and truancy: Risk, protection, and best practice

implications for school social workers. Children and Schools, 26(2), 117-128.

Vandeweerd, J. (2012). Guidelines for Absenteeism Control. Retrieved from

http://benefits.org/interface/cost/absent2.htm