KUWAIT CITY, April 5: Many countries are working to enhance their education systems and stay in line with educational advancements, but the Ministry of Education is still addressing the issue of widespread student absenteeism before and after official holidays and vacations, a trend that has become more common in recent years. Educational sources have revealed that the ministry is actively seeking solutions to this issue and aims to address it in a way that reduces its impact, particularly since it negatively affects students' academic performance and contributes to both financial and educational waste in the system.

To tackle this, the ministry intends to conduct a comprehensive study of student absenteeism and review the regulations and systems currently in place in schools to find the most effective methods to address the problem. The current rules stipulate that a student can be expelled after 16 days of unexcused absences, or 26 days of excused absences. The system provides a warning structure: a first warning after five days of absence, a second warning after ten days, and a third warning after 15 days, with the guardian required to sign a notification. If a student is expelled, they must repeat the academic year, provided they have not exceeded the allowed number of years.

Additionally, penalties are imposed on students who are frequently absent. These penalties start with a 0.5% deduction from the final grades of all subjects for students who receive the first warning, rising to 1% for two warnings and 2% for three warnings. While these penalties are meant to deter absenteeism, a lack of awareness and accountability continues to perpetuate the issue.

To help reduce absenteeism, the ministry is considering several changes, such as revising the academic calendar, updating outdated educational documents, re-evaluating the weight of weekly class periods for each subject, and creating a more engaging learning environment within schools. These factors are expected to significantly help in curbing student absenteeism.

School administrations have faced challenges in monitoring absenteeism, especially through parent communication. However, with the introduction of the government’s "Sahel" absence tracking program, monitoring has become more effective. Through the program, parents can easily view their children's absence statistics and receive notifications, improving communication and cooperation between schools and parents.

However, some schools may still be lax in enforcing regulations, contributing to non-compliance and reducing the effectiveness of these policies. The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, has worked to strictly enforce penalties for fraudulent activity, which has helped reduce absenteeism. A firm commitment to enforcing attendance regulations is expected to further help eliminate this problem in the future.

Factors contributing to widespread absenteeism

Ministry of Education:

- Poor organization of the academic calendar and inconsistent start and end dates of the school year.

- Outdated educational documents that haven’t been updated.

- Inconsistent application of accountability by some administrations.

School administrations:

- Some administrations and teachers may indirectly encourage absenteeism.

- Teachers may punish present students by not explaining lessons.

- Lax implementation of attendance regulations and failure to inform parents.

- Lack of awareness and insufficient motivation to create a supportive learning environment.

Families:

- Some parents are lenient and may believe their children’s excuses for absences.

- Parents may focus on grades rather than actual academic achievement.

- Prior agreements among parents regarding student absences.

Students:

- Lack of motivation for education and academic achievement.

- The absence of positive role models in society, with negative influences from social media.

- Students relying on alternative sources of learning outside of school.

Addressing these issues will require a collaborative effort from the Ministry of Education, school administrations, families, and the students themselves. Through comprehensive reforms and stricter enforcement of existing regulations, the ministry aims to curb this growing phenomenon and ensure that students remain engaged and on track in their academic careers.