KUWAIT CITY, April 2: Despite the end of the Eid Al-Fitr holiday and the return of normal life to all institutions and organizations in the public and private sectors, students continued to be absent from most schools in various educational levels on Wednesday. Unprecedented absence rates were recorded in some schools, exceeding 95 percent of the total student population, some of whom began their vacation during the last 10 days of Ramadan followed by the Eid holiday, including Wednesday and Thursday.

Faced with this reality, school administrations were forced to allow the small number of students, who committed to attendance, to leave school and contact their parents for them to return home. This massive absence made continuing the school day futile. This phenomenon, which occurs annually before holidays and exams, raised questions about the effectiveness of the measures taken and the extent to which students and parents adhere to the importance of regular school attendance. Kuwait University and the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) also witnessed the same phenomenon, while faculty members continued to attend after the Eid Al-Fitr holiday.

With the recurring phenomenon of mass student absences before and after holidays and special occasions, in addition to Thursdays of each week; the question is raised about the actual number of school days students attend during the academic year, and the direct impact of this on educational outcomes and academic achievement. Educators believe that resorting to online classes between holidays could be a practical solution to reduce educational waste and make up for lost days. This will ensure the completion of the curriculum without delay, especially as the academic year draws to a close. Experts warn that the continuation of this practice without effective solutions will lead to poor academic performance among students and delayed completion of curricula. This poses a real challenge for educational and administrative bodies in terms of how to regulate school hours and ensure maximum benefit from the academic year.

By Abdulrahman Al-Shammari
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff