KUWAIT CITY, March 19: Several schools under the Ministry of Education have witnessed a remarkable increase in student absenteeism during Ramadan, particularly on the Thursday before a holiday. This recurring trend, which the ministry faces during religious and national occasions and other holidays, has become more pronounced during Ramadan. Initially, absenteeism fluctuated during the early days of the holy month, but it gradually worsened; leading to many classrooms being nearly empty. While some school administrations appear to be lenient in addressing this issue or fail to strictly enforce the absence regulations, former psychological consultants at the ministry Huda Al-Haddad labeled absenteeism as a “negative phenomenon.” She identified the primary cause as a lack of discipline within families, with heads of households being primarily responsible for the situation. She emphasized that parents have no excuse for allowing this trend to continue, especially after receiving absence notifications through Sahel app.

She praised the ministry’s measures to tackle absenteeism, including the deduction of half a grade from each subject for students who miss more than three days without an excuse and expulsion after 15 days of unexcused absences. However, she pointed out that some schools may not fully enforce these rules and stressed that noncompliant schools should be held accountable. She also underscored the deterrent effect of these measures, particularly the grade deductions, which can have a significant impact on a student’s grade point average (GPA); especially in high school, where cumulative grades determine future prospects. She stressed the importance of student responsibility, reminding them that education is the key to their future.

“Adhering to school attendance will help them avoid the adverse effects of absenteeism, such as poor academic performance and gaps in the curriculum,” she explained. Moreover, the ministry has introduced an electronic absence tracking application on its official website. This platform allows parents to monitor their children’s attendance, behavior and academic progress using the student or guardian’s civil identification number and password. The application provides comprehensive student data like absences, behavior reports, pledge letters, summons, expulsions, evaluations, class schedules and sick leave. This ensures that parents remain informed and can communicate directly with the school.