School absences are an issue that affects every school and every family. While all children occasionally miss school, some accumulate excessive absences. Unfortunately, there are currently too many children and young people in this situation. 

What are the consequences of this? We know that tens of thousands of students in primary and lower secondary education in Finland currently have problematic school absences. These students attend less than eighty percent of their classes. As a result, we are losing tens of millions of hours of instruction each year. It is clear that a student who attends only part of the nine years of basic education cannot gain the same knowledge, skills, and experiences as those who are present almost one hundred percent of the time. 

Although knowledge and skills can be acquired later in life, basic education serves many purposes beyond teaching academic subjects: it is a place where children practice interacting with other children and adults, learn to take responsibility for their own affairs, overcome challenges, cope with pressure, and share in the joy of success with others. All of this is difficult to practice without the company of peers. Moreover, childhood and adolescence are times when each person’s identity and sense of self are developing, and building a strong sense of self requires a variety of encounters and experiences. Every school day is significant on this path. 

BASIC EDUCATION AS A SPRINGBOARD FOR THE FUTURE

For many of us, work is one of the key pillars of life and an important part of a meaningful daily routine. Through work, we gain experiences that add value to our lives. Challenges related to schooling, even in primary school, can have a lasting impact on secondary education and eventually on one’s career. If a student has problematic absences in secondary school, these issues rarely resolve themselves when moving on to upper secondary education. Supporting students’ connection to school and addressing absenteeism is one of the key factors in ensuring a child’s or young person’s path from primary and lower secondary education all the way to a fulfilling working life. It is a great tragedy if the doors to further education and employment close before a child even completes their compulsory schooling. Our society now and in the future needs healthy, engaged adults who have a strong sense that they can succeed in life. 

EVERY PROBLEM HAS A BEGINNING

Behind school absences, there are often a multitude of different reasons and explanations. Society faces broader challenges like war and economic downturns, general well-being concerns among children and young people, the nearly forgotten pandemic, social media, and many other larger and smaller issues. However, it can be said that if a child struggles to engage in their schooling, something is wrong. My years of working with children and young people have taught me that if something is wrong, it always has a beginning. Everything has a start and an end, even if those points can sometimes be difficult to see. Unfortunately, us adults often fail to notice the initial signs of these absence-related issues. I firmly believe that with systematic preventative work and structured early intervention, we can succeed in noticing these beginnings more frequently and preventing unwanted developments. 

A SERIOUS CHALLENGE REQUIRES EVERYONE’S ATTENTION

School absenteeism is a serious challenge that requires the attention and action of all parties—schools, families, and social and health services. Preventing and reducing absences is in the best interest of both the individual and society. Every child and young person has the right to quality education and a safe school experience. The Basic Education Act of Finland defines that preventing absences, systematically monitoring them, and addressing them are part of the school’s responsibilities. However, there is still much for us to learn in this area to turn the tide of increasing school absences. 

 

Author: Niina-Kaisa Perälä, Trainer, Developer, Occupational Therapist