School Attendance: A Key to Success

“The most powerful way to prepare a child for success in life is through
regular school attendance.” In a very short idea, attendance matters.
Students who attend school regularly have been shown to achieve at
higher levels than students who do not have regular attendance. This
relationship between attendance and achievement has a great role in the
educational career of a student.

One of the most important things your child can do to achieve academic
success is also one of the most basic: going to school every day. In fact,
research has shown that your child's attendance record may be the biggest
factor influencing her academic success. By making your child's school
attendance a priority, you will be taking an important step in supporting
your child's school success.

In connection with school attendance, absenteeism has seen to be the

greatest cause of student’s failure. As defined by Merriam-Webster
dictionary, absenteeism means "chronic absence." In the context of school,
it is the habitual or intentional failure to attend school. Chronic absenteeism
is a problem that has plagued the public school system for a number of
years. The cost of missed days of school can be counted in missed work,
missed participation, and missed opportunities. As stated by the National
Center for Education Statistics, poor attendance is one of the most serious
implications in student’s achievement. This means that a missed school
day is a lost opportunity for students’ success.
There are a lot of factors that can lead to absenteeism. As claimed by
Eneza Education, there are 8 reasons why students tend to absent in class.
I will only choose 3 biggest factors. First, Diseases: Some diseases like
asthma which requires attention and care as well as an environment that is
warm and not dusty could make students remain home. Students also who
are advised by the doctors to take a complete bed rest is also considered in
this factor. Second, Teacher approach: The approach used by teachers
may not be understood by the student and this could lead them to lose
interest in studying. Teacher effectiveness is the strongest school-related
determinant of student success, but chronic student absence reduces even
the best teacher's ability to provide learning opportunities. Lastly, Lack of
Interest: Students could be lacking interest in the study, which could be as
a result of content that is difficult for them to grasp hence pushing them
away from school. Personal interest can also be associated in lack of
interest.

Occasional absenteeism among students can be excused. However,

frequent absenteeism is a cause for concern as it has often been linked to
serious problems such as violence, substance abuse, gang involvement
and criminal activity such as burglary and vandalism. Left unaddressed,
absenteeism can have significant negative effects on students, the school
and on society. Therefore, it is critical to determine the reasons from
absenteeism and identify strategies to tackle the problem.

Teachers, let us always be reminded that, as educators, we have the great

privilege and biggest responsibility to impact our student’s positively, giving
them reasons to push forward and motivating them to want to succeed in
life. I do believe that teachers are the most important agents in our nation.
Without them, our future cannot be determined.