Summary of the case New figures show that absenteeism among Norwegian students continues to increase. In secondary schools, absenteeism has doubled since the covid-19 pandemic. Every sixth Norwegian tenth grader has at least 20 days of absence a year. The girls have more absences than the boys. Pupils in Finnmark, Vestfold and Østfold have the most days of absence. Students news has spoken to say they feel they are skipping school even though they are sick. Director of the Norwegian Directorate of Education, Morten Anstorp Rosenkvist, believes that absenteeism can be linked to poorer learning outcomes, poorer well-being and more bullying at school. __________The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – I think it’s someone who doesn’t want to go to school. Which are not completely sick, actually. Peter Angelskår says so. He is in the tenth grade at Danielsen junior high school in Frekhaug in Nordhordland. He himself is not often away from school, unless he is sick with flu or vomiting. Then the parents trust that he is actually ill. Ella Gabrielsen, Peter Angelskår and Olve Kartveit Rolfsnes have (apparently) high ambitions to pass their diploma. Photo: Leif Rune Løland / news As news has previously reported, sickness absence has not been higher in 15 years. Recent figures released by the Norwegian Directorate of Education (Udir) on Thursday show that this does not only apply to employees. Absence due to illness is also increasing among students in the school. This has been the case since the covid-19 pandemic, but this year’s figures show a doubling of absenteeism at secondary schools. Are you often away from school? It’s just that I’m really sick 🤒 Yes, I don’t like myself very much at school and would rather be at home 🏡 No. I feel good at school 🏫 Show result – We consider this very serious. We have had a doubling among those with the highest absenteeism, compared to before the pandemic, explains Udir director Morten Anstorp Rosenkvist. Morten Anstorp Rosenkvist, director of Udir, is concerned about the development. Photo: Snorre Tønset / news Figures show that every sixth Norwegian tenth grader now has at least 20 days of absence a year. And that every sixth student at secondary school has more than 50 hours of absence. This year’s graduating class at 10th grade has two days of absence and two more hours of absence than the graduating class before the pandemic. The proportion with very low absenteeism has decreased. Absenteeism is also increasing in primary school. The graph shows the median absence, recorded on the diploma of graduating students at secondary school. Graphic: Udir Fears absenteeism is due to a lack of well-being The director believes that absenteeism can be linked to weaker learning results, worse well-being and increased bullying in the school. – I think it is because of social media, which destroy mental health. And then many people perhaps push themselves a little too long, so that in the end they have to call in sick, says Danielsen student Ella Gabrielsen. She thinks there is too little talk about this among students. The students at Danielsen in Frekhaug believe mental health may be one of the reasons for the increase in absenteeism. Photo: Leif Rune Løland / news Principal Cato Risøy is concerned about the speech. He believes it is important to work systematically with this. – Absence begets absence. If you find that you master worse, that the relationships with your fellow students are worse because you are awake a lot, it has a self-reinforcing effect. Then there is a part that falls out of leisure activities, so that it gets a bit messy, he says. Main points from the report The girls have one day more absences than the boys, both in the tenth grade and in secondary school. Tenth graders in Finnmark, Vestfold and Østfold have the most days of absence. Among the big cities, daytime absence is highest in Asker and Bergen, and hourly absence is greatest in Bærum and Oslo. Source: Udir The rector also believes that the focus on staying at home when one is ill has been left behind since the pandemic, and that this is what may be causing the increase. A marked increase in student absenteeism after the pandemic is a trend in many countries, not just in Norway. The most common explanation from the employees is that the pandemic with a lot of home schooling is changing the habits of the pupils. Feeling bad about being at home Wiktoria Bujnicka says she gets so-called “FOMO” (fear of missing out in English) from not being at school. Photo: Andrine Gald Myklebust / news The girls typically have one day of absence and two hours of absence more than the boys. But compared to last year’s figures, absenteeism has increased by one hour for both sexes. The daily weather forecast is the same as in 2022–23. Wiktoria Bujnicka is in third grade at Førde secondary school. She says it is the parents who have to ask her to stay at home, if she is ill first. – I often feel stressed because of high absenteeism. Once I came to school without a voice. I couldn’t speak because I was so sick. Then my parents said “Wiktoria, you can’t go to school in this condition!” – You also lose a lot by being at home, “Oh, shit, what have I missed in the group of friends today?” I think so, adds Wiktoria. Chairs like this are often empty in classrooms, according to the statistics. Photo: Gry Eirin Skjelbred / news – Does it feel like you’re skulking when you’re sick and home from school? – I don’t want to say that if you are so sick that you are lying on the sofa, but if you only cough a little, then it means that you are skulking, says Peter at Danielsen. – What if you sprain your knee and can’t walk? Headmaster Cato Risøy admits that a lot needs to be done before he gets home from work. Photo: Leif Rune Løland / news – Then I’ll come on crutches, says Ella. As I said: exemplary students, who do not fully confirm the statistics. But what about their teachers? Do they show up when they are half sick? – Oh yes, I may have a slightly too high threshold myself for being at home. And among the other employees here at the school, there is not a lot of absenteeism, replies principal Risøy with a mild laugh. Published 16.10.2024, at 07.54
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Doubling of school absences since the corona pandemic – news Vestland
