EXPLORING THE PHENOMENON OF ABSENTEEISM AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN AL SHARJAH EDUCATIONAL ZONE

فاطمة راشد الحميدي على اليماحى

Abstract

This study aimed at exploring the phenomena of absenteeism among secondary school students in Sharjah Educational Zone from students, teachers and specialists, administrators and supervisors' perspectives. The study applies qualitative research method to gain better understanding of the Students' absenteeism phenomenon. The study used individual and group interviews at two different schools setting, one school is for males and the other for females, which known by the increase rate of absenteeism. The researcher interviewed students (n=15), male teachers (n=4) and female teachers (n==4), administrators (n=3) in the male school and administrators (n=5) in the girls school. The results gleaned from this study were; the reasons of absence vary due to personal, social and academic reasons. Family reasons were the major reasons behind the absenteeism of the students. Furthermore, the teachers and the administrations agreed that the most common causes of absenteeism are due to the fault in absenteeism rules and negligence of enforcing these rules. Therefore, the study recommends that the communication between the school and the family is vital in order to raise awareness of the seriousness of absenteeism in schools. In addition, schools administrations should reconsider the rules of absenteeism and enforces these rule accordingly