The modern day entertainment facilities like television and computers affect the attendance of our pupils in school. The rise of tele-drama or tele-novela and anime distract our learners. Even if teachers remind the parents about the time that their children spend in watching television, some parents were unable to discipline their kids resulting to absenteeism. The internet café or computer shops stalled near the school also leads to absenteeism. Instead of attending their classes, pupils prefer to stay in computer shops playing games. They will go home after class hours. These situations are beyond the control of the teachers. It can only be solved with the cooperation of parents and the community as well.
Other causes of absenteeism is poverty, sickness, and long holidays. Some pupils are required to help their parents at home during class days while others don’t have anything to eat. Other pupils got sick so they need to be absent in their class, some of them become lazy when they experienced long vacations and holidays. Since absenteeism remains a major problem in school, school officials as well as the teachers must find ways to convince our learners to stay inside their classrooms and make teaching-learning an enjoyable experience.
By: Rodel A. Magat | Teacher I | Emilio C. Bernabe National High School | Bagac, Bataan
