Recent analysis of government figures has revealed a significant increase in school absences, particularly on Fridays, where there has been a 20% jump compared to other days. This rise in absenteeism is notably linked to parents working from home (WFH), with unauthorised holidays also showing a 25% increase from pre-Covid levels. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has labeled this trend as 'unacceptable,' attributing it to WFH parents who are reportedly pulling their children out of school for extended weekends. The phenomenon has sparked a debate on the impact of remote work practices on educational attendance.
Parents working from home have contributed to an “unacceptable” rise in pupils skipping school on Fridays, the education secretary has said https://t.co/F6elXAf6sl
Two interesting bits from this: 1) Fascinating to see a connection between WFH and absenteeism (i.e. more absences on Fridays than Mondays). 2) The UK is taking chronic absenteeism much more seriously than the U.S. https://t.co/XrLdSr8kU0
"School absences jump by 20 per cent on Fridays while unauthorised holidays are up 25 per cent on pre-Covid levels, according to analysis of government figures." https://t.co/XrLdSr8kU0
WFH parents ‘contributing to rise in Friday school absences’ https://t.co/aSUOovty71
🍎 Gillian Keegan: WFH parents fuelling ‘unacceptable’ rise in Friday school absences https://t.co/xmUpaHKIex
Some parents have been allowing their children to miss school on Fridays https://t.co/xB0a556Rnj
Truancy jumps by a FIFTH on Fridays as ministers blame WFH parents pulling their children out of school for long weekends and holidays https://t.co/7Mk53I5mT6 https://t.co/UVC8TvVzzy
Who'd have thought that telling parents it's fine to work from home, and teachers that it's fine to not turn up for lessons, and shutting down schools for a mild respiratory virus, would lead to increased pupil absences? Covid response was biggest policy mistake since WW2. https://t.co/gJJgEXfLYQ