The New York Times , in a recent article, discussed the chronic absenteeism among Harvard students, citing varied reasons that have led to disengagement from critical reading—once a hallmark of its legacy. Similarly, The Guardian (March 2025) reported that 170,000 children in England missed at least half of their classes.

Furthermore, according to a 2024 survey on absenteeism conducted by the Association of Colleges (England) across one-third of its member institutions (68 colleges), around 88% of students identified poor mental health as one of the top three reasons for their absence in 2023–24—1.76 times higher than the rate reported in 2019–20.

Chronic absenteeism has been plaguing tertiary education globally. Teachers are often forced to restart lessons for continuity when chroni

See Full Page