The last six weeks in an academic year are considered to be the most challenging with the highest absenteeism and truancy rates among students, according to Anzlo Strachan, chief school attendance officer in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
While attendance is always good in September, October and November, it's around February and March that officials start to notice the wean, with the blight of the problem showing up during the winding-down period of the year, as students decide simply to not attend school and drop out. On average, he said, 900 to 1,000 students over 18 schools on New Providence have skipped school annually for the past 10 years, according to their records. And the average of female absenteeism was split one-to-one with their male counterparts in comparison to yesteryear, when the norm would have been 300 female students to 600 male students.
To combat the problem of absenteeism and truancy, last year, the Special Services Section of the Ministry of Education engaged in street patrols, and engaged junior school students in special assemblies where they addressed the importance of attending school in ways they could relate to, through song and skit, while hoping the children took in the information.
In an effort to try to reach the students even more, the Special Services School Attendance Unit has developed a website, www.schoolatbahamas.com which students and parents can visit to read up on the importance of staying in school. On the site, the unit addresses the importance of well-educated citizens in the nation. The site also provides information and tips that parents will find helpful in encouraging their children to stay away from absenteeism and truancy.
The attendance officers will again engage in school tours, starting with the junior schools at the end of October.
And they are hoping the children will take in the words of Gesner "Mr. J" Dalmon who has recorded the song " Stay in School" to a Junkanoo beat. The lyrics encourage students to remain in school and take heed to succeed. The song also addresses the number of problems teachers are faced with on a daily basis by students, and highlights areas of concern that students should focus on.
Dalmon said the song was inspired by an invitation he received from the School Attendance Unit to address students at A.F. Adderley and D.W. Davis about the importance of remaining in school and receiving an education.
He said he didn't have a song to fit the format of the sessions he was invited to, so he wrote one. The original version was dancehall style, but he switched to a Junkanoo beat to embrace Bahamian culture.
"The song underscores the worrying exam results that indicated on average that students continued to earn low grades in the core subjects of math and English, and it was noted that difficulty in comprehension and problem-solving skills are evident," said Dalmon. In the song he reminds students that it's OK if they don't understand a particular subject and asking for an explanation does not mean they are dumb. He reinforces that asking questions and receiving explanations are all part of the learning process.
The "Stay in School" song will be performed during a number of the school visits, according to Strachan.
The numbers for the dropout rate for the 2013-2014 school year aren't expected to be known until November
The School Attendance Unit will revise their street patrols with two-month check of selected areas, going into the communities to look for children who may be absent from school and get feedback from people in the community as to what can be done.
Like last year, the unit will work with 14 officers, which includes one person in Grand Bahama to police absenteeism and truancy around the country.

School Attendance Unit Tips

Warning signs for parents that something may be wrong with their children:
o They may have an illness every week.
o They may frequently tell you that there is no school.
o They may tell you they are not doing anything at school.
o They may have an excuse on the same day every week, or simply always have an excuse.
o They may have no up-to-date work in their books or have other students' bags/books.
o They may be unable to produce any books or school bag.
o They may be late leaving home.
o They may always be tired or sleepy.
o They may take frequent visits to administration.
o They may come home at 3 p.m. (early) every day.
o They may never be prepared for school.
o They may be frequently late returning from school.
If you notice one or more of these signs, do not hesitate to speak with your children and visit their school. You may want to speak to their teachers, guidance counselor, or attendance officer. You will want them to inform you about their recent attendance and punctuality at school, behavior, grades, as well as their interaction with other students. Do not be shy about keeping in touch with your children's school regularly. The more visible you are, and the more contact that you have with school personnel, the less likely children will feel they can get away with any unacceptable behavior and or performance at school.

What to do if your child does not like school and does not want to go
o Visit the school in person. Speak to an administrator, counselor, attendance officer or teacher. Do not speak to other students.
o Call only after visiting yourself or if it is impossible to visit. It is okay to call frequently if you have a problem. This shows interest, and a willingness to make an effort to improve the situation. Call the guidance department. Ask for assistance.
o Check their school bags without letting them know. Look for up-to-date work; weapons or anything that might be used as a weapon (should you find a suspicious item, you should remove it immediately and discuss with the child); names and telephone numbers (especially of persons you don't know or who seem suspicious); gang or violent symbols and drawings or letters, pornographic images and any other negative writings
o Let them know that there are consequences for not attending school, and follow through. Do not reward negative behavior.
o Always check their excuses.
o Use a team approach -- ask family, friends, neighbors, or others if they see your children out of school (or anything out of the ordinary).
o Talk to your children. Show love, not weakness and be firm.
o Seek help if necessary -- counseling, parenting classes, etc.
o Attend PTA meetings.
o Don't give up.
Remain positive. Seek out every means possible to get help for your children or even your family. There are support organizations, in addition to the school, that are willing to assist. However, your first course of action should be to visit the school and gather as much information as you can. Persons you can contact include: school administrators, teachers, school attendance officers, guidance counselors, school police, leaders in sports organizations, church youth leaders and leaders in positive programs for boys and girls.

o More tips can be found at the School Attendance Unit site at www.schoolatbahamas.com.

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