- A Closer Look at School Boarders
Last school year, schools and authorities in Saxony-Anhalt placed a heightened focus on school absenteeism. Consequently, the number of reported violations has significantly increased, as the Ministry of Education confirmed upon request. Preliminary figures show that 1,945 violations of school attendance were recorded last year, compared to 1,261 in the previous year.
After a noticeable decrease in reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic, when between 700 and 800 violations were recorded per school year, the numbers have since returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to the Ministry of Education.
Increased scrutiny leads to higher numbers
Ministry spokesman Elmer Emig attributed the sharp increase last year to greater awareness. Against the backdrop of rising youth crime, particularly in Halle, measures to enforce school attendance have been tightened. For instance, a ministerial decree now requires teachers to contact the parents of truant students earlier than before, reducing the deadline from one week to three days. The deadline for reporting to the relevant authority has also been tightened. Schools have been further sensitized to this issue, Emig said. "I don't believe we have an overall higher number, but rather that we have focused extremely on this topic."
The heightened focus on school absenteeism in schools and authorities led to a significant increase in reported violations last year. With the tightened measures to enforce school attendance due to rising youth crime, particularly in Halle, schools are now required to contact truant students' parents sooner.
