The number of absenteeism reports from students in Coevorder primary education has more than doubled. According to the municipality of Coevorden and Menso, this is no reason to panic: the increase in the number of reports does not necessarily mean that there is more absenteeism.
The report Annual Report Compulsory Education Coevorden 2024-2025 was recently published. In this document, the employment agency Menso NV describes the implementation of the compulsory education tasks.
At primary schools, there were still 21 reports during the 2023/2024 school year. During the last school year there were 49.
The number of absenteeism reports in secondary schools has remained the same: there are still 124. In secondary vocational education, the most absenteeism reports are: 130. That is slightly more than in the 2023/2024 school year, when there were 117.
“We are pleased with the doubling of the absenteeism figure,” a Menso spokesperson told ZO!34. “In this case, it means that compulsory education is involved in a timely manner and we get an overview of the student earlier, so that we can provide better insight into absenteeism.”
The municipality’s spokesperson agrees: “The increase in the number of absenteeism reports does not mean that there is actually more absenteeism. It mainly shows that schools are registering and reporting better and more consistently. That is a positive development.”
According to the municipality, the visibility of school attendance officers works and teachers therefore know better when a report is necessary: ”This provides earlier insight into what is going on and appropriate support can be provided more quickly. At the same time, the basic principle remains that we strive for as little absenteeism as possible,” said the spokesperson.
A distinction is made between three forms of absenteeism. In almost all cases there was relative absenteeism. In 14 cases there was absolute absenteeism. Luxury absenteeism was reported in 8 cases.
In the case of relative absenteeism, a student is absent without a valid reason, for example due to being late or missing days or hours. “There are often underlying problems behind this,” Menso NV said in the report. In the event of absolute absenteeism, a student is required to attend school, but does not go to school. In the case of luxury absence, a student is on holiday outside the school holidays. “Early detection prevents failures, further escalation and the deployment of emergency services,” the municipality said in a council information letter.
The report also shows that the number of Halt referrals has increased. Menso is ‘reluctant’ about enforcement. This is only done if there is clear culpability on the part of the young people and/or parents. A referral to Halt is for young people between the ages of 12 and 18 who have committed a criminal offense.
School visits will be planned for primary education in the new school year. During these visits there are discussions about identifying and reporting absenteeism. There are already preventive consultation hours at secondary vocational education; these will be continued, just as in secondary education.
Menso wants to continue working with the schools on better cooperation and early detection of absenteeism. “There is better coordination of who does what when absenteeism occurs. This means that the doubling is not a reason for concern, but rather an opportunity to better combat absenteeism or at least discuss it with parents, school and students,” says Menso.
