1 in 20 students in Japan’s schools is absent regularly

Every year, Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) conducts a study related to truancy, bullying, suicide, and more in elementary, middle, and high schools across the country. .

The results of last year’s study reveal some startling numbers, particularly related to students who do not attend school regularly (defined here as missing school for more than 30 days of the school year) and which is the highest rate on record. Until now.

In said report it can be seen that more than 244,940 students (1,498 of elementary school age and 163,442 of secondary school age) did not attend school for more than 30 days . That’s a 25 percent increase of nearly 49,000 students from the previous year’s numbers and means that one in 20 high school students is absent from school.

This means that 1 to 2 students are often absent as Japanese school classrooms typically contain about 30 to 40 students.

Although the Ministry of Education has cited multiple factors for these numbers, it is very likely that the disruptions caused by COVID, as well as the temporary closure of schools and drastic alterations in school life, have been a determining factor. so that many children feel unmotivated to study with their peers in a classroom.

But with this being the ninth consecutive year that the study has found an increase in the number of students regularly absent from school, it’s important to keep in mind that there is more at stake than just COVID.

Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has committed to further investigate and analyze the factors of absenteeism in schools, hoping that in the coming years the situation will improve and the numbers will decrease.