Government schools witness 100% absence and “private” 70%
Yesterday, public schools in the northern emirates recorded a complete absence of students from school hours by 100%, while other schools recorded high rates of absence, while private schools recorded full commitment for students of kindergarten and basic education, compared to a high rate of absence of 70% among middle and secondary students. School officials attributed the high rate of absence before the fiftieth National Union Day holiday, to the impact of WhatsApp groups, which became the platform for prior agreement for mass absences, and mothers’ agreement through social media groups, that their children would not go to schools to increase an additional day of vacation. To become five days instead of four days.
Officials in public and private schools confirmed that the social media groups, which include parents of students, have a significant impact on the decisions of students going to schools, explaining that each classroom has its own group on social networking programs such as WhatsApp. And “Telegram”, and not under the supervision of schools or the classroom teacher, and agreements are made between students’ parents over absence.
An administrator in a private school in the Emirate of Fujairah, Aisha Muhammad, confirmed that school administrations work with a different methodology every year in an effort to avoid the high rate of absence, but the absence is still high, as the students’ families agree among themselves through social media programs “WhatsApp” and “Telegram.” Under the pretext that the curricula are over and students sit in classrooms without any benefit.
She pointed out that at a time when students' families are demanding to establish their children and teach them writing and reading skills that they were unable to master during the period in which they spent their distance education, they do not cooperate with the school's methodology in supporting students and allocating them to classes at the end of the semester.
The opinion was supported by a class teacher at a public school in the Eastern Province, Laila Muhammad, saying that the groups of students' families have a great impact on the schools' decisions, especially since the number of its members exceeds 25 students' families in each class, which means that each class has its own group on the "Social Media" programs. Such as “WhatsApp”, “Telegram” and other programs for communication, noting that these groups are not under the supervision of schools or the classroom teacher, and that there are prior agreements on absences.
The director of a public school in Ras Al Khaimah, who preferred not to be named, stated that the school witnessed a 100% absence yesterday and the day before yesterday, due to the end of the first semester exams, despite the continuation of school hours for students and the attendance of all teachers and administrative staff of the school to implement the class schedule. He added that teachers attended and students missed classes due to their non-compliance with the students' code of conduct.
He explained that although the administration informed the students' families of the importance of their children's commitment to the school hours the day before yesterday, the absence in the classroom was complete without any student attending, pointing out that the absence was expected and occurs frequently before holidays or national and religious occasions.
He pointed out that students agree through social media groups about the mass absence from school hours, and that what they agree on in the virtual world is applied in the real world.
Osama Al-Abdullah, an administrator in a private school in Ajman, said that the school recorded almost complete attendance of students from kindergarten to the ninth grade, compared to the absence of 70% of students in the preparatory and secondary stages, yesterday and the day before yesterday, despite the continuation of school hours.
In addition, the mother of a primary school student in the Emirate of Fujairah, Maysoon Muhammad, said that WhatsApp groups are not a main reason for the high rate of student absence, noting that her daughter is in the first grade of primary school and does not undergo exams at the end of the semester. When I sent her to school, she was surprised by the number The high rate of absenteeism in class, and only a small number of students attended, prompting the school administration to contact her to come and take her daughter.
She added that a large number of students' families do not appreciate the importance of their children attending school, which affects the rest of the students who are committed to attending, especially since class teachers focus during this period on establishing students and teaching them scientific skills such as reading and writing.
The mother of a kindergarten student in a government school in the Emirate of Fujairah, Maryam Abdullah, stated that she "inquired from the mothers in the social media group to separate her son, they all told her that they would not send their children to school due to the end of the curricula," explaining that she did not send her son to school until Don't stay alone in class.
She emphasized that the class teacher or the school administration did not communicate with her in order to hold her accountable for her son's absence, which made her feel that absence during the end of the semester is a common thing, especially after completing the curriculum.
Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news