Absenteeism and Tardiness among High School Students in Banaba West National High School

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Several factors affect every student's performance in class, and these include absenteeism and tardiness. Eventually, these two, when practiced, can turn into habits, and later on, may become unavoidable. As part of the present school's mandate of practicing punctuality, the researchers wanted to find out the factors that influence high school students' absences/tardiness; their perceived consequences of such; ways being done by the concerned students and in the end, propose intervention activities that may be done by the respondents to assist them into lessening their absences and tardiness records in Banaba West National High School.

METHODS

This quantitative study made use of a descriptive research design. Based on the school's records, there were only thirty-five (35) high school students reported as having the most number of absences and tardiness marks during their first quarter period from the grades 7-12 levels. Thus, they were 100% of the study's respondents. The researcher-prepared questionnaire was the main instrument used. Interviews were solicited from some to clarify their answers in the questionnaires.

RESULTS

Results showed that most of the respondents who had absences and tardiness marks were from grade levels eight and eleven; male and with ages ranging from 13 and 17 years old. The respondents agreed that the most common factors contributory to tardiness/absenteeism are brought about by personal factors. Correctly the items "sleeping late at night" and "cannot participate in the class discussions." The majority perceived that as a critical consequence of absenteeism and tardiness are low grades due to factors like "submitting projects/assignments behind deadlines"; "missing the actual lesson-discussions and quizzes given" and "parents being invited by the adviser and guidance counselor to discuss the students' attendance."

DISCUSSIONS

In this study, the main reason found for most cases of absenteeism and tardiness is the lack of sleep due to their gadgets. When an individual lacks sleep, there is a possibility of waking up late, preparing late in the morning and may end with either being late or absent in their classes. As most respondents were open for suggestions, a proposed list of activities, which may hopefully motivate the concerned to shift their negative habits, had been proposed in the paper.