Tracing the Factors of Grade 10 Students’ Absenteeism in Mataas na Kahoy National High School; Project HMMSK, a Proposed Strategic Reward System

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

School absenteeism is an alarming problem for administrators, teachers, parents, society in general, and pupils in particular. Absences have a negative effect on peer relationships which can cause further absences. Society also suffers when school-age children are not in school. The researchers would like to minimize this problem, if not eradicate it completely. That is why the researchers conducted an action research to address the different factors about student's absenteeism. The researchers want a more accurate analysis of why some of the students are perennial absentees, so that the researchers could formulate strategic reward system to minimize their absences.

METHODS

Descriptive type of research was used in the study with survey questionnaire as the main instrument in data gathering. All questions in the questionnaires were answered fully and retrieved 100%. The data gathered from the questionnaire were collected, tallied, and treated using statistical treatment.

RESULTS

Home-related factors were traced with the greatest impact on students' absenteeism. Among the cited effects of using strategic reward system, individual competitiveness was the highest response of the students. There was no significant relationship from the factors of students’ absenteeism and from the existing strategic reward system. Thus, the researchers proposed another strategic reward system that may help students to attend classes regularly, the " Healthy Merienda Mo, Sagot Ko Project”.

DISCUSSIONS

From the identified factors, it shows that home-related factors have the greatest impact on students' absenteeism. Among the cited effects of using strategic reward system to students it shows that individual competitiveness has the greatest effect of using the strategic reward system. It shows that there is no significant relationship between the factors of students' absenteeism and the use of reward system. Based on the findings, with the existing strategic reward system it was shown that the researchers need to focus on the identified factors that will lead to formulate a strategic reward. Thus, a "Healthy Merienda Mo, Sagot Ko Project" was proposed by the researchers to give the students a motivation to attend classes regularly.