Effectiveness of Sagip Bata Program in Improving the Attendance of Grade 3 Pupils

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

School absenteeism is an alarming problem for administrators, teachers, parents, society in general, and pupils in particular. Unaccepted absences have a negative effect on peer relationships, which can cause further absences. According to Malcolm, Wilson, Davidson and Kirk (2003) teachers identified the effects of absenteeism on children as: academic under-achievement, difficulty in making friends which could lead to boredom and loss of confidence, prolonged absence can have deleterious effects for the child in later life and pupils who are absent from school are at the greatest risk of dropping out of school early.

METHODS

The study used the descriptive and experimental method using the single group design. The post-implementation attendance of the pupils where compared to the pre-implementation attendance to measure and to describe the level of effectiveness of the intervention.

RESULTS

Findings imply that the intervention program is effective in improving the attendance of the pupils in grade 3.

DISCUSSIONS

The project intervention which caters different strategies was the primary tool in helping the learners. The attendances of the pupil-respondents are significantly higher after exposure to the intervention program which resulted to a high percentage of daily attendance.