Attendance and Punctuality

Available data on attendance of teachers and students of the twelve Pilot Schools of the SSRP provide useful information about some issues in the management of education in the state sector. The statistics for the period January to June 2000 show that the average attendance for teachers and students was 89% and 69% respectively. This was an improvement on the earlier period July to December 1999, when the average attendance was 87% and 72% respectively for teachers and students. This kind of information was extracted from the Monthly Absence Returns of the twelve schools and is therefore available to decision-makers in education at the school level, the regional Departments of Education, and the Central Ministry. However, what is of immediate importance is the interpretation of the data.

Dwindling Contact Time

If the average attendance of teachers is 89%, it means that teachers on the average are in school for just about nine out of ten sessions per week. If the students' average attendance is 69%, it means that they are in school about seven out of ten sessions per week. When the two figures are juxtaposed, we can perform a mathematical operation and produce a figure to show what is the average teaching-learning time available to students in a given situation. That final figure is not the average of 89% and 69% which gives 79%. That would be wrong. In the best-case situation whenever the students attend school - 69% of the time - the teachers are also present. The worst case is when the teachers' absences coincide with the students being in school. Since teachers are absent 11% of the time, then teaching-learning time would be reduced by 11% of available contact time resulting in a minimum of 58% of contact time. The average contact time would then be the average of 69% and 58% which gives 63.5%. It therefore means that on the average students are collectively obtaining schooling for just over six out of ten sessions per week. If this is the experience of students over five years from Form 1 to Form 5, the students will not complete in school the planned course of studies for CXC. A more desirable average percentage is 95% for teachers and 90% for students.

69% Student Attendance
89% Teacher Attendance
100% Potential Contact Time

Actual Contact Time:
Maximum - 69%
Minimum - 58% [69 - (100-89)]
Average - 63.5%

Punctuality Compounds the Problem

There is even more cause for concern when we import into the picture the facts about punctuality of teachers and of students, and the incidence of 'time off' and release of teachers in Regions Three, Four and Georgetown to attend the University of Guyana. By law (see Laws of Guyana Chap 39:01) teachers are required to report for duty at least fifteen minutes before the start of a session in order to prepare and to be ready to start work promptly. This law is not always observed by some teachers. With respect to some schools, scores of students are tardy for a variety of frivolous reasons like the unavailability of the right mini-bus, or awaking late, or running errands just before school. Therefore, when attendance rates are compounded with punctuality rates of both teachers and students, the 63.5% of teaching-learning time is further reduced not quite imperceptibly. Then both parties 'scramble' at best at the end of the school-year or near examination time to attempt to complete schemes of work or syllabuses in order to compensate for time irretrievably lost. When the performance of students is assessed by external means like Department of Education tests, or SSRP examinations, or CXC examinations, the under-achievement of students is seldom attributed to poor attendance and punctuality, since other reasons can be manufactured.

The Cost

During the incidence of unsatisfactory attendance and punctuality rates, we do not always give thought to the costs of the wastage nor consider that there is wastage. Let us think on the money spent on teaching and learning materials (such as equipment, textbooks, library books, and stationery). Add to this time spent in making teaching aids and in lesson preparation, including demonstrations in laboratories and workshops. When the student is absent in school, he/she loses the opportunity to experience the explanation of concepts. If he/she is fortunate to have a particular lesson repeated, it may be an abbreviated version of the original lesson and at the expense of later lessons. Let us also think of the money spent on teachers' salaries. Whether the teachers are present or absent, and even if the students' average attendance is only 70%, the state still pays 100% of the salary bill. This situation is further aggravated when the resulting under-achievement by students leads to an increase in drop-out rates. Let us also think of money spent on the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of school buildings. There is definitely wastage when students' absences reduce the maximum use of school buildings. Let us also think of money spent by parents on outfitting their children every September, on maintaining them throughout the year and on paying examination entrance fees. When a child's CXC results at the end of five years are unsatisfactory, many a parent feels that his/her money is wasted. If you still do not agree, consider the feelings of any parent who has to have a child repeat a year in school. In all of these instances unacceptable attendance and punctuality rates by teachers and by students can lead to wastage and this wastage can be quantified and costed.

The Need for Action

After a study of the implications of the facts above, it is the inescapable conclusion that there is need to take action to improve the existing rates. Action should be taken on the one hand by parents, and on the other hand by schools and the Departments of Education. In the first place it is recommended that accurate records be kept of attendance and punctuality and that reports are promptly made at the end of the month for teachers and at the end of term for students. It is anticipated that with the implementation of SIS - the School Information System - at selected schools, the data will be made available to all concerned on a daily basis. In the second place, it is firmly recommended that in cases where distance from school has a negative effect on student punctuality, student should be placed in a school nearer home. Of course, it is recognised that some schools are better than others. However, if you want to retain your place awarded in any school, you must attend that school regularly and punctually. Regular attendance and punctuality are not optional. We need to develop a culture of regular attendance and punctuality in the public sector as in the private sector. In the third place, it is strongly recommended that in a secondary school we set our acceptable rates for teachers' attendance at 95% and for students at 90%. This would mean that the average teaching-learning time under these rates would be 87.5%, which is nearly nine out of ten sessions per week.

Finally, it must be pointed out that we must have the will power to take necessary corrective action after recognising the facts and agreeing on the need for improvement.