Absenteeism amongst Bangladeshi pupils in Westminster

• Main Author: Azad, Md. Abul Kalam
• Published: University of Portsmouth 2005
• Subjects: 371.295
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.424213

The pupils of Bangladeshi origin in Westminster have been identified as one of the lowest attending ethnic groups. However, so far, no specific academic study had been conducted to examine the underlying causes of absenteeism among them. Therefore, this study, qualitative in nature, set out to identify the most common factors contributing to absenteeism amongst the focus group who represented one in every ten pupil-population of the borough. Cross-sectional examination of the perceptually developed hypotheses was mainly carried out in five primary schools and one secondary school, located in different geographical areas of the Westminster Local Education Authority. The sample included 140 pupils (100 primary and 40 secondary), most of their parents guardians, head teachers, teachers, home-school liaison workers, community leaders/workers, Westminster Education Welfare Officers, LEA Officers and Attendance Advisor at DjES. Semi-structured interview and questionnaire schedules were used as the main tools for data generation. The findings of the study suggested that poor health was the most prevalent reason for low attendance among the focus group, followed by extended holidays which resulted in considerable numbers of absences -both authorised and unauthorised. Family poverty did not evidently appear to.be a causal explanatory issue for poor health and low attendance of the pupils. An overwhelming majority of the pupils, particularly primary girls, showed positive attitudes towards education and schools too. Female education was receiving increasingly positive support from the Bangladeshi parents. A sizeable number of unauthorised absences of both primary and secondary pupils were also referred to system or registration procedural errors. However, no cultural, racial or religious concerns were cited as reasons for absenteeism. The study strongly recommended an immediate clinical investigation into the causes of the high incidence of health vulnerability among the focus group.