Managing learner attendance in middle schools

Abstract

Learner attendance in school is a focus for teachers to improve learner achievement (Applegate, 2003: 25). Colorado (2008:1) was of the opinion that one of the most important things your child can do to achieve academic success is to go to school every day . Thus, managing learner attendance has been and continues to be a major goal of many schools. The Department of Basic Education has developed a policy to promote regular school attendance (DBE, 2010:10) (hereafter referred to as the Policy). The key aspect of the Policy is that all learners must attend school on every day of school. The Policy was developed in response to the need for procedures for the recording, management and monitoring of learner attendance. The purpose of this paper is to find out what strategies principals are using to manage learner attendance in the three selected middle schools in the Tshwane North District of Gauteng Department of Education. In South Africa, middle schools are also referred to as Senior Phase, a level that falls between primary and secondary schools with grades seven to nine. The study applied the case study design and utilised the qualitative approach. Data was collected through individual semi-structured interviews with school principals, HoDs responsible for learner attendance and class teachers. Content analysis was used to analyse the management of learner attendance. Key findings of this research suggest that there are specific strategies in place used by principals to manage learner attendance in middle schools. Principals in middle schools actively managed the attendance records of their incoming learners, and engaged the learners and parents at the first incidence of non-attendance. Principals reached out to the community to build a culture of regular school attendance by identifying the causes of poor learner attendance. They conducted follow-ups on learners who absented themselves more than one or three days per week. They reached up to their district leadership and submitted quarterly attendance registers to their district offices for professional support.