HOW ARE STUDENT ABSENCES JUSTIFIED AND WHEN ARE OTHER SERVICES INFORMED - WHAT DO THE REGULATIONS FOR THE OPERATION OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS PROVIDE? - Filenews 21/8 by Evangelia Sizopoulou
The issue of student absences from their school is something that concerns all stakeholders, sometimes for different reasons. How many days can children be absent from school, which absences are justified and by what procedure are justified, what happens in cases where students must be absent for serious reasons, including health issues, as well as when the school should inform other Services, including the Police, are some of the parameters that are regulated by the current School Regulations.
It is important to note that such issues are also raised in Primary Education, including Pre-Primary Education, despite the fact that absences usually give older students and by extension their parents headaches.
In the case of Primary Education, special reference is made to the issue of absences in the large circular that includes the instructions of the Ministry of Education in view of the start of the new school year on September 14. In addition, there is also a reference to the relevant Regulations of operation of public schools of Primary Education, which are clear about how the schools and their directorates handle the issue but also about what the parents/guardians of the students are obliged to do.
One of the most important points is when the school informs other state services and how the absence of a child reaches the Police, so that they can undertake the necessary investigation.
Specifically, the Regulations record the following points, after first clarifying that any absence of a student of compulsory Pre-Primary Education, primary school or special education school, is justified by the parent in a way that satisfies the principal, as follows:
- For an absence of a few hours or one to five consecutive days, the school must be informed by the parent, either by phone, in writing or in person, from the day before or in the morning of the day the student will be absent.
- For absences for more than five consecutive days or absences of fewer days, but at regular intervals, without there being any reason to be assessed by the school director as serious, the school principal informs the relevant District Education Office in writing, immediately and in every detail. The notification includes detailed information, on the basis of a special form for this purpose and for all cases of unjustified absences, the District Education Office informs the Police and/or the Welfare Office, accordingly, to take further actions to ensure the student's right to education, and the student continues to be registered in the Attendance List and the absences for the entire period of absence are noted.
- For absences for health reasons, specific parameters are described:
- For more than five days or when the principal deems it necessary, a certificate from the doctor who attended the student is required, unless the principal is otherwise satisfied.
- For less than five days and provided that there is no doctor's certificate, it is required to present to the school a relevant certificate signed by the parent.
4. For absences for any other reason, it is required to present to the school a relevant certificate signed by the parent.
5. A parent who is going to pick up his/her child before the end of the lessons, must first inform the school principal or the class teacher in writing and then the student must leave the school.
6. In the event that a student needs to leave systematically, before the end of classes or fail to arrive at school on time in the morning, to undergo treatment or receive treatment due to health problems, approval must be obtained in advance by the school principal, by completing a special form designated by the Director of Primary Education: It is understood that approval of requests for withdrawal or non-timely arrival is given only in cases where the student visits a doctor to undergo treatment or receive treatment that is not provided at school, such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, etc.
7. Systematic late arrival of a student at school constitutes negligence on the part of the parents, which is handled on the basis of the "Primary and Secondary Education (Compulsory Attendance and Provision of Free Education) Law", and the principal initially informs the Social Welfare Services and in case the late arrival of the student continues, acts as provided for in the above paragraph of the relevant Regulation.
Student health issues and alternative way of education
Another important chapter, which is governed by the Regulations, is the alternative way of educating students of Pre-Primary and Primary Education.
Specifically, it is stated that the alternative way of education and the program or courses that will be included in this program are decided by the District Committee for Special Education and Training.
- For a child in compulsory Pre-Primary Education, primary school or special education school who, for health reasons, cannot, for a long period of time, attend the regular curriculum at school, and attending classes outside school is considered part of the normal curriculum in the class where the student is enrolled: It is understood that health reasons also include emotional or mental health problems.
- For a child of compulsory Pre-primary Education, primary school or special education school who, by decision of the Minister, in accordance with the relevant Regulation, temporarily interrupted his/her studies.
It is pointed out that in exceptional cases, an alternative education program is immediately implemented within the school, in the context of an alternative way of education, which is decided by a multidisciplinary team and ratified and/or finalized by the District Committee for Special Education and Training.
The content and implementation of the alternative education program inside or outside the school, in accordance with the Regulations governing the operation of schools, is monitored by the school principal and is carried out in collaboration with the teacher who is the head of the department.
