Overview

• Officials recorded nearly 2,770 students with more than 40 missed days in the first half of 2024/25, up from 2,259 a year earlier.
• The state’s framework classifies critical absences per semester as problematic (11–20 days), serious (21–40), and massive (over 40).
• Absenteeism is reported to be most prevalent at vocational schools compared with Gymnasien, Gemeinschaftsschulen, and primary schools.
• Early SANSCHO findings cite psychological strain, family crises, academic overload, and a lack of belonging as key drivers.
• The ministry warns of lost learning, weaker class ties, and possible failure to graduate, noting 794 public schools serving about 372,300 students in 2024/25.