Missing two school days a month could leave pupils almost a year behind, Abu Dhabi warns

Abu Dhabi: Missing school for two days a month could leave a pupil almost an academic year behind in their learning, Abu Dhabi’s Department of Education and Knowledge has warned, urging parents to pay close attention to attendance.

That pattern amounts to 18 missed days over a school year and could lead to a 14-point drop in assessment scores. For pupils absent for three days or more each month, the decline could reach 25 points, according to the department. 

In a social media post, the department explained that while missing a day or two might seem insignificant, repeated absences could create a substantial learning gap over time, making missed lessons increasingly difficult to recover.

The effects can extend to new lessons and homework. Children who regularly miss school may struggle to keep pace with classmates and need to put in extra effort to catch up. Over time, their confidence may suffer and they may become less involved in classroom activities.

The more school a pupil misses, the harder it becomes to catch up on lessons and learning material, the department noted, emphasising parents’ responsibility to support their children’s attendance and continued learning.

It urged parents to ensure regular attendance, maintain healthy sleep routines and contact the school early if their children encounter difficulties.