Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, has urged communities to play a greater role in addressing student absenteeism in schools.
Speaking during the Standing Finance Committee meeting of the House of Representatives on March 6 at Gordon House where members reviewed the 2026/27 Estimates of Expenditure, she reported that an islandwide absenteeism rate of 15 per cent was recorded for 2025.
The Minister expressed concern about absenteeism, even in education regions that were not significantly affected by the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
“Absenteeism is a problem across the system. It is not just in the west that we’re seeing it. We’re seeing it in Kingston. I’ve been looking at those numbers quite a bit. Even Region One, which is Kingston and St. Andrew, I only have 82 per cent consistent attendance at school. That is not acceptable at all; and then when you look at Region Six, it’s 65 per cent,” she said.
Region Six covers the parish of St. Catherine, while Region Four of the Ministry serves schools in Westmoreland, St. James, and Hanover, recording an average attendance rate of 66 per cent.
“When I say absenteeism, what we’re looking at is poor attendance. So, you come today, don’t come tomorrow… and so, it is a problem we are facing in this country,” Senator Morris Dixon said.
She emphasised that the Ministry needs the support of communities across Jamaica to help improve student attendance.
“You can’t see a child in the middle of the day in a fast-food establishment and not say something to them. The communities cannot hide them. We have to send our children to school,” Senator Morris Dixon further stressed.
Meanwhile, the Minister expressed gratitude to schools that have taken the initiative to engage with communities and locate their students.
