Absenteeism among schoolchildren rises to 21.6% in Denmark

The number of schoolchildren with high absenteeism is on the rise again. Data from the Ministry of Children and Education indicates that in the 2023-2024 school year, 21.6% of students had an absence rate exceeding 10%. This equates to 110,966 students out of a total of 513,857, marking an increase of over 7,500 students from the previous year.

Rasmus Kjeldahl, director of the children’s rights organization, describes this situation as “shocking.” He expresses concern over the rising numbers, stating that last year’s figures were already troubling. For the 2022-2023 school year, the number of students with over 10% absenteeism was 103,439, significantly lower than in the 2021-2022 year, when there were over 130,000 students affected due to COVID-19 lockdowns.

Children and Education Minister Mattias Tesfaye is disappointed by the new figures, as he believed progress was being made. He highlights that the long-term absenteeism caused by prolonged illnesses is contributing to the rise in numbers. He emphasizes that the situation does not reflect simply skipping school but involves children being out sick for extended periods, which is challenging for families.

Schools are required to contact parents if a student’s unauthorized absence reaches 10%. Ideally, dialogue should occur well before reaching this threshold, though legitimate reasons for high absenteeism may exist. If absenteeism hits 15%, school leadership must inform the municipality. Tesfaye attributes part of the absenteeism issue to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that while adults have moved on, the hardships faced by young people during that time remain overlooked.