Evidence Based Truancy Prevention

We advocate and support the dissemination and implementation of evidence based school and after-school truancy preventions programs, interventions and practices. Truancy has been identified as a serious problem in schools across schools in Kenya, and reducing it must be a priority for school and community leaders. Truancy is commonly defined as unexcused absence from school.

Truancy has broad, serious, and lifelong consequences and has been linked to many negative student outcomes such as lower grades, repeating grades, dropping out, substance abuse, delinquency, unintended pregnancy, gang activity, and serious criminal behavior. One of the most important negative outcomes is the academic slippage that occurs when students miss school, fall behind, and drop out. Failing to graduate from high school places people at higher risk of earning low wages, being unemployed, having poor health, and being imprisoned.

In addition to lifelong cost for an individual, truancy also has serious financial cost for schools, communities, and society. Available evidence suggests that evidenced based truancy prevention programs, strategies and practices are more effective than the punitive measures. Limited dissemination and implementation of evidence based school and after-school truancy prevention programs, interventions and practices contribute to increased cases of truancy among students in Kenya.