Truancy Intervention Program Based on the Perceptions of Students, Parents,

and Teachers of Aguado Elementary School

I. Context and Rationale

There are high hopes in the promising program of the K to 12 Curriculum.

Thus, the Education Department is gearing towards globally competitive,

knowledgeable, competent and empowered graduates. However new programs

does not necessarily mean that old problems will not emerged. The exertion of pupils

to be at school every school day remains a struggle.

In reality, it is a given fact that some students will somehow miss a day or two

of their attendance for the academic year. However, other pupils have developed

absenteeism. In doing so, critical periods of development that could add to their

eagerness to study are loss. This has caused some to drop out and others to just go

with the flow and become mediocre learners instead of honing their full potential.

In this context, DepEd Order (DO 8 series of 2015) recognized the existence

of the predicament as it reminds all the stakeholders that teachers and parents

should work hand in hand to prevent pupils from incurring absences more than 20%

of the prescribed number of classes and laboratory periods during the semester.

Teachers must immediately have a communication with the parent of a pupil who

made 5 successive absences with the intention of resolving the problem. This is

imperative for it is assumed that absences during classes hinder the mastery of the

pupils on the learning of concepts as gaps in the scaffolding of the learning process

exist. Consequently, pupils who are frequently absent from the school are at the risk
of dropping out. Thus, the Drop-Out Reduction Program (“What is DORP?,2012) was

implemented not only to address those who drop out and are Out of School but also

to identify learners who are at risk of stopping their studies. With this in

consideration, the school should design plans and implement interventions

accordingly. In addressing the reasons behind the pupil’s absences, DORP assumed

that this is an added opportunity for the pupils to master the basic competencies and

graduate with necessary skills.

The impacts of absenteeism and dropping out to the individual, community,

and society in general are huge. For instance, the New York Times (Dillon, 2009)

cited a study wherein 1 in every 10 male drop outs of 2006 have been or are in

prisons or in a juvenile detention. It continued by quoting one of those who

commissioned the research, namely, former New Orleans Mayor Marc H. Morial in

saying:

“The dropout rate is driving the nation’s increasing prison population, and it’s a drag

on America’s economic competitiveness,”

As cited by Dillon (2009), the study of Andrew Sum estimated the losses of

the US government to $292,000 for every “working life” of a high school dropout.

This includes the anticipated low tax proceeds from jobless drop outs and the cost

on government social welfare and other services for the poor ones who have not

finished high school. Part of the estimate is the financial cost in the prison terms of

dropouts. In view of this, Morial commented:

“This report makes it clear that every American pays a cost when a young person

leaves school without a diploma.”

 As societal survival is trimmed down into a ratio between educational

attainment and annual income, more pressure is put into the shoulders of

stakeholders to address its multi-causal nature. Every so often, those directly

concerned namely; the school, the parents, and the absentee pupils, are said to be

significant factors of absenteeism. This study believed that as direct participants of

this phenomenon, the absentees, their parents and teachers can determine actions

within their control that could contribute in resolving absenteeism. It is also assumed

that as adults or near adulthood (as in the case of some of the students) each of the

three parties knew their weaknesses and can identify who among the other two can

help them address it.

In line with this, participatory research process (Pant, 2008) will be utilized in

coming up with an intervention design program and implementation. It will give

opportunity on the three facets of perceptions coming from teachers, pupils and

parents to be heard in relation to absenteeism. An ensuing commitment setting of

the three parties will then be staged which will be the cornerstone of an intervention

program. The success of the intervention will then be measured by comparing the

before and after of the intervention program.

II. Research Questions:

This research revolves around the aim of answering the key question of:

What are the perceptions of the students, parents and teachers on how to deal with

absenteeism?

The specific underlying questions on this action research are the following:
1. What are the perceptions of the truant on the causes and means to resolve

absenteeism?

2. What are the perceptions of the parent on the causes and means to resolve

absenteeism?

3. What are the perceptions of the teacher on the causes and means to resolve

absenteeism?

4. What intervention program may be proposed to address the problem on truancy?

5. What is the future plan of the school administration to the findings of the study?

IV. Scope and Limitation:

This study intends to build an intervention on pupils who are frequently absent in

their class. In order to do this, this research will uncover the perceptions of the

following:

1. Absentees of Aguado Elementary School for the School Year 2019-2020

2. Their parents

3. Their teacher advisers

V. Research Methodology

a. Sampling

Purposive sampling will be used since only pupils with record of absenteeism will be

the participants. Saturation will be utilized due to the expected small number of

absentees who will incur absences near the 20% from the total number of expected

attendance screened from the whole population of Aguado Elementary Sampling.

Thereafter, the truants, their parents and their advisers’ will be asked of their

perceptions on how to resolve the truancy of the students. If the participants’

perceptions will suggest the need to ask the perceptions of some subject teachers,

they will also be interviewed accordingly.

b. Data collection

A combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection will be done on

this research. Advisers will be asked based on the daily attendance records of each

grade level of Aguado Elementary School. Basis in identifying the students who has

made almost 20% absence from the expected days of classes during the 2nd

Quarter of 2019 that corresponds to August 12, 2019 to October 25, 2019 (Deped

Order 23 series of 2016) . When the truant students are already identified, a survey

of their family’s profile and socio economic status will follow. Afterwards, a qualitative

data gathering through a semi structured interview will be done in order to gather the

perceptions of the truant students, their parents and their teachers. They will share

their perceptions on how they can contribute and how they can be assisted in

resolving truancy. The perceptions of the three parties will then be examined through

narrative analysis. This descriptive research method will expound the appreciation

on education of the students, their parents and their teachers.

C. Ethical Issues

Parents will be informed that the intention of the study is to have an in-depth

understanding of how to address truancy. Thorough explanation will be provided that

the primary concern is for the benefit of their children. A written waiver will sought the
consent of parents and teachers before the data gathering. In view of this, it is

presumed that the students, being under their parent supervision, will need the

written consent of their parents before an interview will be done. Data gathering will

not in any way hinder the day to day schedule of the participants as utmost respect

on the personal life of the participants are observed. Relative to such, the identity of

all participants will be kept confidential.

D. Plan for Data Analysis:

A saturation of the population will be utilized because of the limited number of

participants. Afterwards, a qualitative method will be employed as the participants

will be asked of their perceptions on how they can contribute and how they can be

assisted in resolving the present and existing truancy problem. The perceptions of

the three parties will then be relayed through coding of the answers of participants

and thematic analysis. Being patterned from participatory research (Pant,2008), this

study will capitalize on the shared perceptions of the three groups of participants

namely: the truants, the parents/guardians and the teachers. Hence, the fourth and

fifth statement of the problem will be addressed by the researchers and the school

management through close consideration to the answers of the participants. As

such, the intervention program to be proposed by the researchers will be based on

the answers of the three groups.

VI. Time table

June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov.

Activities
2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019
Action Research Proposal
Data Gathering Procedure
Intervention
Attendance Monitoring
Writing the result of the

study
Revision of the paper
Paper Presentation

VII. Cost Estimates

Quantity/ Unit price/ fare ESTIMATED

PARTICULAR
Number of trips EXPENSES
Transportation 16 20 320.00
Communication 6.00 / minute 60 minutes 360.00
Bond Paper 3 reams 200 600.00
1 black/ 3 w/ color 250 1,000.00
Ink
TOTAL 2,280.00

VIII. Plans for Dissemination/Advocacy

As an action research, this study is intended as a material for consideration of

AGUADO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. If the contents of the study merit the

appreciation of the School Administration, it is hope that the result of the study, the

insights on the perceptions of the truant student, their parents, and teachers, will be

considered in addressing the problem of truancy.

Also, depending on the appreciation of the Cavite Schools Division Office, it is

hope that the result and knowledge to be gained in this study be cascaded to

teaching staff and educational administrators within its area of authority.

Prepared by:

OLIVE R. ERNI
Teacher I / LIS Coordinator
Aguado Elementary School

MARIE MILLARDETH B. PERIDO

Teacher III / Class Adviser
Aguado Elementary School

References:

Baker M. L.; Sigmund J. N.; and Nugent, E. M. (2001). Truancy Reduction: Keeping

Students in School. Juvenile Justice Bulletin.

http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED468296. pdf. page 2.

DepEd Order no.8 (2015). Policy Guidelines on Classroom Assessment for the K to

12 Basic Education Program, Department of Education. http://www.deped.gov.ph

/sites/ default/files/order/2015/DO_s2015_08.pdf. pages 23-24.

What is DORP?(2012). Department of Education, Koronadal City.

https://depedkoronadalcity. files. wordpress.com/2012/10/what-is-dorp.pdf. Slide no.

5.

Dillon, S. (2009, October 8). Study finds high rate of imprisonment among dropouts.

The New York Times, A12. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09

/education/09dropout. html?_r=0

Demir, K. and Akman Karabeyoglu, Y. (2015). Factors Associated with Absenteeism

in High Schools. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 62, 37-56

http://dx.doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2016.62.4. page 40.

Duckworth, K; deJung, J. (1986). Variation in Student Skipping: A Study of Six High

Schools. Final Report. Center for Educational Policy and Management , College of

Education, University of Oregon. Eugene Oregon 97403

http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED267503.pdf. pages 44-45.

Hammond, C.; Linton, D; Smink, J; and Drew, S. (2007). Dropout Risk Factors and

Exemplary Programs. A Technical Report.

http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED497057.pdf pages 20-21,38.

Rivers, B (2010). Truancy: Causes, Effects and Solutions. St. John Fisher College,

Fisher Digital Publications. http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi? article=1106

&context=education_ETD_masters page 5.

Pant, M. (2008). Participatory Research. Participatory Lifelong Learning and

Information and Communication Technologies

http://www.unesco.org/education/aladin/paldin/pdf/course_01.pdf. page 96.