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Schools around the world have long reopened since the pandemic, schedules have returned to normal, yet school halls still haven't been filled with that children's laughter in their former volume. We have encountered a phenomenon that experts call «presence crisis». It turned out that the habit of attending school is a fragile thing, and lockdowns finally broke it completely. Today, administrations and officials are resorting to desperate measures: from financial payments to students to sending robot avatars instead of children!
Truancy Statistics 2025
The scale of the problem is hard to ignore: if previously a truant was «a rare beast» from a disadvantaged background, today it is a mass phenomenon affecting all layers of society.
- USA: Chronic truancy here is considered absence from 10% of lessons or more. Before the pandemic, about 15% of children were like this; in 2022 the figure soared to 28%, and by early 2026 the indicator stabilized at a worrying 24%.
- UK: In autumn 2025, the share of «chronic truants» in England reached 18% (compared to 11% in pre-pandemic times) — in a class of 30 people this means three chairs are empty at every lesson.
- Japan: Here, the increase in the number of school refusals has been recorded for the 12th year in a row.
What does this lead to? In 2025 in the USA, a historical minimum of reading literacy was recorded: 40% of fourth graders did not even reach the basic level. School is a model of attitude towards work, so experts fear that the habit of «skipping life» will become entrenched in the generation and into adulthood.
How has parental mindset changed?
Until 2020, truancy was more often a consequence of social difficulties, but today the picture has become much more complex. Studies by the British organization Nesta and data from PISA 2022 highlight new motives:
- Gentle parenting. Surveys show that 75% of parents allow the child to stay home if they are simply «not in the mood». The term «duvet days» appeared — when a schoolchild spends the day in bed with adult consent. 7% of parents admitted to allowing skipping school for a visit to the hairdresser.
- The remote work effect. If dad and mom work from home in pajamas, it is extremely difficult to explain to the child why they must go to school in the rain when all materials are available digitally.
- Boredom and loss of meaning. About 19% of teenagers admit that they are simply not interested — mass school cannot withstand competition with dynamic digital content.
- Psychological discomfort. The pandemic undermined mental health: there is more bullying and conflict in collectives, for many school has ceased to be a «safe haven».
How are children being returned to classrooms?
The traditional method of fighting is fines. In the UK, parents will be issued a bill for £80 for an unexcused absence, which doubles if overdue. In Germany sanctions are stricter — up to €2500, however many families prefer to pay the fine, viewing it as a «tax on cheap vacation» outside peak season.
Understanding that the fines won't help the matter, schools are switching to a strategy of motivation:
- Robots in Kumamoto (Japan). Since 2023, avatar robots are used in schools: the child connects from home, controls the robot, «walks» down corridors and communicates with friends without leaving the room. This is a bridge for those who fear physical presence.
- Wellness and dogs. In England and Wales schools open spa zones, get therapy dogs and draw cash prizes (up to £80!) among those who did not miss a single day during the week.
- Direct payments in the USA. In New Orleans, high schoolers are paid $50 weekly just for attendance. Result? Increased discipline and first financial planning skills!
School as a support ecosystem
The attendance crisis is a temporary echo of lockdowns that has deeply changed the culture. To return children, schools have to take on more responsibilities: from psychological support to helping families with food (as done in some US states). Today educational environments win where an atmosphere of safety and respect is created. It seems the old model «come because you must» has finally given way to the model «come because here they value and understand you». But does this not make the children, and indeed their parents, too relaxed?
