“Sometimes, it's better to bunk a class and enjoy with friends, because now, when I look back, marks never make me laugh, but memories do,” said India’s former president, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam.

Most students bunk a class or two at some point during their school or college years. But the tendency to frequently stay away from the classroom is a bad habit and has far-reaching consequences. According to an article in promoteprevent.org, "Truancy and chronic absenteeism, which are often stepping stones to dropping-out of school before graduation, have consequences for children, the adults these children will become, and the society in which they live."

As the problem of truancy is increasing with every passing day, time has come to find a solution to the problem. To deal with a child who often bunks classes, it is important to first understand the reasons for his behaviour. Rahul Mereand-Sinha in his article, ‘Tackling truancy, part 2: Why won't they go to school?’ published in greatergreatereducation.org, says, "When surveys are done of the various stakeholders on the primary causes of truancy, the schools and their staff tend to blame the parents. The children generally blame the school. The parents often blame the child. Whatever insight we can gain from that set of relationships, it seems clear all play a part."

If your child also wants to stay away from school, you can help her overcome her habit. Some of the things you can do are: take an active interest in her studies, provide her with everything that she needs in school, and stay in regular contact with school authorities. If issues of truancy still persist, then take her for counselling.

For more tips on how to deal with truancy, you can flip through the pages of our ClipBook.