Scottish Conservative Murdo Fraser expressed deep concern over rising truancy rates among students in Perth and Kinross following the release of new figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request.
The data revealed that days lost to truancy or unexplained absences rose from 34,995 in the 2021-22 school year to 49,150.5 in 2023-24, according to figures shared with the party, Thursday, March 21, 2024.
The local statistics align with national data that shows more than 180,000 pupils across Scotland are missing at least one full day of school every two weeks.
“I am very concerned at the notable rise in truancy among pupils in Perth and Kinross,” Fraser said. “Once again, this shows how the SNP Government have lost a grip on our schools. These figures should be a wake-up call for Scottish Ministers.”
Fraser added that previous data provided to the Scottish Conservatives indicated 184,845 primary and secondary pupils were absent for at least one day every fortnight in 2023-24, while 71,852 missed one day per week. “This means tens of thousands of pupils were absent for at least 20% of the school year,” he said.
He warned the trend is contributing to an ongoing educational crisis. “Residents know that the best place for pupils to learn is in the classroom. But as this data shows, large numbers of pupils are absent on a regular basis,” Fraser said. “Many parents in Perth and Kinross will be just as concerned as I am when they see these shocking statistics.”
The Scottish Government reported a nationwide attendance rate of 90.3% over the past year, about three percentage points lower than pre-pandemic levels.
In its response to the FoI request, Perth and Kinross Council clarified that absences coded as “Truancy or Unexplained absence” include any absence without an adequate explanation, noting, “Due to the nature of ‘unexplained absence,’ this may not be truancy, and the numbers provided may be higher than the actual number of truancy incidents.”
