Norway sees school absences drop to pre-pandemic levels
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Students in Norway attended school more consistently last year, reversing a trend seen during the pandemic.
Data from the Norwegian Directorate for Education shows that median student absence decreased by 0.9 percentage points compared to the previous school year. The median student missed three days of school, down from five, though total time absent rose slightly from 20 to 22 hours.
These figures mark the first decrease in school absences since the COVID-19 pandemic began, a period when exceptions to absence rules were in place. Knowledge Minister Kari Nessa Nordtun stated the government has worked to clarify expectations for classroom attendance and changed absence regulations to emphasize this. The changes included counting doctor’s visits toward the 10 percent absence limit.
Nordtun believes this reflects a societal shift towards pre-pandemic norms and encouraged students to persevere even when feeling unwell, framing it as valuable life training. However, Zaid Norzai Ahmmad, leader of the Student Organisation, expressed concern that the rules disproportionately affect vulnerable students. He argues the absence limit works for those with resources, but pushes struggling students further behind. Ahmmad also pointed out inconsistencies in how schools and counties apply the regulations, calling for clearer, more understandable rules.
Frode Øren, principal at Byåsen Upper Secondary School, noted that the decrease in absences could be linked to students needing good attendance records to secure apprenticeships. He also acknowledged that confusion around documentation requirements may have prompted some students to attend school even when not feeling well.
