Teacher Absence in Telugu States Hitting Marginalised Students Hardest, Reveals Study

Hyderabad: Most disadvantaged students, who are already battling socio-economic challenges, bear the brunt of teacher absenteeism in states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, said a study.

The study, conducted by Rhiannon Moore of The Open University, states that the students most affected by teacher absence were those from the poorest of the population, many of whom had mothers with little to no formal education. “In government-run schools, over 13 per cent of students reported that their teachers missed three or more lessons within a fortnight,” Moore wrote in the study.

Only 52 per cent of students said their maths teachers had attended all their lessons in the previous two weeks, while the figure for English teachers was slightly better at 56 per cent. However, for a significant portion of students, the reality was far different, with teachers missing one or two lessons or even more.

An education expert, and senior professor D. Kanthamani Rao, commenting on the study, pointed out, "Teacher absence is not merely a question of negligence. It's often a reflection of the larger challenges within the system, particularly in rural areas where infrastructure and support are lacking. This research highlights the disparities that perpetuate inequality, with the poorest students suffering the most."

The study also revealed that teacher absence is a particular issue in rural schools, where the burden of long travel distances adds to the problem. Many teachers in rural areas commute from urban centres, making late arrivals or full-day absences more common. It was also found that the highest absentee rates were among both the most senior teachers and those working in schools with poor infrastructure.

The study found a direct link between the number of missed lessons and lower student achievement, particularly in maths and English.

For instance, students whose maths teachers missed two lessons or more scored significantly lower on end-of-year tests compared to those whose teachers were consistently present. According to the report, students whose teachers missed five or more lessons had test scores up to 0.29 standard deviations lower than their peers.

There is also a great disparity between private and public schools. Students in private unaided schools, typically from wealthier families, reported far lower rates of teacher absenteeism compared to those in government-run or tribal schools. In some cases, tribal welfare schools showed the highest absence rates, with nearly 75 per cent of the student population coming from Scheduled Tribes, one of the most disadvantaged groups in the country.