Abstract :

Education is a touchstone and an essential requirement of human life.  The purpose of this study was to identify causes of truancy, establish effects of truancy and find out ways of improving attendance in schools in Chinyama Litapi area. The study employed a mixed paradigm and descriptive design that sampled seven schools and 80 participates. In order to meet these objectives, the researcher used open ended and closed questionnaires, interviews and observation. The findings revealed that there was high level of truancy among school going children in Chinyama Litapi area that result from personal, home and school factors. The study recommended that, there is need to have a detailed government educational policy on truancy reflecting why, when and how the offenders would be punished. Further it should explain who is to receive stiffer punishment whether the child, parent or the teacher to avoid unnecessary truancy that make many pupils drop school.

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Keywords :

Attendance, Causes, Effects, Schools, Truancy

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