Corona crisis still causes a peak in absenteeism

After three consecutive years of increase, absenteeism among secondary school teachers remained the same in 2019. But the flag cannot be lifted. One in ten teachers is currently at home because of corona. That is on top of the 'normal' absenteeism.

Tekst Lisette Douma - redactie Onderwijsblad - 7 oktober 2020 - Minder dan een minuut om te lezen

image: Nina Maissouradze

Figures from the labor market & training fund Voion It appears that the absenteeism rate remained the same last year at 5,6 percent compared to 2018, while that percentage had increased by 0,7 percent in the three previous years. “Is that a good performance if the absenteeism was already alarmingly high? AObdirector Henrik de Moel wonders. To ask the question is to answer it, by comparison: off figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics shows that the absenteeism rate among employees of companies and the government in 2019 is 4,4 percent.

Corona

Moreover, the stagnation of absenteeism figures due to the corona crisis is not continuing. Yesterday reported de Volkskrant that an average of 10 percent of teachers has been home temporarily since the start of this school year because of a cold or a roommate infected with corona. The newspaper conducted a survey completed by 228 schools. The 'corona dropout' comes on top of the usual absenteeism due to illness. So on top of that 5,6 percent in 2019. “The numbers are so great that it is becoming problematic,” says De Moel. "Also remember: the flu season has yet to begin." Teachers spend an average of four days at home with corona-related absenteeism. With 'normal' absenteeism, teachers stay at home for an average of fourteen days.

65-plussers

In 2019, the average absenteeism remained the same, but that is mainly due to a decrease in Reformed, Evangelical, Reformed and Free schools. The absenteeism rate has increased in all other school categories. At public schools even from 5,5 to 5,9.
It is notable that the absenteeism percentage among people over 65 rose sharply in 2019 from 9,1 to 10 percent and among educational support staff from 8,2 to 8,8 percent.