Minister for Education Premila Kumar says this is a behavioural change they have found as the pandemic impacted students. [File Photo]

The Ministry for Education has highlighted that truancy has become an issue amongst students’ post-COVID.

Minister for Education Premila Kumar says this is a behavioural change they have found as the pandemic impacted students.

Kumar says there are systems in place where students are counselled firstly by trained teachers.

“We can see a behavioural change in our students. Students are truant, they are not focusing. We also have other behavioural issues that the teachers have to deal with but the teachers are managing well and we do have a system in place where students can be referred to the counsellors.”

Kumar acknowledged that such cases does affect teachers, as well as some, have complained of burnout.

The Minister is requesting parents to also take responsibility of their children’s wellbeing.

“I’m sure there are parents who are aware of what their children are going through because normally when such cases happen in school, parents are called and the matter is discussed with the parents. We offer various forms of assistance that is available to us.”

Psychologist Selina Kuruleca has also confirmed that she has dealt with cases of children being truant due to anxiety about catching the virus.

Children and young people could feel the impact of COVID-19 on their mental health and well-being for many years to come, UNICEF has warned in its flagship report The State of the World’s Children 2021; On My Mind: promoting, protecting and caring for children’s mental health.

In Fiji, schools were closed for three months in 2020, and closed again in April 2021 with the second wave of COVID-19, remaining closed as of October 2021.

The report states some 200,000 students, ranging from early childhood education to secondary level were not able to go to school and to learn in classrooms, and benefit from the many other supports available through schools during this time.

The disruption to routines, education, and recreation, as well as concern for family income and health, left many young people feeling afraid, angry, and worried for their future.