Abstract

Summary This paper presents and discusses data based on the perceptions of 128 persistent school absentees on their initial and continued reasons for missing school. The findings suggest that despite the absentees’ generally unfavourable social and educational backgrounds, a greater proportion of the pupils were inclined to blame their institutions rather than social or psychological factors for their behaviour. The results are discussed in the light of the circumstances under which the survey was undertaken, and areas for further research are postulated.