Teachers’ and Learners’ Views toward Student Lecture Absenteeism: Implications for Effective Absence Management

Abstract

This study investigates lecture absenteeism among EFL learners, focusing on its contributing factors, perceived effects on learning, attendance-management practices, and possible strategies for improvement. A descriptive survey design was adopted, using two questionnaires administered to 9 EFL teachers and 68 EFL students at ENS-Ouargla, Algeria. The findings reveal that both teachers and students generally recognize the importance of regular lecture attendance for academic achievement, language development, classroom engagement, and teacher–student interaction. However, a notable gap exists between students’ awareness of these benefits and their actual attendance behaviour. Although absenteeism is generally occasional, a smaller group of students demonstrates persistent patterns that may require closer monitoring and intervention. The findings further indicate that absenteeism is influenced by multiple interconnected factors, including transportation and distance, health problems, inconvenient schedules, personal circumstances, academic pressures, motivation, and perceptions of teaching style. Thus, absenteeism cannot be attributed solely to student irresponsibility or lack of motivation. The study also identifies limitations in existing attendance-management practices, particularly teachers’ administrative workload, inconsistent procedures, disputes over attendance records, and students’ dependence on teachers for attendance information. Both teachers and students support greater transparency, regular monitoring, timely notifications, standardized procedures, and more efficient digital attendance-management tools. The study concludes that effective absenteeism management requires a shift from a reactive, teacher-dependent approach toward a systematic, preventive, transparent, and student-centred model. Such an approach should combine clear institutional policies, efficient attendance recording, student self-monitoring, engaging pedagogy, consideration of structural barriers, and early intervention to promote learner engagement, continuity of EFL learning, and academic success.