Secondary School Level

Outline: Explaining the concept. Condition of truants who run away from home. Different causes of truancy including school, parents and role of modern movies.

There are various types of behavioural problems in a human being and truancy is one of them. The problem of truancy has increased in modern times. It is also known as absenteeism. Truancy can be explained as absenting oneself deliberately at home, school or college.

This practice is followed to avoid or back out from aggressive and forceful life situations. Thus, an individual keeps a distance from school or college to shirk the unpleasant duties and situations.

Those who escape from their home create severe anguish to their parents and elders. It can be presumed as a kind of rejection of parental guidance from the child's side. The result is quite obvious that the truant repents thereafter as it fails to gain security and satisfaction outside the home. A fear of punishment and criticism faced from friends and relatives soon develops within the truant stopping him to return back home. Female truants can be abused in different ways.

On the other hand, male truants can be oppressed and misuse to involve in criminal activities. In such circumstances there remains no other option than to switch on a bad life. Therefore, with the passage of time they automatically become a burden and threat for normal functioning of the society.

Unfavourable environment in home compels for truancy. The saying phrase, “there are no problem children only problem parents”, is completely true. Parents who undergo marital problems unknowingly contribute in making the child anxious and stressed. Gradually, the child feels insecure and suffocated in such atmosphere and finally runs away. Sometimes modern movies play a negative effect on the tender minds of young generations. Some movies may show over excess of violence and glamour. Excessive strictness from parents makes child feel overpowered. The child fails to express inner feelings and if he tries, punishment may be the result. Under these circumstances the child may run away in order to escape from the punishment.

Many times it is found that educational institutions are overcrowded by students. Teachers fail to pay individual attention and some children feel neglected. Such children loose interest in their studies and start playing truant. Students belonging to low socio-economic class are not mentally prepared by the parents for school. Gradually, they fail to cope up with the discipline demanded by the school.                         

Daily several children are arrested for committing truancy. They loiter in the city as they do not understand where to go after running away from home. However, a society with truancy can never be strong and happy. The child must be allowed to experience emotional balance. More and more social service departments must be opened for controlling and preventing truancy.