School absenteeism, a silent threat to the future of Chile

The persistent lack of attendance in educational establishments goes beyond academic achievement: it deepens inequality, weakens development opportunities and compromises the life trajectory of thousands of students in vulnerable situations. School absenteeism in Chile has become one of the most alarming problems in the education system. According to figures from the Ministry of Education, in 2024 more than 676,000 students registered a lack of …

The psychologists Anne Meisborn (l.) and Dr. Claudia Schauerte work for the City's School Psychological Advisory Centre. Photo: Markus Kaminski for the City of Dortmund If children and young people do not take part in school lessons, this can have serious reasons. Since 2024, there has been a special advisory and assistance offer in Dortmund for this. Employees of a specialist centre take care of particularly difficult cases of school refusal pr…