Students are failing to turn up to a Virtual School set-up for vulnerable children during the COVID-19 pandemic, new figures have revealed.

In a parliamentary question detailing absenteeism in Maltese schools, newly-appointed Education Minister Justyne Caruana revealed that 48.93% of all students at the Virtual School have been absent for lessons.

That figure is slightly larger than the students who are attending with around 45.7% turning up. Just 5% have been able to provide just explanations for their absenteeism.

Around 600 state school students are meant to attend the Virtual School, all with medical certificates to prove their vulnerability. Those living with at-risk household members are also allowed to attend the virtual school.

The school has been split into 25 classes, while teachers have been assigned to these classes in collaboration with Malta’s largest teachers union MUT.

Virtual School was officially launched on 5th October and has been ongoing ever since school’s reopened amid the pandemic.

It seems that for some reason, students are failing to turn up. Absenteeism across all schools has increased with around 11.5% failing to justify why they missed out on school. That’s about 3,558 students.

St Gorg Preca College had the highest unexcused absentee rate, with 24.08% of students failing to turn up.

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