School non-attendance
In Japanese: 不登校 (futoko)
Definition
School non-attendance (futoko) is when a pupil does not, or cannot, attend school because of psychological, emotional, physical or social factors other than illness or money.
In more detail
MEXT’s survey counts as non-attendance the cases of “long-term absence” (30 or more days absent in a year) that arise from such factors. The 30 days is a survey threshold, not a legal standard.
In academic year 2024 there were 353,970 non-attending pupils in national, public and private elementary and lower secondary schools.
A principal may treat days spent learning elsewhere as attendance; the survey still counts those days as days not at school.
In Classio
Classio for private K-12 keeps guardians’ absence notices and attendance on the same pupil record.
See also
Related terms
- Attendance register
An attendance register (shussekibo) records pupils’ daily attendance; school law requires the principal to keep one.
- Missed classes
Missed classes (kekka) are absences counted per subject; the number of missed periods is the kekka count.