Belgian school absenteeism surges 3-4x in seven years

Official notifications for unjustified school absences in Belgium have risen sharply, with 73,000 reports in secondary and 38,000 in primary schools in 2025-2026, up 3.3x and 4x respectively over seven years. The data reflects reports, not individual students, and thresholds for notification vary. This trend signals potential social and educational challenges, though underlying causes remain unclear.

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