Young Australians Even More Unenthusiastic About Going to School: Research

In Australia, there has been a large increase in young people refusing to attend school and the pandemic is believed to have played a major role in this trend.

Classroom stationary is seen at Toorak College in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 31, 2022. AAP Image/Con Chronis

As anxiety and psychological distress levels are increasing among young people, which was accelerated by COVID-19 lockdown measures, a phenomenon of school refusal has also become more prevalent.

Data collected by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority shows the national attendance rate for students in Years 1 to 10 had dropped from 91.4 percent in 2019 to 86.5 percent in 2022.