The strain taken by teachers due to increased administrative work and difficult working conditions have been cited as reasons for high absenteeism.

This follows the release of a report by the Human Sciences Research Council titled The Health of Educators indicating that absenteeism of 20 days or more was highest among white teachers at 21.4%, those aged 18-24 years at 39.2% and those in the Northern Cape at 28.4%.

The most common types of reported leave were sick leave (66.6%), leave to attend funerals (13%), special leave to care for a sick person (9.8%) as well as other special leave (18.8%).

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