Vacation before the holidays: Hamburg's children are skipping school more and more!

Vacation before the holidays: Hamburg's children are skipping school more and more!

In Hamburg, many children are absent, especially before the school holidays, as parents take their children out of school before or after the holidays in order to benefit from cheaper holiday offers. However, this practice leads to unexcused absences, which is a violation of compulsory schooling in Germany. According to the NDR, more than 114 cases of unexcused absence have been reported in 2025. Compared to previous years, when 303 cases were registered in the whole of 2024 and 225 in 2023, there is a clear trend that is not very encouraging.

The classic holiday season is noticeable at Hamburg Airport, with around 360 take-offs and landings, with many travelers, especially towards Mallorca and Turkey, bringing children with them. The holiday seasons in Denmark and Lower Saxony have already begun, which is generating additional waves of travel.

Monitoring compulsory schooling

In Germany there is strict compulsory schooling for children from the first grade onwards, which is legally anchored in the school laws of the federal states. Educational institutions are obliged to report cases of unexcused absences to the education authority, which is monitored by their legal department. School management decides on requests for leave of absence, which are only approved for valid reasons. Simple vacation requests do not count, as leave of absence is usually only approved for proven urgent reasons such as weddings or doctor's appointments.

Teachers are instructed to check attendance especially before and after the holidays. In the event of an unexcused absence, sanctions such as interviews or home visits can be carried out. Fines are another aspect, as they amount to up to 250 euros for unexcused absences, and even up to 350 euros for multiple siblings. This makes it clear that school authorities are taking serious action against school truancy.

Reasons for truancy

The causes of truancy are diverse and range from bullying, domestic problems to parental vacation plans or even climate strikes. The latter are considered a violation of compulsory schooling, as there is no official approval process for possible participation. Students affected by this and their parents are also included in discussions by the educational institutions before the school authorities are informed.

It is important that parents take seriously the responsibility for ensuring their children attend classes regularly and on time. A timely school exemption is only possible for solid reasons, while reasons such as participation in castings or a request for an extension of vacation will not be recognized. How such cases are handled varies by school; some institutions tolerate absences from climate strikes, while others record these absences.

Parents who have difficulties with the school authorities are advised to seek legal advice to protect their children's rights. The issue of compulsory schooling and compliance with it remains an important part of the education debate in Germany.

For further information on the legal framework and possible consequences of violations of compulsory school attendance, you can find the information on NDR or Lawyer search service read up.