Attendance is a requirement to meet regulatory and course requirements. The Vice-Principal or designated person will be responsible for administering/handling students with attendance issues.
The attendance policy of GCS is as follows:
a. Attendance requirements by ICA for student pass holders must be at least 90%.
b. Attendance requirements for all other students who do not require ICA’s student pass must be at least 75%.
c. Attendance requirements for sitting assessments, graduation, and awards must be at least 75% for non-STP and 90% for STP students.
d. Application and approval for a leave of absence. Leave of absence conditions:
- Students should apply Leave of absence at least 14 working days in advance.
- Any urgent application of Leave of absence (LOA) will be approved on a case-by-case basis
- Students should attached documentary evidence, depending on the reasons/nature of Leave of Absence (LOA)
- If LOA falls within the Exam Period, the student is deemed failed for the exam and shall resit and pay the corresponding fee. Only a valid physical medical certificate (MC) is acceptable to be allowed to resit without the corresponding fee.
e. For absenteeism based on medical grounds, a medical certificate must be presented and issued by certified general practitioners, polyclinics, or hospitals as proof of absence.
All students will be informed of the Attendance requirement during Pre-Course Counselling, in Student Handbook, Orientation and published on GCS’s website.
Intervention measures to help students with poor conduct or attendance:
Depending on the issue, appropriate intervention measures will be taken for a student with attendance or disciplinary issues.
a. If the student is absent for 2 days within the duration of the course, the Admin Staff calls the students to find out the reason for absenteeism.
b. If the reason provided is not valid, the Admin Staff will send the first warning letter.
c.The Head of Academic/Admin Staff continues monitoring the situation with the student after issuing the first warning letter.
d. If the student continues to be absent for 4 days within the duration of the course, the Admin Staff issues the second warning letter and informs the Vice-Principal/Head of Academic or designated person to arrange for counselling. The Vice-Principal/Head of Academic or designated person will fill in the student counselling form and let the student acknowledge it. If follow-up is needed, it has to be stipulated in the form also.
e. If STP student is absent for 7 days within the duration of the course without a valid reason and is unreachable, the Admin Staff will send the final warning letter, inform the Vice-Principal/Head of Academic or designated person and ICA for pass cancellation.
f. If the monthly attendance percentage of STP students falls below 90%, the Admin Staff will also notify the ICA.
g. For local (non-STP) students to be absent without giving valid reasons, a reminder is issued advising them to maintain at least 75% attendance. The Admin Staff continues calling and emailing the students to report for class and, where necessary, to attend counselling sessions for any difficulties they may be facing. However, the second (2nd) warning letter is issued, and to arrange counselling with the Vice-Principal/Head of Academic or designated person if any student remains unreachable (4 consecutive days).
h. In the monthly Academic Department meeting, the Head of Academic and the assigned lecturer will discuss with all the members if there are any issues with the attendance of the students. The Academic Department will provide the corrective actions/disciplinary actions/intervention measures based on the process P1 of this POM.