SUMMARY, FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.3 FINDINGS
Educators and learners are often responsible for unfavourable comparisons between learners from poor families and learners from more affluent families. The child that is unfavourably compared with others will develop negative feelings about himself and consequently a low self- esteem and educational distress.
The characteristics of a deprived milieu, such as poverty, can influence a child’s affective experience, namely his emotions, feelings, passions, moods and sentiments. Lack of environmental stimulation, malnutrition, poor parenting due to worry, preoccupation, discouragement or resentment of their situation all have an influence on a child’s affective experience.
Children who come from families with low socio-economic status and poor educational setting often do not perform as well academically as children from middle or upper class homes. Children from a better socio-economic milieu have the advantage of more educational resources, motivation and experience.
Through the process of emancipation the child moves from a perceived self to an adequate self by formulating a positive identity. For the child from a deprived milieu this identity often seems unattainable and the child might eventually accept that it is in actual fact unreachable and consequently believes he is inferior.
Children in educational distress experience difficulties in the forming of healthy relationships. Disturbed family relationships caused by living in a deprived milieu result in problematic relationships that are formed by children within and outside family structures.
Most children coming from a deprived milieu suffer from a negative self- concept because they feel they are not wanted and therefore their deeds and actions are worthless.
An educationally neglected child that is vulnerable and lacking self- confidence and experience, and is in need of live and acceptance, are especially more susceptible to peer pressure.
Children living in poverty often do not experience religion as a faith ad hope to which they can cling in the uncertainties and vicissitudes of their situatedness. Being religious in a deprived milieu does not provide faith in and trust upon a divine being (god) to solve their problems.
5.3.2 Findings from empirical research
Eighty-one percent (81%) of the respondents in the research sample said that learners from a deprived milieu are dropping out of schools to find jobs in order to supplement their family income.
The majority of the respondents (68%) supported the statements that learners from deprived milieu are becoming street children in order to support themselves by begging.
Most of the respondents (83%) that partook in the research agreed that learners from a deprived milieu are insecure about their future perspective.
They have insufficient or no money for furthering their studies after finishing school.
The larger percentage (63%) of the respondents acknowledged that learners from a deprived milieu are stigmatised by the educators if they do not have sufficient educational resources. Educators tend to pass bad remarks to these learners because of their low socio-economic status.
More than sixty percent (61%) of the respondents agreed that learners from a deprived milieu are unfavourably compared with other learners by educators.
Most of the respondents (69%) supported the statement that learners from a deprived milieu are rejected by their peer group because of being from lower socio-economic class.
Most of the respondents (84%) in the research sample said that learners from a deprived milieu are performing poorly in their school work due to insufficient resources.
More than ninety percent (92%) of the respondents indicated that learners from a deprived milieu are behind with their school work and are unable to complete their homework because of their poor home conditions.
The majority of the respondents (89%) said that learners from a deprived milieu create disciplinary problems at school for example late-coming.
Eighty-one percent (81%) of the respondents said that children from a deprived milieu are easily influenced to misbehave at school.
More than seventy percent (73%) of the respondents agreed that learners from deprived milieu repeat a misdemeanour after being punished.
The larger percentage (72%) of the respondents in the research sample indicated that the parents of children from a deprived milieu:
- do not support their children’s sport activities at school; and
- also do not attend cultural activities in which their children participate.
Three quarters (75%) of the respondents said that the parents from a deprived milieu do not assist their children with the homework.
According to more than seventy percent (73%) of the respondents the parents from a deprived milieu do not consult with educators regarding
their children’s academic progress whilst 65% of the respondents said parents from a drprived milieu do not discuss problems experienced by their children with educators.
Seventy-five percent (75%) of the respondents said that school girls from a deprived milieu are falling pregnant in order to receive a child grant. They believe it will help them to supplement their family income.
More than seventy percent (73%) of the respondents supported the statement that children d\from deprived milieu are more at risk of sexual abuse as the perpetrators are giving them money to perform their sexual activities.
The larger percentage (57%) of the respondents that partook in the research indicated that learners from a deprived milieu do not receive assistance from the school, for example funds allocated to poverty.
The majority of the respondents in the research sample said that they do understand the problems of learners coming from a deprived milieu, namely:
- physical problems (87%);
- emotional problems (86%); and - spiritual problems (80%).