"The use of elements of alternative education system of Maria Montessori for street children in Zambia"

Dissertation thesis - "The use of elements of alternative education system of Maria Montessori for street children in Zambia" - is dedicated to the education of vulnerable children and "street children" in Zambia. In the introduction to the theoretical part of the thesis, the author describes Zambia itself and thereafter in following chapters, she outlines the main issues on which a detailed analysis of poverty, HIV / AIDS and its impact especially on children is presented. She gives more detailed information concerning the questions of the Zambian education; she introduces its main characters and to summarise this chapter, she deals with the particular division of the Zambian education. Given that the author in her work in Zambia found out that the reason of inefficiency in education is caused by lack of financial resources and inefficiency in educational system itself, she focused exactly on this issue. Furthermore, she treats the area devoted to volunteering and its regularities. The problem of vulnerable children and "street children" can be understood as one of the many consequences of poverty in Zambia. Street children are divided into two groups Children in the Street and Children of the Street. The difference in these two groups is essential; and that the first group spends the free time on the street and the second group lives on the street. In conclusion of the theoretical part, the author introduces the alternative pedagogy of Maria Montessori and she indicates the most important and the most basic principles, elements and specific areas of learning. The research section presents results in relation to the objectives of the dissertation thesis, which she set at the beginning and then got in the research effectuated in the years 2006 - 2009 in Zambia where she focused on the implementation of education and leisure time activities for vulnerable children (OVC / Orphans and vulnerable children) and "street children" of preventive social project of educational and leisure time activities in compaundu (slum) Kalingalinga. The author chose four goals to complete her research. The first objective was to determine whether is possible to use some elements of the pedagogy of Maria Montessori for the education and leisure time activities of vulnerable children (OVC / Orphans and vulnerable children), and "street children"; the second aim was to develop methodological tools and handouts, which will be adapted according the internal culture of the country and social status of children. The third goal was to create a suitable leisure time activities for children of the street, which will again correspond to the nature of children. The fourth goal was to improve cooperation, coordination among the trainees who go to Zambia effectuate the social project. Methodical handouts and instructions, worked out by the author, for working with these children are also a part of this chapter. All the goals of the work had been fulfilled and the author proved that the elements of alternative education of Maria Montessori in education and creation of leisure time activities can be used for vulnerable children and "street children"