Hulpverlening aan Surinaamse lagereschoolleerlingen

The aim of this study is in the first place to obtain a clear insight into the state of affairs regarding problem pupils within Primary Education (PE) as well as concerning the role, meaning and function of the existing assistance offered to them. Secondly, we seek to deepen the insight into the basic causes of dysfunction among PE children. We finally make our own contribution towards the development of a model of efficient and effective social-pedagogical assistance that is fully adapted to the Surinamese context and aimed especially at groups of PE pupils whose problems originate mostly in factors outside the school. The study is divided into three parts: Part 1 (we introduce the subject and review the relevant literature to place the issue within it s own academic field) After dealing with the concept of a problem pupil in the third chapter, we indicate that this designation is be used in this study to refer to PE pupils in favour of whom some measures must be taken in the short term to maximalise their chances to complete school in a normal way. In the last chapter of part 1 our choice for one particular socio-pedagogical view, namely that of Prof .dr. N. Perquin, is justified as we ponder upon the most fitting scientific approach to the subject.. Part 2 (is an extended report on the empirical research that we have carried out) Results of the research (phase I) At first, the data of the research were processed and analysed at district level (per formed stratum). These analyses formed the basis for the summaries per district and at national level. In order to make the definition of the problem operational, the presentation of the data of the research is organised around three sub-questions: A. what is the basis of the dysfunctionality of primary school children? B. what are the forms of assistance available to them, and, do they work? C. what kind of assistance is there in order to tackle problems that originate mostly outside the school? Sub A. The large number of problem pupils in the Surinamese primary schools is not only a separate problem in the city district Paramaribo but also at national level. In five districts the problem has to be qualified as very serious. The home situation of most PE pupils is at district and national level the most important cause of problems. Sub B Providing assistance to primary schools and their problem pupils leaves much to be desired. At national level more than half the number of primary schools lacks the adequate means to assist their problem pupils. Some of the districts lack any form of assistance at all. At national level it has appeared that only 3 of the 12 operating aid organisations play a clear and influential role. A large part of principals and teachers (at national level, more than half) is not satisfied with the assistance provided by the aid organisations. This research showed that forms of social work, aimed specifically at schools, hardly exist or do not exist at all. Sub C The root cause of most problems (3 out of 4) affecting Surinamese PE pupils can be traced back to factors that lie outside the ambit of the school. The results of the research (phase II) The large part of the parents of Surinamese problem pupils in PE comes from the lower socio-economic strata. A complex of factors within their environment adds to the problems making it very difficult for them to function optimally within the process of giving help to their children. The existing model of socio-pedagogical help and didactic supervision is, among other things, not able to provide to the large group of PE problem pupils with sound assistance and didactic supervision. Part 3 (an attempt is made to develop a model of assistance to PE pupils that adequately responds to the Surinamese problems ). We hand out a global picture of the issue of problem children at primary school in Suriname and their assistance. This picture might be used as a foundation for further research into various domains. The findings regarding all 10 districts enable us to outline a youth educational and social strategy to tackle the problems affecting Primary Education