Four in ten children do not like going to school and one in four children does not feel comfortable in the classroom. This is the conclusion of a study commissioned by SOS Children’s Villages. A third of all students aged 11 to 18 feel that their opinion is not valued at school. At the same time, more than half of all respondents would prefer to go to school if they have more say at school.
“Children and young people spend more than 10,000 hours in school. They have little leeway there. In the place where it should be about them, they are almost 100 percent ruled. That is absurd,” says Christian Moser, director of SOS Children’s Villages.
The children’s rights organization therefore starts a petition under the motto “Participation makes school” for a child-friendly school. A school that focuses on children and their needs.
“Our school days have had a big impact on us”
“These are alarming results,” Moser says. “Our school days have shaped us in a big way. When children have a say in daily school life, they feel more comfortable there and they learn more. As a society, we also need to think about what values we teach children in school. Only when we listen to children and teach them that their opinions are taken seriously can they leave school as confident people and actively help shape their future lives and society,” says Moser. This is especially important in times of major challenges and crises such as Corona, climate change and war.
In the current school system there is hardly any participation. In order to change this, employee participation must become a permanent part of the curriculum, so that children from primary school receive the necessary skills.
Appropriate training and further training is required for teachers. And above all the necessary resources – so time and money. Engagement shouldn’t be met with resistance, but it should be possible and encouraged, Moser says.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
