Σύμφωνα με τη Eurostat (2014) περισσότερο από το ένα τρίτο (1/3) του ελληνικού πληθυσμού βρίσκεται κάτω από το όριο της φτώχειας. Η παρούσα έρευνα υλοποιήθηκε στο πλαίσιο των δράσεων του προγράμματος TOCSIN (βλ. www.tocsin.uth.gr) με την υποστήριξη του Χρηματοδοτικού Μηχανισμού του ΕΟΧ (ΓΓΕΤ – ΧΜ ΕΟΧ), με στόχο τη μελέτη των απόψεων και των αναπαραστάσεων των εκπαιδευτικών σχετικά με τις συνέπειες της ολοένα αυξανόμενης οικονομικής κρίσης σε ευάλωτους πληθυσμούς της πρώιμης σχολικής και προσχολικής ηλικίας. Στην έρευνα συμμετείχαν 316 διευθυντές και προϊστάμενοι δημοτικών και νηπιαγωγείων, κυρίως από τους Νομούς Αττικής, Θεσσαλονίκης και Μαγνησίας, οι οποίοι συμπλήρωσαν ηλεκτρονικά ένα ερωτηματολόγιο ειδικά κατασκευασμένο για τους σκοπούς της έρευνας. Τα στοιχεία της έρευνας αφορούν συνολικά σε 20.155 μαθητές, 5.688 της προσχολικής εκπαίδευσης και 15.070 των τριών πρώτων τάξεων του δημοτικού. Η έρευνα έδειξε ότι αυτό που επλήγη περισσότερο είναι η συμμετοχή των παιδιών σε σχολικές δραστηριότητες, όπως οι εκδρομές και άλλες εκπαιδευτικές και ψυχαγωγικές δράσεις, ενώ οι περισσότεροι από τους μισούς εκπαιδευτικούς ανέφεραν προβλήματα στη σίτιση, ένδυση και υπόδηση των μαθητών. Η μείωση της γραφικής ύλης και των υλικών που απαιτούνται από τους μαθητές, τα προγράμματα συναισθηματικής υποστήριξης των μαθητών καθώς και η επικοινωνία-συνεργασία με άλλους φορείς, αποτελούν τις πιο συχνά επιλεγόμενες στρατηγικές από τα σχολεία για την υποστήριξη του μαθητικού πληθυσμού τους, σύμφωνα με τους εκπαιδευτικούς.
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Introduction: The financial crisis in Greece has had a heavy impact on the socio-economic status of Greek society during the past seven years. Such changes are shrinking incomes, increased taxes and unemployment which lead systematically to increasing poverty. Particularly, Eurostat (2014) indicates that more than one third of Greek people is under the poverty line. Therefore Greece is categorized as the one of the European countries with the highest percentage of poverty, following Bulgaria and Romania. Unfortunately, poverty reflects on Greek families with children as the most tragic victims. Parental unemployment usually causes negative emotions to the family members, constraints on entertainment and joint family activities and fewer opportunities for learning activities. On the other hand, the teachers’ role becomes especially important during periods of crisis when weaker social groups are affected. Teachers need to explore and diagnose the educational context and all the factors that relate to it, so as to look for solutions that will allow children to learn and develop.Purpose of the study: The basic concept of the “Teacher suppOrt Confronting Social Inequalities” (TOCSIN) (conducted after received funding from the [EEA] Mechanism 2009-2014 under Project Contract n° 3708) (see www.tocsin.uth.gr) is to study the consequences of the escalating economic crisis upon vulnerable populations in early childhood education schools. TOCSIN aims to record and analyze existing issues and difficulties that children face during their early childhood schooling experience in the context of social and income inequalities in Greece, and their practices to confront them. Method: Online questionnaires (specifically designed for the purpose of the study) were administered to 316 school principals and vice-principals of early childhood education schools mostly from the broader prefectures of Attika, Thessaloniki and Magnesia. Data were collected for 20.758 students enrolled in public schools, 5.688 preschoolers and 15.070 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade elementary students. The study complied with ethics and was conducted after written consensus from the Hellenic Ministry of Education was received. Results: According to the results, 10% of the early childhood population is already affected by the crisis very seriously, lacking the basics for an uninterrupted school attendance. Unemployment has also affected one in five families. Overall, the most seriously affected by the economic crisis are students’ participating in school activities such as school excursions, museum and theatre visits and in extra curriculum activities. More than half of the principals reported difficulties in students diet and dress. Cut-downs in the cost of stationary, communication with other welfare organizations and bodies (such as Church) were reported as the most frequent measures in coping with the effects of crisis.Conclusions: The results indicate that the economic crisis has profoundly affected the schools’ capacity to connect with children’s lives. It’s also difficult to think how modernization in education, as set within the European Union priorities could take place under those circumstances.
(EN)
