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The
studies, figures and results of the Colombian Educative Model shows
that this does not meet the country's needs and one of the main problems
is the high level of school drop out.
Even
more, the low education level the adult population, the culture
of poverty, the marginalisation, and the poor financial conditions
of the people further complicates this problem.
In
many cases, children have to assume tasks and jobs that prevent
them from going to school. Other times, the underprivileged and
violence conditions within the families exclude them from the school
system for being trouble makers, hyperactive or violent children
who do not follow school rules and are expelled.
We
share Rodrigo Parra Sandoval's approaches about the Education Conception,
in which we consider it convenient to include in order to understand
the importance this aspect, regarding formation and integral development
processes.
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"
Education must be understood as an integral, dynamic and encouraging
process whose purposes aim to the relationship between the man and
his needs and the development of attitudes that improve their life
quality" 26
This
process is centered in maximizing children's potential emphasizing
on the development of thinking abilities so that skills can be identified
in order to direct attitudes in a positive and constructive way.
In
his book, titled " Pedagogía de la Desesperanza"
( Spanish for Hopeless Pedagogy) 27,
Rodrígo Parra makes us think about our children's education
methods. Which functions should the efforts meet to access to the
school system and how important are these efforts in the survival
strategies of the marginal populations?
Research
and statistics show that the Colombian Educative System does not
meet the country's needs and this has caused a major crisis. The
poor handling of the educative system is especially seen in the
most vulnerable communities generating a high percentage of school
drop outs.
Malnutrition,
lack of vital elements to go to school , among other factors, prevent
underprivileged children to access to the school system. These circumstances
plus the difficulty of children to establish personal relationships
make these children trouble makers who are rejected by the society.
Due
to the children being expelled from the school system, they are
welcomed to gangs where they are offered rewards not provided by
the school intern. Intern they gradually becoming part of the school
crimes and the drug addiction.
Being
aware of this reality, the YMCA has seen the necessity to reduce
the impact of these problems in some communities through the implementation
of a program that involves high risk students.
The
School Drop out Prevention Model the YMCA developed is founded on
a proposal based on the constructivist focus. That is implementation
of strategies, tasks and leisure activities help build knowledge
though meaningful experiences.
The
following aspects are taken into account in this model:
- Boys
and girls social and effective relationships at school and within
their families
- The
problems that prevent children from developing their thinking
processes
- The
amalgamation of academic contents in their daily lives in a meaningful
and productive way
The
program involves students, teachers, and parents through actions
such as:
- Thought
development through leisure activities in which children find
the learning experience to be satisfactory and change their attitude
towards school
- Parents'
appreciation for the education. Strategies to get parents' commitment
regarding their children´s education
- Teachers'
sensitization about the situations high risk underprivileged children
face, along with alternatives for approaching these cases
- A
manual is available for the implementation of the program, including
the necessary materials to facilitate the implement the model.
The manual is available at the YMCA Resource Center.
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26
Núñez, Jaidivi. Manual de ejecución del Centro
de Formación Juvenil. ACJ-YMCA. Pg. 127.
27
Parra Sandoval, Rodrígo.
Hopeless Pedagogy. Ed Plaza y Janes. 1990. Pg. 11
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