NEWS

Poor nutrition and smoking are the norm

Children don’t seem to mind school – after all it’s where they make friends. Although most of the day is spent there, at home or at cramming colleges, the luckier ones manage to play some sport or go to a gym. Not many children eat properly – rarely do they eat fruit or drink milk. Older children sometimes drink alcohol, many smoke and some take drugs. Nearly all have mobile telephones and quite a few surf the Internet. * 61.5 percent of primary school children, 41 percent of junior high and 37 percent of senior high or technical high school pupils say they are satisfied with their school environment. * Whether they really feel this way or were too shy to say otherwise, 81 percent of primary school children are happy with their lessons, but only 31 percent of senior high pupils are. * Children’s eating habits leave much to be desired; 32 percent in senior high say they rarely or never eat fruit, 25 percent never drink milk. Meanwhile, 40 percent drink coffee daily or often, 67 percent beer and wine and 64 percent drink shots occasionally. * 91.5 percent of senior high school pupils consider mobile phones a necessity, along with 88 percent of junior high and 56 percent of primary school pupils. * 95 percent of senior high, 88 percent of junior and 56 percent of primary school pupils have a PC at home. * Only 27.3 percent have a playground at school, 19.5 percent in the neighborhood, 25.4 percent at both and even fewer have access to a gym or sports field – 15 percent at school, 24 percent in the neighborhood, 8 percent at both. * 15.5 percent of senior high pupils say they smoke regularly, 14 percent sometimes. Another 10 percent say they have tried drugs. Of the 102 schools surveyed, only 34 provided the services of a psychologist and only 20 actually used them. In all, 33 school directors and 21 teachers did not have access to these services even though they felt it essential in dealing with certain pupils. * The services of a social worker were available at 42 schools, 14 of which made use of them. On the other hand, 21 school directors and 12 teachers said they did not have access even though they had needed them on occasion.

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