Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of school delay in school age children and to identify its determinants in Brazzaville. A case-control study, comparing school age children with a school delay (Group 1 or cases) to those who had not school delay (Group 2 or control), was carried out between February and July 2013. It included students of CM2 (primary 6) and those of 3ème (form 4) of both public and private schools of Brazzaville. The sample selection was made according to a random survey by strata, the number of strata was set to 2. The sample consisted of 2064 pupils including 1138 girls (55.1%). A total of 2064 students (1138 male/926 female), 792 of them had a school delay, with a prevalence of 38.3%. It was 27% in the private sector and 46.9% in the public one; 28.2% in primary education compared to 48.1% in the college; 27.8% in girls and 48.8% in boys (p p p < 0.05). The prevalence of school delay was high in Brazzaville (38.3%), boys were more affected than girls. The kindergarten program attendance was found to have a positive effect on later school performances, while parent’s low level of education and low socioeconomic status of the family significantly influenced the rate of school delay in children in Brazzaville. The high prevalence of school delay in child in Brazzaville imposed substantial actions, in addition to the efforts already made.
Highlights
Schooling is of great importance in the life of a child in that academic success conditioning adaptation and social success (Joseph, 1999)
In Congo, the school law in force provides that: “any child living on the territory of Congo has the right, without distinction of origin, nationality, sex, belief, opinion or wealth to education which ensures the full development of intellectual, artistic, moral and physical abilities as well as its civic and vocational training; and that going to school is compulsory up to the age of 16 years for all children” (Republic of Congo, Ministry of Primary, Secondary Education and Literacy, 2011)
It is in this context, and with reference to the declaration of the United Nations Convention on rights of the child (UNESCO, 2000), including in its principle 2, which provides that: “every child physically, mentally or socially disadvantaged must receive treatment, education and special care that requires his or her situation” that we decide to approach the problem of child school delay in Brazzaville to determine its prevalence and to identify its determinants
Summary
Schooling is of great importance in the life of a child in that academic success conditioning adaptation and social success (Joseph, 1999). In Congo, due to the high frequency of infectious and parasitic diseases, certain issues relating to the health of children like school delay are disregarded by health’ policy makers It is in this context, and with reference to the declaration of the United Nations Convention on rights of the child (UNESCO, 2000), including in its principle 2, which provides that: “every child physically, mentally or socially disadvantaged must receive treatment, education and special care that requires his or her situation” that we decide to approach the problem of child school delay in Brazzaville to determine its prevalence and to identify its determinants.
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