Schools In Rural Areas Research Articles

Determinant of Rural and Urban Student Performance in Ghana

Despite the large number of remedial students entering tertiary institutions in Ghana, very little empirical research has examined the impact of geographical and socio-economic variables on student performance. This study uses microdata on 360 urban and rural remedial students to examine the differences in educational outcomes between those attending remedial schools in rural areas and those enrolled in urban remedial schools. The study further analyzes the determinants of educational outcomes, with a focus on the relevance of geographical location. The descriptive analysis shows that the academic outcomes of urban remedial students are generally better than those of rural students. In contrast, the results from the student’s t-test indicate a statistically significant difference in the performance of urban and rural remedial students. The determinants of these performances include age, gender, number of papers written, parental education, and, most importantly, the location of the remedial student. From a policy perspective, the findings of this paper support actions aimed at improving educational conditions in rural areas.

From Decline to Renewal? Understanding Children’s Relationship With Nature in the Wake of Covid-19

The pandemic has significantly interrupted the already declining relationship between children and nature in recent decades. Despite the widely recognised benefits of contact with nature for general well-being, efforts to improve this relationship and reconnect children with nature have been unsuccessful so far. Although the pandemic may have represented a kind of new opportunity to restart that relationship, several studies indicated a growing gap between those who regularly engage with nature and those who do not, a gap that has been exacerbated by the pandemic. This case study investigates how children perceive their contact with nature before, during, and after the pandemic, and explores its meaning. Participants, aged between 11 and 16 years old, were recruited from schools in both rural and urban areas of Czechia and completed an online questionnaire (<em>n</em> = 123), followed by online group interviews with those who consented. Descriptive analysis was used to analyse quantitative data, and later thematic analysis provided insight into open-ended questions and qualitative data from interviews (<em>n</em> = 20). Results showed that participants spent less time in nature now than they did during the pandemic, although they acknowledged the importance of nature. A commonly cited barrier to spending more time in nature is lack of free time. The overall accessibility and quality of nature in the neighbourhood influenced participants’ time spent in and interactions with nature. Although they perceived some benefits, participants were reluctant to use virtual nature because of concerns about reduced contact with real nature and the accessibility of technical equipment. These findings provide valuable insights for local government to address issues such as accessible nature and the quality of natural areas in relation to the relationship between children and nature in the younger population. By creating such an environment, local authorities could improve the impact of nature as a resource for promoting children’s mental and emotional well-being.

The tsarist policy of russification of education and the “unfavorable realities” in Bessarabia (second half of the 19th century)

The article reveals the process of radical transformation of the education system in Bessarabia in the second half of the nineteenth century, as a result of the tightening of the national policy of the Russian Empire and the intensification of the national-cultural Russification of the non-Russian peoples, the attempts of the Czarist authorities to modernize and homogenize the multinational Russian Empire, according to the model of European states. The author highlights two stages of the policy of Russification of education in Bessarabia. The first stage – years 1866-1872 – is characterized by the undermining of Romanian and mixed parochial primary schools (Romanian-Russian), the prohibition of teaching Romanian language at the regional gymnasium, theological seminary, county schools, etc, by creating a Russian primary and secondary education system in Bessarabia. The second stage – years 1873-1900 – is characterized by the attempt to radically transform the linguistic and cultural realities of the Bessarabian villages, causing the exponential growth of the number of Russian schools in rural areas, mass learning of the Russian language by the Romanian peasants in Bessarabia, the imposition of the Russian language not only in state institutions, but also in the privacy of families. The discussions in this regard within the Committee of Ministers of the Russian Empire highlighted the following dilemma: either the application of force to boost the policy of Russification, or the continuation of the policy of gradual Russification.Understanding the impasse that the Russian Empire would have entered, the authorities finally decided to achieve the goals of the policy of russification of the Romanians in Bessarabia, not through repressive methods, but „gradually and without violence”.

School Students' Perceptions on School Management and Pedagogical Approaches

This study investigates students' perspectives on teaching-learning pedagogy and school management techniques. The information was collected from 240 students attending schools in urban, suburban, and rural areas, across different grade levels. To get this data, a variety of research techniques were combined. Through surveys, interviews, and focus groups, the study looked at students' attitudes, beliefs, and experiences in the classroom. The results provide a comprehensive understanding of students' viewpoints on a range of school administration topics, such as classroom dynamics, teacher-student interactions, administrative policies, and the use of technology in the classroom. Ann extensive analysis was conducted to obtain a comprehensive understanding of students' inclinations, difficulties, and recommendations concerning instructional strategies, evaluation procedures, and the school's general ethos. The study underlines the value of taking into account students' opinions when making decisions about education and stresses the necessity of creating a welcoming and stimulating learning environment that can accommodate a wide range of learner needs. The implications for educators, policymakers, and school administrators are examined in this paper. It makes recommendations for improving teaching-learning pedagogies and school management techniques to support student engagement, academic achievement, and general well-being.

Home-School Connection: Investigating Parental Involvement in the Academic Learning of PrimarySchool Students

The objectives of the study were to analyze the perspective of parents about their involvement in the academic learning of their children studying at the primary school level. A quantitative research design was used to conduct this study. A descriptive survey method was used to collect the data. The population of the study was parents of the students of government primary schools of tehsil Rajanpur. It included male and female primary schools in rural and urban areas in this tehsil. Disproportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to select 648 parents of primary school children. Self-developed research instrument, i.e., a five-point scale, was used for data collection. The data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The study found that parents were highly involved in parenting and home-based learning activities. However, their involvement in the community-related activities and decision-making was relatively low. It is suggested that parents participate in classroom, school, and co-curricular activities. Training sessions may be conducted for teachers and parents on various ways of collaboration in the educational settings in order to better understand and improve the student's learning progress.

Influence of Teachers’ Professional Training and Development on Students’ Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Ndhiwa Sub-County Homabay County, Kenya

Purpose: The persistent academic underperformance in public secondary schools in Kenyan rural areas has raised concerns among educators, policymakers, and local communities. The purpose of the study is to evaluate how teacher professional training and development influence academic performance. One of the key factors believed to have contributed to this challenge is the lack of sufficient and effective professional training and development programs for teachers. There is a growing need to examine how teachers' professional training and development influence students' academic outcomes. The problem this study seeks to address is the unclear and under-researched relationship between teachers' professional development and students' academic performance in Ndhiwa Sub-County. Methodology: The study used descriptive research design and 15 public secondary schools, 113 teachers and 522 students were involved in the study as study respondents. The study used document analysis and semi structured questionnaires to collect the quantitative data, which was analyzed through descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages). Findings: The study reveals that teachers' professional training and development have a significant impact on students' academic performance in public secondary schools in Ndhiwa Sub-County. The findings also indicated that teachers who undergo continuous professional development are better equipped with modern teaching strategies, content knowledge, and student engagement techniques, which in turn positively influence students' academic outcomes. Teachers with higher levels of training and access to ongoing professional development demonstrate improved classroom management, increased use of learner-centered methodologies, and more effective assessment technique. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: From the study findings, the study recommends that schools and educational authorities should develop more structured and regular Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programs that focus on subject-specific training, pedagogical skills, and updated teaching methodologies. This is because the study findings likely indicate that teachers who engage in regular training and development show better performance in student outcomes. The education policy makers should come up with the programs that forge partnerships between secondary schools and local universities or teacher training colleges to provide advanced training opportunities and access to educational research.

Erosive Tooth Wear and Associated Risk Indicators in Schoolchildren from Rural and Urban Areas of the State of Mexico: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Limited access to health services and low educational levels are factors in the rural population that are associated with the development of oral pathologies. However, the specific risk indicators contributing to erosive tooth wear (ETW) in these populations remain unclear. The objective of this study was to identify risk indicators associated with the prevalence of erosive tooth wear (ETW) in schoolchildren aged 8-12 years from rural and urban areas in the State of Mexico. A cross-sectional study was carried out in public schools in rural and urban areas. The prevalence of ETW was evaluated using the Basic Erosive Wear Examination (BEWE). The risk indicators studied were gastroesophageal reflux, vomiting, vitamin C, food, beverages, dental hygiene, bruxism, and hyposalivation. Logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The prevalence of ETW was higher in the rural area (77.3%) compared to the urban area (51.2%) (p = 0.001). The odds of presenting ETW were more than twice in schoolchildren from rural areas compared to those from urban areas (OR: 2.25, 95% CI: 1.11-3.98). Risk indicators varied between rural and urban populations, with different factors such as the consumption of fresh tomato sauce, orange, tangerine, atole (artisanal corn-based drink), and teeth grinding in the rural area, and lemon, soft drink, fruit juice consumption, and the simplified oral hygiene index in the urban area (p < 0.05). To prevent ETW, strategies offering tailored dietary and hygiene advice should be proposed, considering the specific conditions of each geographic area.

Exploring Varicella Vaccine Coverage and Influencing Factors in Rural and Pastoral Children of Qinghai Province: A Cross-Sectional Catch-Up Vaccination Study

&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Background: &amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;Varicella is a respiratory infectious disease caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection. Varicella vaccine has been shown to be highly effective in preventing varicella disease, however it is not included in Qinghai Province’s local immunization planning program and must be paid for by families. Its use in local areas is options instead of compulsory, so high coverage is difficult to guarantee. Starting in October 2021, one dose of live attenuated varicella vaccine was recommended at lest for 3-17-year-old children in Qinghai. In 2022, it was conducted that an investigation of varicella vaccine coverage and factors influencing coverage among children in rural rural and pastoral areas to determine the impact of this VarV catch-up policy. &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Objective: &amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; To explore varicella vaccine coverage and factors influencing caverage among 3-17-year-old children in rural and pastoral areas of Qinghai province. &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Methods:&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; A stratified cluster sampling method was used to select children aged 3-17 years from kindergartens and primary /secondary schools in rural and pastoral areas of Qinghai province for a questionnaire-based survey of their guardians. Coverage levels of one and two doses of VarV (VarV&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;1&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt; and VarV&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;2&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;) before and after a catch-up vaccination activity initiated in October 2021, and identified factors influenceing VarV&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;1&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt; coverage. &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Results:&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; VarV&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;1&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt; and VarV&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;2 &amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;coverage levels after the catch-up activity were 79.06% (676/855) and 43.79% (363/829), respectively, and increased by 34.38 and 24.13 percentage points compared with before the catch-up activity. Multivariate logistic regression showed that VarV&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;1 &amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;coverage was higher in rural areas than in pastoral areas (OR=4.63, 95%&amp;lt;I&amp;gt;CI&amp;lt;/I&amp;gt;: 2.91-7.39), and higher among children whose guardians scored 4-6 or 7-10 points on knowledge about varicella and VarV than among children whose guardians scored 0-3 points (OR=8.61, 95%&amp;lt;I&amp;gt;CI&amp;lt;/I&amp;gt;: 4.73-15.69, OR=2.86, 95%&amp;lt;I&amp;gt;CI&amp;lt;/I&amp;gt;: 1.69-4.84). the main reasons for non-vaccination were guardians’ lack of understanding of VarV (48.6%, 87 children), guardians’ unawarness of the need for VarV vaccination (43.6%, 78 children), and unavailability of VarV at vaccination centers (31.3%, 56 children). &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Conclusions: &amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;The catch-up activity significantly increased VarV coverage among children in the surveyed areas. It should been strengthened that health education on knowledge about varicella and VarV among guardians of children in Qinghai, especially in pastoral areas, to promote VarV vaccination of age-eligible children.

English Classroom Interaction in Two Primary Schools in A Rural Area

Classroom interaction is an important factor in the student learning process at school. Interaction occurs when two subjects in the class (teacher and student) talk. This research aims to analyze the interaction patterns formed in two elementary schools in rural areas, as well as the factors that influence them. This research used a qualitative design with the research subjects being English teachers and students of MI Falakhiyah I Jampet and SDN Jampet 1. Data was obtained using observation and interview methods as data analysis. There are three current flow analysis methods, namely: data collection, data presentation, and concluding/verification. The research results revealed that there were seven types of classroom interactions. The highest percentage of teacher conversations in the two schools was the teacher-whole class where the class was almost all teacher-to-student interactions. Meanwhile, the highest percentage of student conversation in the two schools was student-group members where students were active in speaking when a group was formed containing several students.

The energy intake, nutritional status, menarche at age, and premenstrual syndrome in female adolescents

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;At present, many female adolescents experience faster growth and faster development phase, including menstruation (menarche). According to 2010 Riskesdas data, 21.3 % of female adolescents in Jambi experienced menarche at the age of ≤12 years, and disorder during menstrual cycle often experienced by female adolescents is premenstrual syndrome (PMS) with a prevalence ranging from 80-90 %. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective: &lt;/strong&gt;This research was conducted to analyze any differences from energy intake, nutritional status, age at menarche, and PMS incidence along with finding dominant factors of age at menarche and PMS in female adolescents in urban and rural areas of Jambi.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Method: &lt;/strong&gt;This research employed a cross sectional study design involving 200 female adolescents selected from State Junior High schools in urban and rural areas of Jambi province by a simple random sampling technique. The energy intake data collected by 2 x 24 food recall, whereas nutritional status data was collected through anthropometric measurements using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) and a microtoise, and age at menarche and PMS data were collected by a questionnaire. Bivariate data analysis was taken by Independent t-test, Mann-Whitney test and Spearman Rank test, while the multivariate data analysis was taken by the Logistic Regression. &lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results:&lt;/strong&gt; There were significant differences found in age at menarche, energy intake, and nutritional status (HAZ and BAZ) of female adolescents in urban and rural areas (p&amp;lt;0.05). A significant negative relationship was found between nutritional status and age at menarche (p&amp;lt;0.05) and a significant positive relationship was found between nutritional status and the incidence of PMS (p&amp;lt;0.05). The Logistic Regression Test revealed that residence area was the dominant factor related to age at menarche (OR: 2.591 CI 95%: 1.415-4.744) and body fat percentage was the dominant factor related to the incidence of PMS (OR: 2.468 CI 95%: 1.159-5.254) .&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion&lt;/strong&gt;: There are differences found in age of menarche, energy intake, and nutritional status (HAZ and BAZ) between female adolescents from urban and rural areas. There is a significant relationship between nutritional status and age at menarche to the incidence of PMS. Residential area becomes the dominant factor related to age at menarche and body fat percentage becomes the dominant factor related to the incidence of PMS.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;KEYWORDS&lt;em&gt;: &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;age at menarche; energy intake; female adolescents; nutritional status; PMS &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

SARS-CoV-2 in Mozambican primary school-aged children at Maputo City and Province: a cross-sectional study from a low-income country

BackgroundSeroprevalence studies provide information on the true extent of infection and capture demographic and geographic differences, indicating the level of immunity against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We sought to provide local evidence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in school-aged children during in-class teaching in Maputo City and Province, Mozambique.MethodsBetween August and November 2022, we performed a cross-sectional study in school-aged children in four schools in rural, peri-urban, and urban areas of Maputo City and Province. A point-of-care test was used to evaluate SARS-CoV-2 antigens and anti-SARS-CoV-2-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies. Descriptive statistics were used to estimate the prevalence of the antigens and antibodies. Multiple logistic regression models were used to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for the factors associated with anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.ResultsA total of 736 school-aged children were analyzed. The prevalence of the SARS-CoV-2 antigen was 0.5% (4/736). The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antigens was 0.0% (0/245), 0.8% (2/240) and 0.8% (2/251), in the rural, peri-urban and urban areas respectively. The overall seroprevalence of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (IgG or IgM) was 80.7% (594/736). In rural area anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG or IgM antibodies were detected in 76.7% (188/245), while in peri-urban area they were detected in 80.0% (192/240) and in urban area they were detected in 85.3% (214/251). In the adjusted logistic regression model, school-aged children from the urban area were more likely to have anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG or IgM antibodies than were school-aged children from the rural area (adjusted odds ratio: 1.679; 95% CI: 1.060–2.684; p-value = 0.028).ConclusionsDuring the in-class teaching period, active SARS-CoV-2 cases in school-aged children were observed. More than half of the school-aged children were exposed to SARS-CoV-2, and SARS-CoV-2 was significantly more common in the schools at the urban area than in the school in the rural area at Maputo City and Province.

A study to evaluate the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding the 5F’s disease transmission (food, finger, fluid, fomites and faeces) among primary school students at selected primary schools of rural areas of Dharwad district

A study to evaluate the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding the 5F’s disease transmission (food, finger, fluid, fomites and faeces) among primary school students at selected primary schools of rural areas of Dharwad district

Influence of lecturer, family, and personal will on primary school students' perceptions in learning English

The study of students' perceptions of learning English is most interesting to researchers, especially in the context of lower-secondary school students. The purpose of the study was to understand the level of students' perception of learning English, to compare the level of students' perception of learning English between students studying in schools in provincial towns and rural areas, and to understand the main factors influencing students' perception of learning English. The study used a sample of 380 students studying at the lower-secondary level in two public schools in Banteay Meanchey province. Samples were selected using a multi-stage sampling method. This research is a quantitative study using the correlational approach. The data collection instrument is a questionnaire in the form of a five-level Likert scale. Data analysis used frequency analysis, percentage analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS v26 software. The results showed that students in public lower-secondary schools had a high level of positive perception of learning English. The comparison of the perception of learning English showed that the lower-secondary school students in the provincial town had a higher score in the perception of learning English than the students who studied at lower-secondary schools in rural areas. However, the students had the same high level of perception when learning English. The main factors influencing English language learning perception included students’ personal will, family factors, and teacher factors, with standardized coefficients of 0.298, 0.147, and 0.196, respectively. In conclusion, students have a high perception of learning English, whether students in rural or urban areas. Family factors, teacher factors, and students’ personal will be able to explain 29.60% of the variance in their perception of English learning. Learning English is very important for students studying at the lower-secondary level, and to promote students' perception of learning English, the school management team and parents should pay attention, as important as, to family factors, teacher factors, and students’ personal will.

Balancing the Scales: Achieving Equitable Teacher Distribution in Wajo Regency’s Elementary Schools

This research is based on the problem of gaps in teacher distribution in Wajo Regency, there are schools that have an excessive number of teachers, but there are also schools that experience a shortage of teachers in several areas of Wajo Regency. The aim of this research is to analyze the condition of teacher equality in terms of recruitment, placement and distribution of teachers in Wajo Regency, the factors causing teacher inequality and the efforts made by the regional government to overcome this problem. This research uses a qualitative approach. Data collection methods are interviews, observation and document study. Data sources were obtained from the Head of the Wajo Regency Cultural Education Service, the Secretary of the Wajo Regency Education and Culture Service, the Chair of the Wajo Regency PGRI, school supervisors and school principals from Tempe District, Bola District and Gilireng District. The research results found that the condition of equal distribution of teachers in Wajo Regency still needs attention. It was found that several schools still lacked teachers and there were still many teachers who did not meet the specified qualifications. This is based on the geographical conditions and inadequate school infrastructure, especially schools in rural areas. The Wajo Regency Government continues to make efforts optimizing the distribution of teachers so that there is no longer a gap in teachers within a school. This will certainly have a big influence on educational progress in Wajo Regency.

Study on Hidden Dropout of Students in Junior High Schools in Rural Areas of China

Free compulsory education has made "all children can go to school" a reality and eliminated the phenomenon of dropping out of school due to tuition and miscellaneous fees. However, at this stage, hidden dropout has risen to become the main contradiction in China's compulsory education. The article focuses on the problem of hidden dropout in rural junior high schools, and explains the impact of hidden dropout on personal development, students' families and society. The causes of hidden dropout are analysed in depth, including students' own factors, family factors, school education factors and social environment factors. Corresponding countermeasures and suggestions are put forward from the levels of school, family and society, with a view to providing theoretical basis and practical reference for effectively solving the problem of students' hidden dropout at junior middle school level in rural areas, as well as promoting the healthy development of rural education.

A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Programme on Knowledge regarding Pre-Menstrual Syndrome and its Management among Adolescent Girls in selected school at Sanjeli

The present study assessed the effectiveness of structured teaching program on knowledge regarding pre-menstrual syndrome and its management among the adolescent girls at selected school in rural area. The design was adopted by the investigator in this study was pretest and posttest quasi experimental design. The conceptual framework is based on the general system theory by Von Bertalanffy ludwing (1968). A total of 60 adolescent girls were selected from the school by using convenient sampling technique. The purpose of the study was explained to the students and consent was taken from all the participants. A structured pretest questionnaire related to pre-menstrual syndrome were asked to them for scoring knowledge. Data was analyzed descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, frequencies and percentages. The association between effectiveness of planned teaching programme will be analyzed by t-test. in pre-test 52(86.67%) of adolescent’s girls were having inadequate level of knowledge and 8(13.33%) of adolescent’s girls were having moderate level of knowledge. While in post-test 6(10%) had inadequate level of knowledge, 36(60%) had moderate level of knowledge, and 18(30%) has adequate level of knowledge. The effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding pre-menstrual syndrome and its management was revealed in the post-test that there was significance improvement in knowledge with administration of structured teaching programme. The obtained “t-test” value for the level of knowledge on pre-menstrual syndrome and its management 18.86 that was highly significance at p&lt;0.05 level the hypothesis was accepted. The study found that adolescent girls had inadequate knowledge regarding pre-menstrual syndrome and its management in pretest. After the structured teaching programme on pre-menstrual syndrome there was a significant improvement in knowledge of the adolescent girls regarding pre-menstrual syndrome and its management. The study concluded that the structured teaching programme was effective in improving the knowledge of the adolescent girls regarding pre-menstrual syndrome and its management.

Risk factors and integrated assessment of health disorders in teachers of rural comprehensive schools

Teaching is an occupation with high stress levels and extremely poor health indicators, which tend to decline as working records become longer. The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors able to cause health issues in teachers of rural comprehensive schools and to determine the significance of clinical and laboratory indices as early indicators. The work uses the results of hygienic, clinical and laboratory studies aimed at assessing health and working conditions of teachers employed at comprehensive schools in rural areas of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Sanitary and hygienic conditions in classrooms of rural comprehensive schools were assessed in conformity with the Guide R 2.2.2006-05. Medical check-ups resulted in 255 various somatic diseases diagnosed in 70 teachers, overall, 3.64 diseases per one examined teacher. Laboratory tests revealed elevated hemoglobin levels in 20.00 % of the examined female teachers and low ones in 8.57 %. Erythrocytosis was established in 64.29 % of the examined teachers. We also established some slight changes in hematocrit levels, which were elevated in 4.29 % and low in 8.57 % of the examined teachers. Accordingly, in case hemoglobin levels were low, erythrocyte indices MCV and МСН went down as well in 30.00–32.86 % of the female teachers. The number of workers with elevated glucose and cholesterol levels went up as their work records grew longer (the correlation coefficients were 0.94÷0.98). Examination of microflora found in the upper airway mucosa revealed clinically significant contamination, which was mostly represented by cocci bacteria, the most significant microorganisms being Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus spp and β-hаemolytic streptococci. Our integrated study has shown that working conditions at workplaces of teachers in rural comprehensive schools do not conform to safety standards as per work hardness and work intensity (intellectual, emotional and sensory loads). The study results confirm high importance of diagnostic methods as indicators of health issues in teachers employed at comprehensive schools. Preventive measures aimed at protecting teachers’ health in rural areas should consider peculiarities of pathomorphosis that determines their health status.

Факторы риска и комплексная оценка нарушений здоровья педагогов общеобразовательных школ в сельской местности

Teaching is an occupation with high stress levels and extremely poor health indicators, which tend to decline as working records become longer. The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors able to cause health issues in teachers of rural comprehensive schools and to determine the significance of clinical and laboratory indices as early indicators. The work uses the results of hygienic, clinical and laboratory studies aimed at assessing health and working conditions of teachers employed at comprehensive schools in rural areas of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Sanitary and hygienic conditions in classrooms of rural comprehensive schools were assessed in conformity with the Guide R 2.2.2006-05. Medical check-ups resulted in 255 various somatic diseases diagnosed in 70 teachers, overall, 3.64 diseases per one examined teacher. Laboratory tests revealed elevated hemoglobin levels in 20.00 % of the examined female teachers and low ones in 8.57 %. Erythrocytosis was established in 64.29 % of the examined teachers. We also established some slight changes in hematocrit levels, which were elevated in 4.29 % and low in 8.57 % of the examined teachers. Accordingly, in case hemoglobin levels were low, erythrocyte indices MCV and МСН went down as well in 30.00–32.86 % of the female teachers. The number of workers with elevated glucose and cholesterol levels went up as their work records grew longer (the correlation coefficients were 0.94÷0.98). Examination of microflora found in the upper airway mucosa revealed clinically significant contamination, which was mostly represented by cocci bacteria, the most significant microorganisms being Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus spp and β-hаemolytic streptococci. Our integrated study has shown that working conditions at workplaces of teachers in rural comprehensive schools do not conform to safety standards as per work hardness and work intensity (intellectual, emotional and sensory loads). The study results confirm high importance of diagnostic methods as indicators of health issues in teachers employed at comprehensive schools. Preventive measures aimed at protecting teachers’ health in rural areas should consider peculiarities of pathomorphosis that determines their health status.

Investigation into the Challenges Experienced by School Management Teams (SMTs) Post-Pandemic in Rural High Schools in the Mopani-West Education District

The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges faced by SMTs in dealing with poor academic performance in the Mopani-West District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Studies have indicated that schools in rural areas fail to meet their full potential due to a combination of factors including insufficient instructional resources, shortage of qualified educators, insufficient infrastructure, and poverty and inequality. The study adopted a qualitative approach following an interpretative case study design. Using purposive sampling a total of 18 participants, comprising six principals, six departmental heads, and six learners who met the research criteria were selected. The study sample included one principal, one departmental head, and one learner from each of these six schools in the Mopani-West District. Three schools from the sample were identified as high-performing, while the other three were identified as underperforming. Data were elicited using semi-structured interviews, followed by thematic data analysis to unveil rich narratives and patterns within the research inquiries. The findings of the study revealed that resource scarcity in schools significantly hampered the quality of education. Issues such as insufficient teaching materials, a shortage of teachers, and the absence of technology create stark disparities between less and more privileged schools. The study also highlighted the impact of inadequate infrastructure on learning as one of the pressing concerns that compromise quality teaching and learning. Recommendations were made accordingly.

Exploring Aggressive Behaviors in Greek Secondary Schools: Prevalence, Sociodemographic Factors, and Comparative Analysis with Elementary School Students.

The main objectives of this study are to determine the prevalence of bullying in Greek secondary schools and detect the possible characteristics of bullies' profiles in Greek school settings. A structured questionnaire was given to one hundred ninety-two (n = 192) educators at Greek junior high schools in urban and rural areas. The educators were asked to report the frequencies and forms of aggressive behavior observed during the 2022-2023 school year, the bullies' sociodemographic characteristics, and ways of dealing with bullying episodes. The data are presented, after conducting statistical analyses, in comparison with data for elementary school students. The results revealed that higher rates of bullying were reported compared with elementary school children. Moreover, according to teachers' observations, aggressive behavior is independent of a pupil's diagnosis, but specific types are correlated significantly with a pupil's gender, nationality, low academic performance, and popularity. Factor analysis showed two main factors of aggression types, where common points and differences with elementary school students are mentioned. Implementations for the prevention of school bullying are discussed.