School Year Research Articles

Formation of language competence of a child in many preschool and early school years

Artykuł określa podstawowe koncepcje rozwoju mowy dziecka. Analiza poszczególnych jego etapów połączona jest z przedstawieniem sposobów stymulowania poprzez działania rodziców, opiekunów, a następnie nauczycieli edukacji przedszkolnej i wczesnoszkolnej. Opanowanie przez dziecko elementów języka stanowi o jego kompetencjach komunikacyjnych, a tym samym o skuteczności porozumiewania się w sposób adekwatny do zastałych warunków czy określonej sytuacji. Nieodłącznym elementem nabywania kompetencji językowych przez dziecko jest więc nie tylko bierne słuchanie i powtarzanie zasłyszanych słów czy zwrotów, ale także umiejętne włączanie dziecka w tworzenie własnego języka, budowanie słownika poprzez poprawianie i wzmacnianie wypowiedzi. W artykule zwrócono również uwagę na konieczność stymulowania potrzeby mówienia dziecka, zwłaszcza w początkowej fazie kształcenia. Sposób i jakość przekazu informacji, kontaktu werbalnego z dzieckiem już od okresu prenatalnego ma dla jego rozwoju istotne znaczenie i może dać wymierne efekty w późniejszym czasie. Istotą artykułu jest przekazanie najważniejszych informacji związanych z kształtowaniem mowy u dzieci. Publikacja stanowi formę pomocy naukowej dla studentów pedagogiki oraz nauczycieli z zakresu edukacji przedszkolnej i wczesnoszkolnej. Zawarte w niej treści służą także edukowaniu przyszłych rodziców, których wiedza dotycząca tak zaawansowanego i złożonego procesu, jakim jest rozwój mowy, powinna odgrywać znaczącą rolę w procesie wychowania i kształcenia nowego pokolenia.

“Let’s just be human:” kindergarten teachers leveraging collegial supports during the first covid-19 school year

ABSTRACT Although efforts have been made to improve teacher professional development and ongoing supports, limited research has examined how early childhood education (ECE) teachers support each other informally. The present study describes how one type of informal support, collegial support (e.g. instrumental and expressive), enabled ECE teachers to cope with the first full school year during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through qualitative interviews, 14 kindergarten teachers shared the various ways they received and perceived collegial supports, and the system-level resources that enabled them to leverage their colleague’s expertise and assistance. ECE teachers expressed how they cared for their own well-being and shared the desire to continue doing so in the future. Implications for low-cost and nimble teacher supports and professional development are discussed.

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on physical activity and sedentary behaviour in secondary school teachers: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundMid-March 2020, Belgium went in lockdown to combat the COVID-19-pandemic. Having to provide school-based day care and adapt to online teaching, while all social, cultural and sports events and activities were cancelled, secondary school teachers’ physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) may have been affected considerably. This study investigates the impact of the first Belgian lockdown on PA and SB in Flemish secondary school teachers.MethodsThis prospective cohort study was conducted throughout the 2019–2020 school year. PA and SB measured in March/April 2020 were compared with a pre-lockdown measurement in January/February 2020. Other pre-lockdown measurements (September/October 2019 and November/December 2019) and one other during-lockdown measurement (May/June 2020) allowed us to control for confounding. Validated questionnaires were used to assess participants’ PA and SB. Generalized linear mixed models were applied in R.ResultsAmong 624 participants (77·2% females, 43·3 ± 10·3 years), increases were observed for total PA (+ 108 min/week; p = 0·047), moderate PA (+ 217 min/week; p = 0·001), domestic and garden PA (+ 308 min/week; p < 0·0001) and leisure-time PA (+ 131 min/week; p < 0·0001), whereas work-related PA (-289 min/week; p < 0·0001) and active transportation (-38 min/week; p =0·005) decreased. No differences were observed for walking (p = 1·0) and vigorous PA (p = 0·570). Increases were found for total SB (+ 972 min/week; p < 0·0001), work-related SB (+ 662 min/week; p < 0·0001) and leisure-time SB (+ 592 min/week; p = 0·0004), whereas transport-related SB (-290 min/week; p < 0·0001) decreased.ConclusionDuring the lockdown, we found in our sample that Flemish secondary school teachers showed an increase in SB that was 9 times as high as their PA increase. As a government, education network or school, it is crucial to sensitize, promote, and facilitate sufficient MVPA and/or walking, but likewise to discourage SB during pandemic-induced lockdowns.

Modelling Mean Years of Schooling (MYS) Districts/Cities of West Kalimantan Province

Mean years of schooling (MYS) is one of the indicators measuring the quality of education in Indonesia, regulated through the nine-year compulsory education policy. West Kalimantan Province is one of the provinces with the lowest MYS rates in Indonesia, with only one out of its 13 districts/cities fulfilling the compulsory education policy. Therefore, research is needed to obtain the best model and understand the factors that influence the MYS districts/cities of West Kalimantan Province. This study uses the Geographically Weighted Panel Regression (GWPR) analysis method, due to the annual changes in MYS numbers indicating time effects in data and differences in MYS numbers in each district/city indicating differences in characteristics between regions. GWPR is a combination of panel data regression model and geographically weighted regression (GWR) model. The results showed that the best model obtained is the GWPR adaptive bisquare model with an AIC value of -147.241 and R2 value of 80.07%. The variables of per capita income, dependency ratio, literacy rate, and the number of schools significantly influence MYS, and four groups of regions are formed based on significant variables.

Attitude and Challenges in Learning Mathematics in the Modern Word (MMW): Basis for Intervention Program

Difficulty in learning mathematics is a common and significant problem throughout the school years. It was identified that only 19% of Filipino students met the Low benchmark, meaning they had “some basic mathematical knowledge,” while 81% did not reach this level. Filipino students also lagged behind other countries in the international assessment for mathematics as mentioned in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2019 (TIMSS).To address this; a researcher conducted a study to explore students’ attitudes and challenges in learning Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW). The data gathered were used in formulating intervention programs. The study utilized the descriptive method of research and employed a survey questionnaire as the main data-gathering instrument. It involved the participation of all college students from the University of Batangas who were taking Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW) during the school year 2022-2023 using a purposive sampling technique. Furthermore, the responses of the respondents were computed using frequency count, percentage, weighted mean, ranking, and chi-square as the main statistical treatments of data. Ethical guidelines were highly considered to maintain the confidentiality of the study. Key findings include that the majority of the students are 19-21 years old, male, and enrolled in Criminology courses. Students strongly agreed and exhibited a positive attitude toward wanting to develop their mathematical skills. It was observed that there is a positive and moderate correlation between the attitude and the challenges encountered by the students in learning Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW). The main challenge identified is the difficulty in remembering math facts, concepts, rules, formulas, sequences, and procedures. The researcher proposed different intervention programs to address the challenges encountered by students in learning Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW).

Challenges and Implementation of Technology Integration: Basis for Enhanced Instructional Program

This study focused on examining the challenges and implementation of technology in schools within the Baungon Districts, Division of Bukidnon, during the School Year 2023-2024. A validated questionnaire was administered to 289 respondents, and data analysis involved statistical tools and triangulation methods. The findings revealed diverse challenges, with Equity and Access being the highest and Infrastructure and Resources being the lowest. Despite these challenges, technology integration was observed, particularly in Communication and Instructional Integration. Significant relationships were identified between challenges and implementation, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions. In-depth interviews highlighted educators’ innovative strategies and commitment to delivering quality education through technology. Strategic interventions are necessary to address obstacles and enhance technology integration. Offering continuous professional development opportunities for teachers is crucial. The study provides insights for educational leaders to develop interventions and enhance technology integration, ultimately improving the educational experience for students.

Assessing the Challenges and Interventions for Primary Education Learners

This research assessed the learners’ challenges encountered and interventions provided at Dumaguete City Central School in Dumaguete City Division during school year 2023-2024 for a proposed behavior modification guide. This descriptive correlational design study had purposively selected 120 parent and 16 teacher respondents who answered a researcher-made survey questionnaire. The data gathered were statistically treated. Findings revealed that the majority of parent respondents were 30-49 years old, females, high school graduates, with 3-4 children, and middle-income. Teacher respondents mostly were 51-69 years old, female, with master’s units, and had 16 years or more in service. The parents and teachers perceived the extent of the learners’ challenges encountered as to family and peers was high, and the classroom was moderate for parents and low for teachers. Parents’ perception of the extent of the interventions provided to the learners in terms of family, peers, and classroom was all moderately done. While for the teachers, as to family was done, for peers and classroom was extensively done. There was no significant difference between the teachers’ and parents’ perception of the learners’ challenges encountered by family and peers, but there was a significant difference in the classroom variable. There was no significant difference between the teachers and parents’ perception on the extent of Interventions provided towards the learners in terms of family, peers, and classroom. There was a significant relationship between the challenges encountered and the interventions provided towards the learners.

Body image, eating distress and emotional-behavioral difficulties among adolescents in Mbarara, Southwestern Uganda

BackgroundAdolescents frequently have emotional and behavioral difficulties as they struggle with the challenges of transition from childhood to adulthood. Many struggle with issues of body image and eating distress as they deal with the difficult and frequently perplexing changes that occur with puberty. Yet there is surprisingly little research on the emotional and behavioral challenges, as well as body image and eating distress among this sizable population in Uganda. This study sought to assess attitudes and behaviors related to body image and eating distress, as well as emotional and behavioral difficulties among adolescents in Mbarara, Southwestern Uganda.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study among 788 adolescents aged 13 to 19 years in secondary schools in Mbarara city and Mbarara district in south-western Uganda. The study employed the Body Image and Eating Distress scale to assess attitudes and behaviors about dieting and body shape and the extended version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to assess for perceived emotional and behavioral difficulties. Logistic regression was used to identify the association between body image and eating distress and perceived difficulties.ResultsThe prevalence of high body image and eating distress was 10.8% while that of perceived emotional and behavioral difficulties was 45.8%. Some of the adolescents (16.1%) were dissatisfied with their body shape, 24.6% exercised a lot to avoid gaining weight, 15.0% were terrified to gain even a little weight, and 12.1% could not control their eating. More males reported eating large amounts of food at one time (p = < 0.001). Having emotional and behavioral difficulties (aOR: 1.89; 95% CI: 1.18 – 3.02; p = 0.019) and coming from a two-parent household (aOR: 1.79; 95% CI: 1.10 – 2.92; p = 0.019) increased the odds of high body image and eating distress.ConclusionHigh levels of body image and eating distress are linked to behavioral and emotional problems and adolescent’s family structure. Clinicians who treat adolescents should use a holistic care strategy and be aware of the high prevalence and close association between emotional and behavioral difficulties, concerns about weight, and dieting. It is important to encourage parental involvement and support in providing information about mental health issues among adolescents.

An Evaluation of the Sharing Dance Public School Program on Physical Literacy.

Introduction: Physical literacy (PL) is a multidimensional concept that includes the domains of movement competence, positive affect, social participation, and the confidence, motivation, and knowledge and understanding necessary for regular engagement in physical activity. The Sharing Dance Public School Program was created by Canada's National Ballet School specifically designed to promote PL through dance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the program to improve PL in grade 4 to 6 children over the course of a school year. Methods: Children were initially recruited from two schools including an intervention and a control school. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, data collection was prematurely terminated which resulted in baseline and mid-point data from the intervention group only. As such, participants included 57 children (n = 28 females, Mage = 10.34 ± 0.85 years) that engaged in the dance program once per week for 50 minutes. Assessments of PL included a direct measure of movement competence (PLAYfun) and a self-report measure (survey) to assess the other domains of PL. Results: Significant improvements were found in movement competence. However, significant decreases were found for fun and enjoyment, confidence, and social participation. No changes were observed for knowledge and understanding or overall PL. Conclusions: Findings from the present study are encouraging as they provide initial evidence for the support of community-based PL programs, such as the Sharing Dance Public School Program, to help children develop their movement competence. Future research is needed to further evaluate the effectiveness of the Sharing Dance Public School Program over a school year, and when compared to a control group, as was initially intended.

Settler teachers’ engagement with first nations content in the Australian curriculum

ABSTRACT Situated in the curriculum space created by the recent enhancements to First Nations content is the opportunity for teachers to better connect with First Nations perspectives. Using constructivist theory methodology and drawing on two studies, a small qualitative school-based study of teachers who teach in the early years of schooling, and a large-scale study of professional development across two Australian states, the paper explores teachers’ preparedness to teach First Nations content. The tenets of critical literacy frame the discussion and are positioned as reflective tools that can be used to support the ‘settler teacher’ in self-reflection. Audio-recorded transcripts of planning sessions, a teacher survey, comments from feedback forms and researcher memos form the data sets. Findings from the study necessitate discursive practices for the development of teacher knowledge, dispositions, and confidence, and highlight the imperative for teacher critical self-reflection.

Teacher Preparation for Culturally Responsive Teaching: Implications for Teacher Education

ABSTRACT Diverse students in K-12 schools face many challenges to succeed, including the cultural incongruity between their home cultures and school. A widening achievement gap over the pandemic has prompted research from the culturally responsive teaching (CRT) perspective. This quantitative study aims to understand K-12 teachers’ self-efficacy in CRT and to identify specific aspects of teacher preparation that may contribute to teacher confidence in CRT. Data was collected from teachers (N = 564) nationwide using the Culturally Responsive Teaching Self-Efficacy (CRTSE) scale during the 2020–2021 school year. Findings suggest that teachers are less confident in teaching strategies addressing cultural differences. Specific types of teacher preparation were found to be significant factors in raising teachers’ CRT confidence.

Factors that indicate performance on the MoCA 7.3 in healthy adults over 50 years old

Human aging is a physiological, progressive, heterogeneous global process that causes a decline of all body systems, functions, and organs. Throughout this process, cognitive function suffers an incremental decline with broad interindividual variability.The first objective of this study was to examine the differences in the performance on the MoCA test (v. 7.3) per gender and the relationship between the performance and the variables age, years of schooling, and depressive symptoms .The second objective was to identify factors that may influence the global performance on the MoCA test (v. 7.3) and of the domains orientation, language, memory, attention/calculation, visuospatial and executive function, abstraction, and identification.A cross-sectional study was carried out in which five hundred seventy-three (573) cognitively healthy adults ≥ 50 years old were included in the study. A sociodemographic questionnaire, the GDS-15 questionnaire to assess depression symptoms and the Spanish version of the MoCA Test (v 7.3) were administered. The evaluations were carried out between the months of January and June 2022. Differences in the MoCA test performance per gender was assessed with Student’s t-test for independent samples. The bivariate Pearson correlation was applied to examine the relationship between total scoring of the MoCA test performance and the variables age, years of schooling, and depressive symptoms. Different linear multiple regression analyses were performed to determine variables that could influence the MoCA test performance.We found gender-related MoCA Test performance differences. An association between age, years of schooling, and severity of depressive symptoms was observed. Age, years of schooling, and severity of depressive symptoms influence the MoCA Test performance, while gender does not.

Evaluation of information accuracy and clarity: ChatGPT responses to the most frequently asked questions about premature ejaculation.

Premature ejaculation (PE) is the most prevalent sexual dysfunction in men, and like many diseases and conditions, patients use Internet sources like ChatGPT, which is a popular artificial intelligence-based language model, for queries about this andrological disorder. The objective of this research was to evaluate the quality, readability, and understanding of texts produced by ChatGPT in response to frequently requested inquiries on PE. In this study we used Google Trends to identify the most frequently searched phrases related to PE. Subsequently, the discovered keywords were methodically entered into ChatGPT, and the resulting replies were assessed for quality using the Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP) program. The produced texts were assessed for readability using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), and DISCERN metrics. This investigation has identified substantial concerns about the quality of texts produced by ChatGPT, highlighting severe problems with reading and understanding. The mean EQIP score for the texts was determined to be 45.93 ± 4.34, while the FRES was 15.8 ± 8.73. Additionally, the FKGL score was computed to be 15.68 ± 1.67 and the DISCERN score was 38.1 ± 3.78. The comparatively low average EQIP and DISCERN scores suggest that improvements are required to increase the quality and dependability of the presented information. In addition, the FKGL scores indicate a significant degree of linguistic intricacy, requiring a level of knowledge comparable to about 14 to 15years of formal schooling in order to understand. The texts about treatment, which are the most frequently searched items, are more difficult to understand compared to other texts about other categories. The results of this research suggest that compared to texts on other topics the PE texts produced by ChatGPT exhibit a higher degree of complexity, which exceeds the recommended reading threshold for effective health communication. Currently, ChatGPT is cannot be considered a substitute for comprehensive medical consultations. This study is to our knowledge the first reported research investigating the quality and comprehensibility of information generated by ChatGPT in relation to frequently requested queries about PE. The main limitation is that the investigation included only the first 25 popular keywords in English. ChatGPT is incapable of replacing the need for thorough medical consultations.

A longitudinal analysis of COVID-19 prevention strategies implemented among US K-12 public schools during the 2021-2022 school year

PurposeExamine how school-based COVID-19 prevention strategy implementation varied over time, including by local characteristics. MethodsSchool administrators (n = 335) from a nationally representative sample of K-12 public schools completed four surveys assessing COVID-19 prevention strategies at two-month intervals between October 2021 and June 2022. We calculated weighted prevalence estimates by survey wave. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to model longitudinal changes in strategy implementation, accounting for school and county covariates. ResultsOpening doors/windows, daily cleaning, and diagnostic testing were reported by ≥ 50 % of schools at each survey wave. Several strategies were consistently implemented across the 2021–2022 school year (i.e., daily cleaning, opening doors and windows, diagnostic testing) while other strategies increased initially and then declined (i.e., contact tracing, screening testing, on-campus vaccination) or declined consistently throughout the school year (i.e., mask requirement, classroom distancing, quarantine). Although longitudinal changes in strategy implementation did not vary by school characteristics, strategy implementation varied by urban-rural classification and school level throughout the school year. ConclusionsStrategies that were consistently implemented throughout the school year were also reported by a majority of schools, speaking toward their feasibility for school-based infection control and prevention and potential utility in future public health emergencies.

Self-determination across the secondary-school years: how teachers and curriculum policy affect language learners’ motivation

ABSTRACT Motivation is argued to be a critical predictor of language learning success, but it is not clear whether motivation is equally relevant across compulsory and optional language education contexts. This study explored the motivation of adolescent Anglophone students of other languages across secondary school year groups with a particular interest in the impact of choice and curricular structure. Based on Self-Determination Theory, we developed a model that maintains that perceptions of autonomy support predict learners' sense of autonomy, in turn enhancings motivation. Through a survey of 1775 students aged 11-16, we tested whether this model holds for learners from different year groups, and in later years, across those in schools with and without mandatory language education. We found that all learners reported less autonomy frustration and were more likely to report a more autonomous form of language learning motivation if they perceived their language teacher as autonomy-supportive, but that as learners progressed through school perceptions of autonomy support declined. Further, we found that motivation was strongly associated with curriculum policies providing choice. These differences in motivational profiles across year group have implications for how teachers might support students' across different years and for programmatic adaptations that might facilitate students' learning.

심리사회적 학교환경에 대한 인식이 학생의 성장에 미치는 영향

Purpose: This study analyzed whether the psychosocial school environment mitigates the detrimental effects of poverty and influences students' initial cognitive (Korean, math, and English grades) and emotional (self-esteem) development during elementary school, as well as their growth trajectories throughout middle and high school. Methods: This study used longitudinal data from the same cohort of students surveyed at three intervals: elementary, middle, and high school spanning a six-year period from 2015, to 2018 and 2021. Data were obtained from the Korea Welfare Panel Study Supplementary Survey on Children.Analysis was conducted using the Multilevel Growth Model to examine the cognitive and emotional development trajectories of students throughout their elementary, middle, and high school years. Results: In terms of cognitive development, the study found that teacher support within the psychosocial school environment positively influenced the growth rate of Korean language subject grades. Regarding emotional growth, factors such as teacher support, school atmosphere, and peer relationships within the psychosocial school environment all exhibited significant positive effects on the initial levels of self-esteem among elementary school students. Additionally, the school atmosphere positively impacted the growth rate of self-esteem. The negative impact of poverty was often diminished or mitigated with the inclusion of variables such as students’ learning attitudes and parental educational involvement and supervision. Furthermore, with the additional inclusion of psychosocial school environment variables, the adverse effects of poverty almost completely disappeared. However, the influence of poverty persisted, manifesting as a negative impact on the initial scores of English subject grades. Conclusion: The psychosocial school environment can positively contribute to students' cognitive and emotional development. Particularly, teacher support has a positive impact on both the cognitive and emotional growth of students, and school climate and peer relationships are positively associated with emotional development. Therefore, efforts should be made in schools to strengthen teacher support, and to foster a positive school climate and peer relationships, aiming for a positive direction in cognitive and emotional development.

Balancing Act: Investigating the Work-Life Equilibrium of Public Elementary School Teachers

This study aimed to find out the significant relationship between work-related variables and work-life balance of the elementary school teachers of the Division of Lipa City. This study used the descriptive-correlational type of research. This study was conducted with the aid of one hundred twenty (120) public elementary school teachers in the division of Lipa City for the school year 2023-2024. The researcher used the survey questionnaire in gathering responses to find out the effects of work-related variables to teacher’s work-life balance. The study found out that the respondents agree that various work-related factors influence their ability to maintain a healthy work-life balance. The respondents also strongly agree that their work-life balance is significantly impacted by various factors, including their working hours, utilization of vacation and leave, ability to spend quality time, and their overall health and well-being. Overall, work-related variables exhibit significant relationships with various aspects of teachers' professional lives. Based on the findings the following recommendations are set forth: Considering the agreement of the teachers toward the work-related variables, the researcher suggests that time management for teachers should be a priority to avoid stress, anxiety and poor mental health and well-being since in the teaching field, extra work and extended hours of working could not be avoided. Give time for and health and well-being through physical exercise and avoid worries and stress.

Unveiling the protective role of school engagement: Mitigating cyberbullying perpetration through mastery and student-student relationship

Numerous studies have established that school engagement plays a pivotal role in mitigating adolescent violence. However, its relationship with cyberbullying is not well-defined, and the underlying mechanisms have not been thoroughly explored. To fill the gap, this study adopted the moderated mediation approach and sought to examine: a) the association between school engagement and cyberbullying; b) the potential mediating effects of mastery on that association; and c) the potential moderating effects of student–student relationship in the above mechanisms, based on a sample of 1103 adolescents (52.5 % female, aged from 12 to 18 years) in middle and high schools of urban China. Results indicated that adolescents with high school engagement tend to have a decreased possibility of cyberbullying involvement. Mastery, as a proxy of effective coping experience, mediated the association between school engagement and cyberbullying perpetration. Considering that peer relationships may significantly alter the impact of school engagement and mastery on cyberbullying perpetration, this study also identified student–student relationship as a central moderator in moderating the association between school engagement and cyberbullying as well as the association between mastery and cyberbullying. These findings can help understand the complex dynamics between school engagement and cyberbullying, suggesting directions for future interventions.

Project I-PASSED: An intervention program for Students-At-Risk of Dropping Out (SARDO)

Learners in developing countries like the Philippines have denied their right to education by dropping out for various reasons. This descriptive study was conducted to find out the common reasons why advisory students in the past three (3) years dropped out of school, and why students of GAS 1108 and GAS 1109 were categorized as Students-At-Risk of Dropping Out (SARDO) during the First Semester of School Year 2023-2024; to propose an intervention program based on findings; and to determine its effectiveness based on student-recipients’ perceptions, and the number of learners categorized as SARDO who remained in school. Data were obtained from anecdotal records of dropped-out students for the past three school years, and from the three sets of researcher-made survey questionnaires which undergone thorough validation by experts in the field. These were administered to 17 identified SARDO who were officially enrolled at Muntinlupa National High School – Senior High School during the School Year 2023-2024. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation were utilized in analyzing the data. Findings revealed that the three prevailing reasons why students dropped out of school for the past three school years, and why student-respondents were categorized as SARDO were financial problems (7, 41%), teenage pregnancy and/or parenting (6, 35%), and personal problems (2,35%); Project I-PASSED (“Incorporating Partnership and Active Synergy between School and Stakeholders for the Effective Delivery of Student Services) was proposed based on the findings; and Project I-PASSED’s initiatives were “Very Effective” in terms of addressing students’ financial problems (), personal problems (), and teenage pregnancy and/or parenting () which were all supported by the testimonies of the student-recipients. There were 14 out 17 (82.35%) identified SARDO who remained in school at present, indicating that the main objective of the project was “Mostly Achieved”. Therefore, the initiatives of the project were helpful and beneficial in addressing the complex needs of students. Supporting and sustaining this project was highly recommended. The implications of this study are to empower students by bringing them back to school, and to contribute tangible solutions that may reshape the educational practices across the country.

COVID-19 testing, incidence, and positivity trends among school age children during the academic years 2020–2022 in the State of Qatar: special focus on using CDC indicators for community transmission to evaluate school attendance policies and public health response

BackgroundThere exists a gap in our understanding of the age-dependent epidemiological dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 among school-age children in comparison to adults within the State of Qatar. Additionally, there has been limited assessment of the timely implementation of physical distancing interventions, notably national school closures, and their impact on infection trends.MethodsWe used the national database to capture all records of polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) testing, and rapid antigen tests (RAT) conducted at all health care venues in Qatar and administered between August 26, 2020, and August 21, 2022, across all age groups (≥ 5 years old). Study participants under 18 years old were categorized into two age brackets: (5–11) and (12–17), aligning with the Primary and Preparatory/Secondary grade levels in Qatar, respectively. We assessed age group testing rates, incidence rates, and positivity rates in relation to adults. These epidemiological metrics were compared with the CDC’s thresholds for COVID-19 community transmission.ResultsThroughout the school years of 2020–2021 and 2021–2022, a total of 5,063,405 and 6,130,531 tests were respectively conducted. In the 2020–2021 school year, 89.6% of the tests were administered to adults, while 13.7% were conducted on children in the following year. The overall test positivity rates for the 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 school years were 5.8% and 8.1%, respectively. Adolescents underwent the fewest tests during the full study period compared to both adults and young children. Using the CDC indicators, we found that children and adolescents can significantly contribute to elevated infection rates, potentially driving community transmission upon relaxation of social restrictions.ConclusionIt is crucial to acknowledge the potential for higher transmission among youth and adolescents when formulating transmission control strategies and making decisions regarding school closures. Employing data-driven indicators and thresholds to monitor COVID-19 community levels is important for informing decision-making. These approaches also enable the prompt implementation of infection control transmission mitigation measures in future pandemics.