A Research on Sociality of Learning and Success -Istanbul Street Children Case

Abstract

Education is one of the fundamental(s) of human rights. It is an important opportunity especially for growing children living in disadvantaged social conditions. Education is accepted as a means for social mobility that allows children a better life. However, the number of school dropouts named as "street working children" and "child workers" are increasing in the world. These children at the age of compulsory education are being forced to work instead of spending their times with constructive games and activities. Although some of them are attending school their working life is precluding their school life. Working out of school influences children's educational performance negatively. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between school attendance, learning, achievement, hard living and working conditions of children working on the streets. This research is a qualitative study and the description of the current situation is aimed. The population of the study is the children working in the streets of Istanbul. The sample includes 78 children. They are selected through convenience sampling method among the children who are working on the streets of Istanbul. In-depth interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview form. For the analysis of the data, descriptive statistics were calculated and content analysis was conducted for the open-ended questions. Most of the children working on the streets are at primary school age and are from the eastern and southeastern regions of Turkey. Generally, they are the children of the uneducated and poor villagers who have been obliged to evacuate their villages because of the war. The children are working as bagel sellers, shoe shiners, tissue paper sellers, plaster sellers, water sellers and some of them were picking waste paper. School dropouts and absenteeism are a high rate and the success rate is quite low. Most of them don't have enough motivation to continue with their education. Street-working children are in families that don't have enough social, economic and cultural capital. So they cannot use the benefits of basic education right. The most important result of this study, learning and success are not only school-related process but is also a social process. Therefore, in order to use the right to education and the achievements, the children's families living conditions must be improved and children's security must be ensured. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.