parents and principals as partners in creating a culture of learning

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between child and the parent there is distance, suspicion and lack of understanding.
The children are left at home to find their own way. They are thus vulnerable to
outside influences. The home offers no discipline or example and only shallow
affection. Discouragement and alienation are the home's dominant themes (Kokot,
Lessing, Prinsloo, Van den Aardweg, Vorster & Oosthuizen, 1988:129).
There is a strong link between school performance and the socioeconomic status
of the community (Unicef 1993a:56): the worse the socioeconomic status of the
particular community the greater the chance that the children of that community
will not realise their true potential owing to negative environmental influences.
Most inhabitants of South Africa have poor economic status. This is reflected in
the fact that the majority do not have houses. They live in overcrowded squatter
huts or other temporary shelters that are unhygienic, dangerous and located far
from the workplace. They are vulnerable and an easy target for criminals and
swindlers (Booyse et al., 1994:49). Unemployment, poverty and crime are rife
in these areas. The basic needs of these families for things such as furniture,
food, water and clothing are not always met. This destructive social impact has
a chain reaction, because in these squatters' communities there are seldom any
schools or the teaching is not up to standard and the teachers are not properly
qualified. Children lapse into "social isolation" and do not come into contact with
other children who represent the mainstream of the community. Living conditions
in the community therefore do not motivate children to learn (Waxman, De Felix,
Anderson & Baptiste, 1992:2).
According to Vorster & Van der Spuy, (1995:62) children from these poor
socioeconomic conditions also lack sufficient mental stimulation in their homes.
Often their parents have had no school training themselves and do not encourage
their children to attend school regularly. These parents use simple, concrete
language which does not serve as the ideal model for youngsters and school-going
children. Children are often left without supervision with no-one to monitor their