Enrolment drops sharply from Class 5 onwards. The poor quality of education is reflected in low pass rates and high rates of repetition. There have been significant advances since the democratic reforms of the early 1990s. Families with only one or no economically active members are especially vulnerable. While most Santomeans have a balanced diet, a significant minority does not have adequate access to food, due to poverty.
Little protection is provided by the state.
Pensions have been drastically eroded by inflation, and child benefit has been abolished. Income diversification and small livestock are the main individual coping strategies and insurance mechanisms. Child protection Poverty, the fluidity of the family and weak responsibility on the part of fathers have negative consequences for many children, resulting in some cases in inadequate nutrition, poor health, early withdrawal from school, parental negligence, abuse or child labour. Child welfare services urgently need strengthening. Housing The growth of the urban population has not been accompanied by adequate urban planning or housing development.