The Council of Europe study, the findings of which were again very similar in this regard, posited several explanations for such a relationship between adults and children: adults lack the time, resources or skills to listen to children; preconceptions exist about children and their capacity for knowledge; suspicion that emphasising children’s right to participate may erode their authority; and a reluctance to change established practices and interests37. Based on what the children in the focus groups had to say, the same factors are as applicable in a Maldivian context. For instance, one of the children listed as the reason s/he thinks a particular person does not listen is: Because she thinks that activities won’t be organised if [children’s] ideas were involved’, suggesting that—as it appears to children—teachers see incorporating children’s views and opinions as disruptive rather than beneficial. Another student said: Sometimes while taking big decisions at the school, the leading teachers ask school Posts [informal term referring to children in school leadership posts], but, even though the decision affects all students, the school does not ask for our opinions. Maybe because they think it is easier to make decisions with a little group, or just within school’s senior members. Reluctance to change established practices and interests was also present in the reasons children gave for why, in their view, some adults do not listen to them. Referring to School Heads, one student said: They go on defending some policies that were carried out before. They do not want new ideas. Some of the most commonly expressed views about teachers who do not listen were that they were ‘too busy’, ‘too stressed’ and ‘too angry’ to welcome discussion and suggestions from children. One student, for example, said: Some teachers just don’t care about our views, about our thoughts and questions, but not all of them. They just ignore us. When they enter the class […] they are [already] stressed out. Some students with special needs also expressed similar sentiments, describing teachers as ‘angry’ and unable to understand them. Some such students proffered the explanation that the teacher’s anger may be arising from the fact that s/he cannot do sign language properly. 37 Ibid., 34-35 30