fellow nairalanders, if your child is at the bottom of his class, what do you do, it can be very frustrating especially for younger children, one can start worrying if the child would grow up to be useless

The child will not be useless just because he came bottom of the class at this young age. He is probably not interested in education and you have to persuade him, make learning fun and interesting to him.

invisible!:

The child will not be useless just because he came bottom of the class at this young age. He is probably not interested in education and you have to persuade him, make learning fun and interesting to him.

exactly!!
Extra moral classes could help him too and you should learn to do his school work with him
start encouraging him now by advicing him he is never too young for that

My son had theses problems too when he started school. I had to communicate constantly with the teacher. We even had a book, where we used to pass messages and she let me know what had been done in school so I could work on him at home.
Just as chaircover said, you need to communicate.
My son was diagnosed Hyperactive, so it was a long and hard battle with therapy to help him concentrate and focus.
I resisted the pressure from school to put him on medication.
Slowly he improves and the gap is closing but it has been real hard work for me and for him.
What is important is that you have to show him love and encouragement. Stand by him and motivate him every step of the way.
I tell my son we are learning how to walk every step is a miracle.
Also you have to know:
We are not all blessed with the same gifts. Everyone has his own talents. Take time out to find out where your son is gifted and encourage that too. It is very important that he has something he is good at. That will motivate him to have confidence in school and improve.
Sports or music or something else. Have you ever taken time out to know where his talents lie.