Orphaned Learners Research Articles

Management Strategies to the Behavioural Challenges of Learners from Child Headed Households as an Optimum Approach to Nurturing a Child-Friendly Learning Environment

Student behaviour management is one of the contemporary problems faced by managers of schools. This study explored how school principals address behavioural challenges of orphaned learners for positive outcome. Using qualitative approach, purposive sampling was used to select eight principals whose schools had a visible population of learners from child headed households who exhibited behavioural challenges. Data was collected using unstructured focus group interviews to encourage spontaneity and in-depth discussions. Focus group interviews were used to collect data to allow for spontaneity and in-depth conversations with respondents. The results showed that most of the intervention strategies employed by the principals in schools did not generate restorative learner behaviour. It was also revealed that most of the behavioural management strategies were not effective since undisciplined learners who returned from suspensions often repeated similar behaviours that got them suspended. From the inadequate managerial skills on orphaned learners’ behavioural challenges revealed by the study, it is recommended that school managers need staff development on how to implement restorative disciplinary approaches on learner management.
 
 Received: 11 November 2022 / Accepted: 24 November 2023 / Published: 5 January 2024

Against the tide: Provision of psycho-social support to orphans in a rural primary school in Lesotho

Even before the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Lesotho had a significant number of orphans. However, the pandemic has caused an increase in the number of orphans, as some children have lost 1 or both parents or caregivers. Many of these orphans are of school-going age, strategically placing schools to meet their psycho-social needs. With this study we aimed to achieve 2 objectives: firstly, to assess how 1 primary school in rural Lesotho provided psycho-social support to orphaned learners during the COVID-19 pandemic, and secondly, to determine how such support was beneficial to the orphans. We used the social-ecological model of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) as a theoretical framework and collected data through interviews with 17 purposively selected participants, including 1 principal, 8 guardians and 8 teachers. Thematic data analysis was used to analyse the data collected. The study revealed that teachers provided food packages, lay counselling, and referrals to spiritual counsellors to support orphaned learners. While learners benefited from the school’s psycho-social services, limited resources and skills posed challenges. We recommend developing comprehensive policies to address the psycho-social support needs of orphans.

THE MARGINALISED AND VOICELESS CHILDREN: AN IN-DEPTH LOOK INTO PSYCHO-SOCIAL SUPPORT IN SCHOOLS

The death of a parent is a traumatic event that has far-reaching consequences for children's lives. Worldwide the number of orphans and vulnerable children has increased, as well as the adversities confronting them. Besides children’s learning schools have become essential for basic human rights. However, recent years have seen an increased emphasis on the provision of psychosocial support for the wellbeing of all children due to the serious consequences orphans and vulnerable children face causing them to miss out on learning. Tertiary institutions in various countries train teachers in Educational Psychology so that they are empowered to give psychosocial support so that they can respond appropriately to the unique challenges faced by vulnerable children in their setting. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychosocial support provided to orphans and vulnerable learners in schools. The study used an interpretivist paradigm within a qualitative approach, with semi-structured interviews conducted with four Life Orientation (LO) teachers, two school principals, and two district managers. The data was analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that teachers lacked understanding and expertise in dealing with orphaned learners and were dismissive of the concept of orphaned learners' vulnerability. The study concluded that a variety of factors contributed to the dissonance of support actions, including a lack of coordination and cooperation in the delivery of support to learners. As a result, the study recommends that teachers be trained in how to support orphaned and vulnerable learners and calls for a multisectoral integration of stakeholders in the provision of psychosocial support to orphaned and vulnerable learners.

Accountability of school stakeholders in ensuring orphaned children’s school attendance

Background: In recent years, there appears to have been more interest than ever in the education of orphaned children, especially in terms of their school attendance. Although some studies have reported on the efforts of caregivers, teachers, government, Non-Governmental Organisations and others in providing the educational needs of orphaned learners, little is known about accountability in terms of their school attendance. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of school stakeholders on managing the school attendance of orphaned learners. Setting: This research study was conducted in three primary schools with large numbers of orphaned children and high rates of absenteeism in a district in the Limpopo province, South Africa. Methods: A qualitative approach was adopted, using semi-structured interviews to collect data from nine participants who were identified through purposive sampling. The participants were class teachers, life orientation teachers and teachers responsible for orphaned learners. Results: The findings reflect that there is a lack of material resources and emotional support, physical and sexual abuse, little moral responsibility, few family values and inadequate use of resources provided by government and Non-governmental organizations to support the education of orphaned children. Conclusion: In this article, the researchers argue that the provision of material resources and emotional needs alone do not fully address the problem of the school absenteeism of orphaned learners and suggest a combined accountability of, and consequential measures for, school stakeholders in ensuring the school attendance of orphaned children.

Using photovoice to engage orphans to explore sexual violence in and around a township secondary school in South Africa

ABSTRACTThis article examines the vulnerability of orphans to sexual violence in and around their township secondary school. Using photovoice as a methodology with which to unearth these experiences and narratives, we examine how such an approach might engage the voices of orphans to inform thinking regarding sexual violence. Our analysis was informed by our desire to engage learners as critical and creative thinkers who are capable of grounding and thinking critically about their own issues. Findings highlight the vulnerability of orphaned girls both in and outside school. The photographs they produced demonstrate the pervasive nature of sexual violence directed against them. Photovoice enabled both ourselves and our participants to investigate experiences of sexual violence among orphaned learners. In particular, as a participatory visual method, photovoice facilitated the development of a transformative pedagogy in which we created a safe space for orphaned learners, a group that is often marginalised and silenced in many spaces to speak about their experiences. While many groups, particularly poor girls and women, experience high rates of sexual violence, the vulnerability of orphaned girls and boys is further increased by their social status within their families, communities and at school.

APPRECIATIVE PROJECT DESIGN ORIENTATION AND ORPHANED LEARNERS’ EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: PERSPECTIVES OF CARE GIVERS IN HOMA BAY COUNTY, KENYA

The purpose of the study was to examine the perspectives of care givers on the influence of appreciative project design orientation on the educational achievements of orphaned learners enrolled in orphan support projects in Homa County, Kenya. The cross-sectional study was grounded on pragmatism. A total of 363 care givers participated in the study. Care Givers’ Survey Questionnaire was used to collect data. To ensure validity and reliability of the research instrument, pilot testing was conducted in a community based orphan support project in the neigbouring Kisumu County. Cronbach alpha at α =0.05 level of significance was used to compute the reliability coefficient of the pre-test instruments. Simple, multiple linear regressions and Pearson Correlation Coefficient models were used. Tests of statistical assumptions were carried out before data analysis to avoid invalidation of statistical analysis. One hypothesis was tested at α=.05 level of significance. The null hypothesis (H 0 1: Appreciative Project Design Orientation does not significantly influence Orphaned Learners’ Educational Achievements in Homa Bay County) was rejected since (F(10,353)= 11.1945.265, P –Value <0.05; and so it was safe to suggest that at least one of the explanatory variables is significantly related to the Orphaned Learners’ Educational Achievements. It is recommended that orphan support projects should integrate and intensify the use of appreciative project design orientation approaches to ensure sustainable educational achievements for orphaned learners. Since this study delimited itself to orphaned learners’ educational achievements, further research should be carried out to examine the extent to which appreciative project design orientation influence the educational achievements of orphaned learners’ test scores in examinable subjects. Article visualizations:

Examination of Orphaned Learners’ Perspectives on the Influence of Appreciative Project Design Orientation on Their Educational Achievements: The Case of Orphan Support Projects in Homa Bay County, Kenya

It is estimated that 2.5 million of orphaned children live in Kenya, with Homa Bay County having the highest number of orphans, due to high incidences of adult AIDS related mortality. Available research suggests that orphaned learners have poor educational outcomes compared to non orphaned learners. To show commitments and support to the education of orphaned learners, the government of Kenya signed and supported the Declaration of the Right of the Child to Education, and has prioritized the education of orphaned learners, by investing financial and technical support towards the design and implementation of orphan support projects. It has been argued that the success of orphan support projects in promoting the education of orphaned learners depends on the extent to which these projects appreciate orphaned learners. However, despite the available evidence that projects that appreciate lead to improved educational outcomes learners, little research has examined the extent to which appreciative project design orientation influence orphaned learners’ educational achievements. The objective of the study was to examine the influence of appreciative project design orientation on orphaned learners’ educational achievements in Homa County. The cross-sectional study was grounded on pragmatism. A total of 363 primary school orphaned learners in class 4-8 participated in the study. Orphaned learners’ survey questionnaire was used to collect data. To ensure validity and reliability of the research instruments, pilot testing was conducted in a community based orphan support project in the neigbouring Kisumu County. Cronbach alpha at α =0.05 level of significance was used to compute the reliability coefficient of the pre-test instruments. Inferentially simple and multiple linear regression , and Pearson Correlation Coefficient models were used to determine the extent to which appreciative project design orientations influenced orphaned learners’ educational achievements. Tests of statistical assumptions were carried out before data analysis to avoid invalidation of statistical analysis. One hypothesis was tested at α=.05 level of significance. H01: Appreciative design orientation does not significantly influence orphaned learners’ educational achievements in Homa Bay County was rejected since (F(10,353)=5.265; P=0.000&lt;0.05, and so concluded that Appreciative project design orientation was significantly related to the orphaned learners’ educational achievements. It is recommended that orphan support projects should integrate and intensify the use of appreciative project design orientation to ensure sustainable educational achievements for orphaned learners. Since this study delimited itself to orphaned learners’ educational achievements, further research should be carried out to examine the extent to which appreciative project design orientation influence the educational achievements of orphaned learners’ test scores in examinable subjects.

An Empirical Assessment of Dropout Rate of Learners at Selected High Schools in King William’s Town, South Africa

This study investigated and analysed factors responsible for high dropout rate of learners at selected high schools in King William’s Town District, Province of the Eastern Cape. The aim of the study is provide an understanding into inherent problems of early exit of learners in the education sector, which impede the long-term production of professionals with bright future. The main findings of this study revealed that multiple motives, associated with individual characteristics of dropouts and social problems emanating from their family background and influence of the community, prompted learners to dropout. Moreover, learner dropout is inter alia caused by social factors such as lack of resources, the effect of poverty, orphans at school, the distance between the school and the community, drug abuse, pregnancy and HIV and AIDS prevalence in schools, gangsterism and learning barriers. The results of this research suggest that the government should make resources available with regard to scholar transport, school nurses to provide education awareness programmes in relation to early pregnancies, HIV and AIDS infection to improve attendance rate. The Department of Social Development should provide information with regard to benefits available to orphaned learners. The government should ensure sustainable provision of the school nutrition programme to alleviate hunger and poverty. School management should effectively regulate the behaviour of learners to promote discipline in schools so that substance abuse is eliminated.

Teachers’ Perceptions and Expectations of Community and Government Involvement in Supporting Orphaned Learners

Teachers’ Perceptions and Expectations of Community and Government Involvement in Supporting Orphaned Learners

Types of Family Adopting Orphaned Learners - A Reflection on Challenges and Coping Strategies of Orphaned Learners in Public Primary Schools in Kenya.

Orphan hood is a depressing status in life and has adverse effects yet every child in Kenya has a right to quality education that should lead to good learning in pursuance to Universal Primary Education (UPE). Majority of orphaned learners are widely affected and fail to attain good performance. However exceptional few perform well and attain high grades enabling them to join good High schools and pursue their academic dreams. The study therefore assessed the types of family set up that host orphaned learners and the coping strategies they device in the new set up. Descriptive survey design was used to collect data from 13 public primary schools with a sample constituting of head teachers, teachers, and orphaned learners. Random sampling technique was used to select the schools; purposive sampling technique choice head teachers and orphaned learners, and random sampling selected teachers. A questionnaire, interview schedule, and document analysis collected the qualitative and quantitative data. Descriptive statistics analyzed the quantitative data and findings were presented in the frequency/mean tables and graphs while qualitative data was presented thematically. The study established that a good number of orphaned learners in Kenya lived with older siblings and received a lot of motivation and encouragement from the sibling that led to their achievement. The second highest number of orphaned learners lived with grandparents who were economically unable to manage the responsibility. The study concluded that majority of orphaned learners lacked guidance from adults and therefore recommended that grandparents who took care of the orphans but not fully financially assisted by the government should be supported, and the Ministry of Health in collaboration with other good will stake holders to launch health and nutrition program in schools where none exists. The findings of the study are important to the government, educational planners, stakeholders, parents and the community.

An Inquiry into Impediments of Education for All with Focus Orphaned Learners in Kiganjo Zone in Kenya

Occurrence of orphans has been in every society since time immemorial. In some societies, they have been treated like outcasts while others they have been treated well. In Kiganjo zone, Gatundu South District –Kenya there are orphans learners. Their parents may have died through diseases like HIV/AIDS, cancer, accidents through ethnic animosity or war, leaves them improperly attended in many areas including education matters. Mostly these orphans are left at the care of their grandparents who are old and sometimes poor. These learners need proper care, education and guidance and counseling. This should be in line with children’s Act 2001which identifies the rights to education value, assurance of shelter and allowance to participate fully in the society. In January 2003 education was declared free in primary schools and affordable secondary education in January 2008 by the government of Kenya. However, to the best of my knowledge no research have been conducted to find out the number of orphan learners umber of teachers trained in guidance and counseling, number of teachers trained in special needs education, behavioural changes in orphan learners, economic wellbeing of orphan learners, general educational performances of orphan learners and attitudes of learners and teachers towards orphan learners in Kiganjo zone. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2014.v4n1p167

The lived experiences of orphaned learners in South Africa: implications for the provision of quality education

Learners living in impoverished communities and subjected to the kind of disadvantage in operation in their home environment are at risk of receiving education of an inferior quality. The situation is worse for orphans, especially those residing in poor communities in that they bring to school peculiar attributes which poses challenges for the South African government in its endeavour to provide quality education for all. This paper presents constructed narratives of four primary-school learners living in a poor community in South Africa. The narratives are presented from the perspectives of the learners themselves, teachers and caregivers. These narratives reveal that following the death of parents, orphaned learners experience emotional changes, increased responsibilities, safety concerns as well as absence of learning support in the case of sibling-headed households. We argue that the challenges they experience in their home environment impact negatively on learning at school. We, therefore, propose that the extended family and the community serve as resources in providing needed support for promoting positive educational experiences to these learners.

Orphaned learners’ experiences with regard to bereavement support: implications for school guidance and counselling

Abstract This study adopted phenomenological design to investigate the orphaned learners’ experiences with regard to the provision of bereavement support in six selected primary schools in the Endola circuit, Namibia. The sample consisted of six orphaned learners (two boys and four girls) aged between 11 and 14 years. The sample was selected using purposive sampling. The data was coded, categorised and formed themes of the study. This study revealed that the types of support provided by the primary schools to orphaned learners during and after bereavement include: informing learners about bereavement, consoling orphaned learners, giving them a week off school during bereavement, registration of orphaned learners, provision of group guidance, and peer support. The study recommends that each school should have a Bereavement Plan of Action (BPA) in place that outlines step by step the types of bereavement support the school should provide to the bereaved learners during and after bereavement.

The Role of Life Orientation Teachers in Addressing the Emotional Needs of Rural HIV/AIDS Orphaned Learners

The study was conducted in a village of Magangeni in Venda in South Africa. HIV/AIDS has left many children orphaned and has led to the emergence of many social problems. In many rural areas the number of deceased parents leaving behind young children is on the rise. The study is qualitative in nature since this was conducted in a natural setting. This study explores the emotional needs of a number of rural orphaned learners and the impact these needs has on their academic work.The study also highlights the role of Life Orientation teachers in these learners lives. Purposive sampling was used in obtaining data from learners who lost either one or both parents and teachers who taught Life Orientation. Findings of this study affirmed that rural orphaned learners were plagued with many emotional problems such as need for safety sleeping disturbances and emotional abuse which affected their learning at school as well as other social interactions with peers and caregivers. The findings on the side of teachers were the need for training in how to counsel the learners. This studies intention was to identify the unique emotional needs of orphaned learners and to suggest ways in which support structures can be established to ensure the learners overall success both in the schooling system and in society as a whole.

TEACHERS’ PASTORAL ROLE IN RESPONSE TO THE NEEDS OF ORPHANED LEARNERS

This article discusses a study that explored the way teachers perceive and describe their roles in responding to the needs of orphaned learners. The participants in the study were three secondary and two primary school teachers. The data on the teachers’ experiences were collected through semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that, although some of the teachers struggle to fulfil some of the orphaned learners’ needs, most were unable to cope with the roles of teaching and learning and care giving. The study identifies a lack of skills for supporting grieving learners and the resources needed to do so effectively. The implications of the findings are that there is a need for teacher development in terms of equipping teachers with the knowledge and skills required for pastoral care. It may also be prudent for the state to consider appointing counsellors and social workers at schools to assist teachers and orphaned learners.

Gaining Access to the Experiences of Orphaned Children – A Draw‐Write and Narrate Approach

The purpose of this study was to gather data from orphaned learners on their lived experiences in order to gain more understanding of their educational needs. Twelve orphaned learners (aged 14‐17) from two schools in Mpumalanga Province in South Africa participated in the study. The draw‐write and narrative approach was used to elicit information from the children. The methodological, ethical and practical issues emerging from researching orphans using this approach are discussed and illustrated using examples from the study. The article demonstrates that integrating visual, written and interview data collection methods may enable vulnerable children to open up and talk about their experiences. However, it requires the researcher to be patient, sensitive and empathetic to the circumstances of such children.