The HIV and AIDS pandemic in South Africa has increased the number of orphans and vulnerable children in the school system. Given the prominent role that teachers can play in ensuring that these children receive a quality education so as to maximise their life opportunities, it is important for teachers to be empowered and equipped to enable them to deal with issues surrounding orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) at schools. This study focuses on how teachers are experiencing the impact of HIV and AIDS in schools as a result of having OVC in their classes. The Department of Education has developed training courses to help teachers cope with the impact of HIV and AIDS, but the effectiveness of these programmes has not yet been evaluated. This study aims to establish how teachers who have attended these programmes feel about the assistance rendered to them to deal with OVC related issues. In order to meet this aim, a qualitative enquiry was conducted among a sample of selected teachers from the Eastern Cape. The findings suggest that, while the training has helped to improve the knowledge and attitudes of the teachers, it has not equipped them with the necessary skills to overcome barriers to implement the training programmes at school level. The findings also suggest that there is a need for ongoing support from the Department of Education and the trainers it contracts to ensure that learning from the training is implemented in the schools. Based on the research findings, the study concludes with recommendations that will help teachers to better cope with OVC related issues at school.

D. Tech. Education / The HIV/AIDS pandemic is one of the greatest humanitarian and development challenges ever faced by the global community. It is alarmingly estimated that by 2015 more than 30 per cent of all children younger than 15 years of age will have lost their mothers to HIV. This means that, by 2015, a total of 5.7 million children in South Africa will have lost one or both parents to AIDS. Research has shown that children orphaned by the pandemic - if not cared for - are likely to engage in alternative actions that pose a risk to themselves and society. This implies that it becomes critical to raise orphaned and vulnerable children well to ensure that we don't have a society filled with people who pose a danger to themselves and others. The study is based on systems theory which unravels the multilayers of the government system to bring to bear the challenges regarding care-giving and education experienced at the level of national, provincial and local government. The purpose of the study was to investigate the care-giving process and education of orphaned and vulnerable children.

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the Degree of Master of Education (Educational Psychology) at the University of Zululand. 2006. / The research investigated the factors which contributed to orphaned learners resilience. Resilience was measured as good academic achievement of orphaned learners. This stud} further investigated the relationship between an area type and custodian type respectively and the resilience of orphaned learners. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire. The sample consisted of 183-orphaned learners, in the intermediate phase of Primary school. 12 schools in Vryheid District participated in the study. The findings of the study suggested among the three factors: familial, societal and school factors, family factors were the most significant factors in relation to resilience. No significant relationship was found between the custodian type and academic achievement of orphaned learners. The significant relationship found in this study indicated that the type of an area appeared to influence the resilience of orphaned learners. The study further revealed that a large number of orphaned learners stayed and were cared for by their grandparents.

The aim of this study was to investigate the schooling experiences of four orphaned learners at Mandini Secondary School in the Maluti District of Education in the Eastern Cape. The study adopted a qualitative research methodology and a phenomenological research design. Purposive sampling was adopted and the tape recorded narrative responses of all four respondents, were obtained from the use of in-depth phenomenological unstructured interviews. The respondents were four orphaned children (two males and two females) between the ages of fifteen and twenty years. The study used the Social Rupture Theory as lenses of analysis of the findings. This was considered a very sensitive topic because the respondents had to relate issues which could result in them reliving traumatic experiences. As a result more attention was paid on ethical issues and making the respondents feel comfortable. The respondents were capable of distinguishing between their quality of life while their parents were still alive and well; when they (the parent[s]) became sick and when they eventually died. Furthermore, the respondents highlighted the negative effects of parental absence in their education. In addition, these orphaned children formed relationships with the school community after their parents’ death which, to some extent, had a positive effect on their schooling. Based on these findings the study suggests that educators need to be trained in diagnosing psycho-social problems and given skills to deal with them. Similarly, short courses should be organized for guardians and community development workers in identifying and counseling of problems.

The changing structures of families and the increase in the number of child headed families are progressively becoming noticeable both nationally and internationally. Reviewed literature has confirmed that the increasing trend in orphan status among school going age over the period 2002-2009, is of major concern. A growing body of literature also indicates that child headed families and orphan hood are becoming common phenomena in many African countries in general and South Africa in particular. This scenario presents certain challenges especially on the orphaned children‘s learning and schooling experiences as well as their behavioural and social interaction patterns. The phenomenon calls for greater educational support for such learners at school and home. Increasingly, teachers and schools world over are expected to respond to the changing educational environment and contextual realities of schooling that include the orphaned learners who head households. The aim of this thesis was to address the behavioural challenges that orphaned learners who head household experience and to develop a psycho-educational programme to support their learning. A qualitative instrumental case study research design was used with a study sample of 30 orphaned learners living in child headed household aged 10 to 16 years, ten Life Orientation Teachers, four members of School Management Team, eight members of School Based Support Team (SBST) and four Social Workers who were purposively sampled to participate in the study. The study was conducted in 15 classes located at four schools (3 secondary, 1 primary) in Taledi Area, Mamusa Circuit located in Ipelegeng Township of Schweizer Reneke town under Dr R.S. Ruth Momphati District-North West Province, South Africa. In order to answer the research question, data was collected using a variety of data collection techniques. These were semi structured interviews, observations and documentary analysis. Data obtained was analysed using the interpretational analysis method to determine the common themes and sub themes describing the behavioural challenges that the orphaned learners experience during schooling in the playgrounds and in the classroom. Data analysed revealed that although orphaned learners are socially strong with regard to interaction with their peers, they experience learning difficulties in the classroom leading to underperformance and grade repeating. The study also noted that orphaned learners exhibit negative conduct behaviours and negative social interaction patterns with their LO teachers and members of the school management team. The study also revealed that emotional problems and lack of material support are common phenomena amongst these learners. The study arrived at the recommendation that a psycho-educational programme to address the behavioural challenges be developed to enhance the academic performance of the learners. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The study focuses on the experiences of learners who live in child-headed households at Osizweni Township. Through a qualitative inquiry I sampled five households purposively. Data was collected using interviews and questionnaires. These categories emerged after data analysis: needs of learners, psychological experiences, relationships with social support systems and the role change from childhood to adulthood. The findings revealed that children experienced extreme financial constraints after the death of parents resulting in inadequate basic and educational needs. These children were traumatized and left emotionally vulnerable, living in fear and isolation constantly. Relatives did not offer any support to these children but support from the school, community and siblings was evident. These children made huge adjustments assuming parental responsibilities and this affected their academic performance. It is recommended that more study is required on the development of a Community Support Centre to educate learners and parents on how to support these children. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The changing structures of families and the increase in the number of child headed families are progressively becoming noticeable both nationally and internationally. Reviewed literature has confirmed that the increasing trend in orphan status among school going age over the period 2002-2009, is of major concern. A growing body of literature also indicates that child headed families and orphan hood are becoming common phenomena in many African countries in general and South Africa in particular. This scenario presents certain challenges especially on the orphaned children‘s learning and schooling experiences as well as their behavioural and social interaction patterns. The phenomenon calls for greater educational support for such learners at school and home. Increasingly, teachers and schools world over are expected to respond to the changing educational environment and contextual realities of schooling that include the orphaned learners who head households. The aim of this thesis was to address the behavioural challenges that orphaned learners who head household experience and to develop a psycho-educational programme to support their learning. A qualitative instrumental case study research design was used with a study sample of 30 orphaned learners living in child headed household aged 10 to 16 years, ten Life Orientation Teachers, four members of School Management Team, eight members of School Based Support Team (SBST) and four Social Workers who were purposively sampled to participate in the study. The study was conducted in 15 classes located at four schools (3 secondary, 1 primary) in Taledi Area, Mamusa Circuit located in Ipelegeng Township of Schweizer Reneke town under Dr R.S. Ruth Momphati District-North West Province, South Africa. In order to answer the research question, data was collected using a variety of data collection techniques. These were semi structured interviews, observations and documentary analysis. Data obtained was analysed using the interpretational analysis method to determine the common themes and sub themes describing the behavioural challenges that the orphaned learners experience during schooling in the playgrounds and in the classroom. Data analysed revealed that although orphaned learners are socially strong with regard to interaction with their peers, they experience learning difficulties in the classroom leading to underperformance and grade repeating. The study also noted that orphaned learners exhibit negative conduct behaviours and negative social interaction patterns with their LO teachers and members of the school management team. The study also revealed that emotional problems and lack of material support are common phenomena amongst these learners. The study arrived at the recommendation that a psycho-educational programme to address the behavioural challenges be developed to enhance the academic performance of the learners. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Children heading their households are not a new phenomenon in South Africa. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has been the number one cause behind the emergence of many child-headed households in sub-Saharan Africa. This qualitative research inquiry was guided by an interpretivist epistemology. Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory was used as the theoretical framework that guided this study. A case study design was used with un-structured interviews being the primary method of data collection. Participatory task-based methods in the form of metaphors and story writing, informal observations, questionnaires and field notes augmented the data generation process. Purposive sampling procedures were used and two participants were chosen for this study. Thematic analysis of data generated the themes and sub-themes which provided insight into the lives of children in the role of parents. Findings of this study reveal that orphaned and vulnerable children in the role of parents have the task of taking care of their siblings by providing food, washing their clothes, sending them to school and helping with their homework. They also have the added task of making decisions in the home and providing parental guidance to their younger siblings in the absence of their parents. Children in this study also experienced poverty and faced stigma and discrimination from relatives, peers, neighbors and members in the community / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

Children heading their households are not a new phenomenon in South Africa. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has been the number one cause behind the emergence of many child-headed households in sub-Saharan Africa. This qualitative research inquiry was guided by an interpretivist epistemology. Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory was used as the theoretical framework that guided this study. A case study design was used with un-structured interviews being the primary method of data collection. Participatory task-based methods in the form of metaphors and story writing, informal observations, questionnaires and field notes augmented the data generation process. Purposive sampling procedures were used and two participants were chosen for this study. Thematic analysis of data generated the themes and sub-themes which provided insight into the lives of children in the role of parents. Findings of this study reveal that orphaned and vulnerable children in the role of parents have the task of taking care of their siblings by providing food, washing their clothes, sending them to school and helping with their homework. They also have the added task of making decisions in the home and providing parental guidance to their younger siblings in the absence of their parents. Children in this study also experienced poverty and faced stigma and discrimination from relatives, peers, neighbors and members in the community / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)