Problems facing orphans in accessing secondary education in ilala municipality

This study investigated the problems facing orphans in accessing secondary education in Ilala Municipality, Tanzania mainland. Specifically, the objectives of the study were: to explore educational problems facing orphans in secondary schools in Ilala municipality, to explore orphaned students experiences in enrollment, retention and completion of secondary education life circle and to explore the strategies orphaned students use to overcome problems they face in accessing secondary education. This study employed mixed method approach under embedded method design. This study was conducted in 6 sampled secondary schools from both public and private secondary schools. A total of 198 respondents of different categories were involved in the study so as to generate both extensive and complementary information about the problem being investigated. Purposive and stratified simple random sampling techniques were used to select the respondents. Data were collected through the use of questionnaires, interview schedules, documentary review and focus group discussion. The findings revealed that in Ilala municipality, the problem of orphans was of high magnitude as there was a total of 6666 orphans (3103 boys and 3563 girls). Among them, orphans with single parents were 4434 and orphans who lost both parents were 2232. Also, the findings indicated that orphans faced various problems such as lack of basic needs such as food, clothes, school uniforms, medications, school fees and other contributions, the high cost of education and psychological problems as well as becoming head of household at an early age. Findings also revealed that orphans’ enrolment, retention and completion of secondary school were negatively affected by problems they faced. It was found that the local government contributed less in supporting orphans to pursue secondary education. However, most of the support was on stationery and only little support was on school fees and other school contributions. Conclusively, problems faced by orphans negatively affect their enrolment, retention and completion rate. Therefore, it was recommended that, there is a need to address the problems orphans face in accessing secondary education, and that orphans should be identified and provided with free secondary education. The study also recommended that the community surrounding these orphaned students need to guide and provide the needed support to orphans. The study was conducted in Ilala Municipality and in six secondary schools; its results cannot be generalised to the whole of Tanzania. Therefore, a related study should be carried out in other areas to see if there is a relation in the findings. Further study should be conducted on orphans enrolment, retention and completion of secondary schools in relation to the problems they face.

This study investigated the problems facing orphans in accessing secondary education in Ilala Municipality, Tanzania mainland. Specifically, the objectives of the study were: to explore educational problems facing orphans in secondary schools in Ilala municipality, to explore orphaned students experiences in enrollment, retention and completion of secondary education life circle and to explore the strategies orphaned students use to overcome problems they face in accessing secondary education. This study employed mixed method approach under embedded method design. This study was conducted in 6 sampled secondary schools from both public and private secondary schools. A total of 198 respondents of different categories were involved in the study so as to generate both extensive and complementary information about the problem being investigated. Purposive and stratified simple random sampling techniques were used to select the respondents. Data were collected through the use of questionnaires, interview schedules, documentary review and focus group discussion. The findings revealed that in Ilala municipality, the problem of orphans was of high magnitude as there was a total of 6666 orphans (3103 boys and 3563 girls). Among them, orphans with single parents were 4434 and orphans who lost both parents were 2232. Also, the findings indicated that orphans faced various problems such as lack of basic needs such as food, clothes, school uniforms, medications, school fees and other contributions, the high cost of education and psychological problems as well as becoming head of household at an early age. Findings also revealed that orphans’ enrolment, retention and completion of secondary school were negatively affected by problems they faced. It was found that the local government contributed less in supporting orphans to pursue secondary education. However, most of the support was on stationery and only little support was on school fees and other school contributions. Conclusively, problems faced by orphans negatively affect their enrolment, retention and completion rate. Therefore, it was recommended that, there is a need to address the problems orphans face in accessing secondary education, and that orphans should be identified and provided with free secondary education. The study also recommended that the community surrounding these orphaned students need to guide and provide the needed support to orphans. The study was conducted in Ilala Municipality and in six secondary schools; its results cannot be generalised to the whole of Tanzania. Therefore, a related study should be carried out in other areas to see if there is a relation in the findings. Further study should be conducted on orphans enrolment, retention and completion of secondary schools in relation to the problems they face.