Jakachira, Godfrey (2012) An Exploratory Study of the Interface of Child-Headed Households and Academic Performance: A Case of Primary School Students in Beatrice Resettlement Area, Zimbabwe. Masters thesis, University of Zimbabwe.
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Abstract
The study explored the impact of the child-headed household on the academic performance of primary school students in Beatrice resettlement area, Zimbabwe. The target population was 15 primary school students from child-headed households in the resettlement area, 12 school heads, 84 teachers as well the students’ relatives and neighbours. The research study adopted a case study design with a purposive sample of 4 child household heads, 6 teachers and 4 school heads. Data were collected through life story narratives, content analysis and unstructured interviews. It was presented as cases and analysed using Leininger’s thematic model. In interpreting the data Bourdieu’s theory of practice was used. The study established that the academic performance of students from child-headed households is impacted negatively by household responsibilities, hunger, stigma and discrimination, child labour, schooling costs, sexual abuse and ill-health. All these challenges come as a result of limited support from the government, aid organisations and the disintegrating extended family. This led to the conclusion that the socio-economic challenges of the child-headed household impact negatively on academic performance. Thus, there is need for resettlement communities to respond to the disintegration of the extended family as a safety for orphaned and vulnerable children by establishing community orphanages as alternatives to child-headed households. Governments, the corporate world and donor organisations are urged to support this community based coping strategy not only to enhance the academic performance of orphaned and vulnerable children, but also mould them into acceptable and productive members of society.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB1501 Primary Education |
| Divisions: | Africana |
| Depositing User: | Tim Khabala |
| Date Deposited: | 25 Apr 2018 13:06 |
| Last Modified: | 25 Apr 2018 13:06 |
| URI: | http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/3800 |
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