Abstract:
A tremendous increase in the number of orphans associated with a sharp rise in prime-age
adult mortality due to AIDS and other potential causes has become a serious problem in
Ethiopia; in fact, many school-aged children have lost at least one parent in the country.
Reduced investments in the education of children/human capital/ and other adverse
conditions of life due to parental death are resulting with strategic problems at national
level and orphans face an unaffordable life to attend their education, increased risk of
poverty, exploitation, malnutrition, and poorer access to health care and schooling, early
intervention is critical to avoid the potential poverty trap.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the School based care and supports of orphan
~ children; mainly at school level the gaps between orphan children's school based care
and support needs versus the quality and adequacy df responses from schools, orphan
children's level of academic self esteem and academic achievement as compared to their
non-orphan peers and lastly, the existence of relationships between orphan children's self
Results indicated that although orphan children have the need for school based care and
support· so that they can continue education, school's response to their needs was
insufficient, not comprehensive, donor dependent and unsustainable. Statistically
significant difference on the level of self-esteem and academic achievement was
observed between orphan and non-orphan children. However, the correlation result
"between orphan children's self-esteem and academic achievement was not found
statistically significant. Results were discussed in light of other study findings and results.
