Clinical PerspectiveAfrica's orphan crisis — is it the teacher's concern?

Abstract

The fact that almost 15% of children in 11 of the 43 countries in sub-Saharan Africa are orphans is daunting indeed. This reality of large numbers of orphans should be one of sub-Saharan Africa's greatest concerns. It is not only the emotional impact of the pandemic that is at stake, but also the social and economic fabric of entire societies. Up until now, very little attention has been given to the fact that these children must grow towards adulthood without the guidance of their parents. The focus of this study is therefore formulated in the following research question: what do orphans need to reach adulthood, and how can teachers support them in reaching responsible adulthood? In identifying what defines adulthood in a specific context, the researcher has a closer look at the role of cultural value systems. The assumption is made that culture is a broad abstraction that includes a society's forms of knowledge, belief systems, languages, religion and values; these become imperative in guiding children towards adulthood. Deriving from this assumption that culture and context play a vital role in people's understanding of the concept of adulthood, one can assume that this understanding will be different for each particular group. In the absence of parents, the school can be seen as the most important agent (loco parentis) in addressing the needs of vulnerable children. Planning a curriculum that addresses the needs of these vulnerable children will have to be reconsidered. The full impact of the diversity of learners and their communities will have to be accommodated in all planning. As the number of orphans in schools increases, and the role of teachers in guiding these young learners to adulthood becomes more prominent, it is recommended that a thorough investigation be conducted into the importance of individual and community interpretations of ‘proper adulthood' within individual communities.

Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health 2007, 19(1): 75–82