ASSESSMENT OF SCHOOL ADJUSTMENT OF PUPILS LIVING IN ORPHANAGE HOMES IN KWARA STATE, NIGERIA
Abstract
The increasing number of orphaned children resulting from different socio-economic and family-related challenges has raised concerns about their ability to integrate successfully into formal educational systems. Consequently, this study assessed the school adjustment of pupils living in orphanage homes in Kwara State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population comprised 835 primary school pupils residing in 18 registered orphanage homes across Kwara State. A total of 146 primary school pupils participated in the study through a census sampling technique due to the manageable population size. Data were collected using a self-developed instrument titled Pupils School Adjustment Rating Scale (PSARS). The instrument was teacher-rated and consisted of fifteen (15) items measured on a four-point Likert scale. Face and content validity were established through expert review, while reliability was determined using Cronbach's Alpha, which yielded a coefficient of 0.90. Descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, were used to answer the research question, while independent sample t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were employed to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance.The findings revealed that pupils living in orphanage homes demonstrated a high level of school adjustment (Mean = 3.35). There was no significant difference in school adjustment based on gender (t = 0.269, p > 0.05) or school location (t = –0.191, p > 0.05). However, a significant difference existed based on the duration of stay in the orphanage (F(2,142) = 8.307, p < 0.05), with pupils who had stayed between six and ten years demonstrating better school adjustment than others. The study concluded that a stable and supportive orphanage environment enhances pupils' school adjustment. It therefore recommended strengthening caregiver orientation programmes, promoting gender equity in school activities, and ensuring equitable teaching practices across both orphanage-based and external schools.
Keywords: School Adjustment, Pupils, Orphanage Homes
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