2. How does HIV/AIDS affect needs of learners and their education outcomes?
2.5 Current responses to needs of orphans and vulnerable children
2.5.1
Aspects of the legislative and policy environment pertaining to
OVCs
Namibia was the first African country to complete a national Plan of Action for Children and to ratify the Convention on the Rights of a Child. The Constitution of the Republic of Namibia, in article 15, recognises the importance of legislation enacted to protect the best interest of the child. It calls for the protection of children from economic exploitation or any form of labour that is likely to be harmful to their health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral, or social development.
The MBESC have participated in efforts to inform key policymakers and legislators about domestic legislation that is need of revision in order to meet the needs of vulnerable group in a more expeditious manner. Currently, bills have been tabled to parliament that, if passed, will better regulate matters pertaining to, amongst other things, child care, protection and development, administration of basic state grants, inheritance, and registration of certain institutions for the reception of children. The MBESC is currently working with the Legal Aid Centre to develop an HIV/AIDS policy for the education sector that will ensure for the protection of the rights of infected and affected learners.
2.5.2
Other forms of Support to Orphans and Vulnerable Children
The MOHSS along with NGOs have led most responses to the needs of vulnerable children. This has resulted in progress in many areas, but the overall response has been characterized by fragmentation, limited coordination, duplication and limited coverage.In its strategic and operational plan, the MBESC recognizes that HIV/AIDS is likely to result in the increase in orphanhood and in turn in drop out rates. It has identified addressing the scale of this problem as a priority for management and proposes that efforts be made to design means of continuing education through vocational education, flexi-time schooling, mentoring and other creative approaches to support.
In the mid-1990’s, the MBESC set up an intersectoral task force on educationally marginalised children including war orphans to increase their access to schooling. The policy on educationally marginalised children, which is now being implemented, pays limited specific attention to the impact of HIVAIDS but stresses the need to train teachers to handle orphans’ needs. A charter for primary and secondary has been developed, which outlines what every child should expect from the MBESC. The Ministry has produced guidelines and press releases to inform people of the right to exemption from school development funds and hostel fees. However there is strong evidence to suggest that many families do not exercise their right to obtain fee exemptions for children because of a lack of knowledge and inefficient bureaucratic procedures. Feeding programmes have been instituted in selected schools that host learner populations from educationally marginalised groups.
At school, circuit and regional level there has been very limited official guidance on school roles related to needs of orphans and other vulnerable children. Most responses have been initiated by religious bodies and the MOHSS through its social workers. Some efforts have been made by the regional Special Education Units particularly around fee exemption support, but these measures have generally occurred on an ad-hoc and basis at the discretion of the Head of the Unit. In some regions there has been conflict over the high numbers of children that Social Services were referring to the MBESC for exemption assistance. School level responses have included:
• Assistance with material needs. These include obtaining funding for fees, referral of children to
Chapter 2: How does HIV/AIDS affect needs of learners and their education outcomes 24 gardens. Some teachers give ad hoc assistance to children in the form of clothes, food, materials and uniforms.
• Addressing higher level/comprehensive needs. Some schools provided in-school counseling while
some teachers simply gave children an opportunity to talk. Referral to regional counselors, social workers and community elders in cases of abuse or other more gross problems occurred but was generally infrequent. Some peer groups had provided elements of support.
• Flexibility to maintain access of vulnerable children to schoolingThis includes non-exclusion for
children who cannot pay fees and accommodating periods of absence by orphans and other children with household crises.
Several key themes emerge of relevance to improving support to vulnerable children:
• Schools lack of a tradition of responsiveness to vulnerable children’s needs. Many teachers and
schools do not see it as part of their responsibilities to identify and respond to needs of vulnerable children.
• There is no standard system to identify orphans and other vulnerable children to enable pro-active
management of their needs. Teachers tend to recognise vulnerable children’s problems late when they manifest as gross “discipline” problems or inability to pay fees. Opportunities to help children avoid crises and to manage issues such as transfer to new schools are lost.
“On the surface it may appear as if these children’s problems are as simple as inability to pay fees but you later discover that their problems are much more complex”.
Social Worker
• A wide range of support functions are needed by vulnerable children and are feasible . Needs of
vulnerable children extend far beyond inability to pay fees or psychological problems. However, responses of a number of communities, NGOs and schools demonstrate that responses are possible.
• A number of internal and external role players and resources are usually available to most
schools.
• The capacity of schools and any other role players has to be assumed to be very variable and no
single role player has capacity to perform all functions that are required (see Box 1 below).
o The capacity of other key role players, particularly social services, NGOs and communities is
far too limited to meet the scale of needs reported by schools. Small numbers of social
workers often serve vast areas and populations. They are overwhelmed by multiple functions and administrative burdens and cannot cope with rapidly expanding demands related to HIV/AIDS. NGOs also have limited coverage and capacity.
o Motivation, skills and capacity within most schools to deal with vulnerable children is limited and it cannot be assumed that any particular cadre of staff (e.g. guidance teachers) will consistently be able to deal with all vulnerable children issues alone.
o Broader support systems for vulnerable children within the MBESC are generally weak. Regional counselling services are remote, have limited capacity and are not considered to be a real resource by most teachers. They have given limited attention to needs of orphans and similar vulnerable children
o Particular communities face extra constraints. For example, community, NGO, HBC’s ability to support vulnerable children has been severely eroded due to the security situation in areas of northern Namibia.
o Lack of systematic definition of roles, responsibilities, mandates and co-ordination between
role players in and outside of schools is a major obstacle to effective action
“We are in conflict with the Ministry of Education about the numbers of children that we refer to them for fee exemption. The Ministry feels that it is receiving more requests for exemption than it can
Chapter 2: How does HIV/AIDS affect needs of learners and their education outcomes 25
2.5.3
Obstacles to effective, sustainable OVC support
A number of the obstacles that affect ability of various role players to proved more effective support to OVC are shown in the box below.
Box 1: Key Role Players and Obstacles to effective, efficient support of OVC 1.Guidance and Counselling Teachers and Counselling and Support Groups
• Limited capacity, skills and training – theory vs practical
• Poorly defined career paths and appointment/ distribution –gap filling vs skills & motivation
• Poorly defined role definition, referral systems and mandates
• Limited time tabled, teach other subjects – prioritise examinable subjects
• Limited support from school heads, class teachers, regional school counsellors and MBESC
• Stigma and limited trust by learners 2.Class Teachers
• Roles not clearly defined, lack of guidelines
• Limited skills eg early recognition of vulnerability, counselling, other
• HIV/AIDS knowledge and misconceptions
• Limits on motivation and fear of over-extension once they get involved
• Limited support and guidance
• Trust 3.Peer Support
• Limited knowledge, experience and skills
• Structures and systems e.g. referral networks generally appear weak
• Limited recognition of potential roles
• Stress on peers and other possible limitations such as e.g. trust and difficulties ensuring that credible peers are involved.
4. School infrastructure and resources
• Lack of rooms for counselling and interviews
• Lack of budgets for innovative support of OVC, and transport or reimbursement for outreach activities
5.Social Workers
• Limited capacity (skills, training, numbers, unfilled posts), leading to passive identification of orphans and delays in many aspects of responses and basic support.
• Inefficient use of time and skills – minimal counselling and bureaucratic procedures
• Inefficient systems – guidelines, referrals, feedback and networking
• Poor communication with other sectors, including health and education
• Limited leadership and direction, in a period of uncertainty due to transition
• Grant systems- stigma, design and implementation not effective
6.HBC and Health Workers
• Capacity; awareness and leadership from health sector; weak networks with education, social welfare 7.School Boards, Other Community and NGO/CBO
• School Boards have varying strength and parents in many cases seem are inhibited in working with schools on HIV/AIDS issues
• Other community/ NGO resources vary in strength and unequal distribution between areas; limited awareness; capabilities; limited systematic integration and support by government; some extended families near breaking point
• Varying mobilisation of traditional and other community leadership.
8.Police and Legal system
• Limited awareness; guidelines, legislation, regulations; capacity; training with respect to psychosocial issues and interviewing; delays; restricted access due to lack of resources.
9.Regional co-ordination
• RACOC and RACE – variable strength and development of education related responses to OVC
• Vocational and non-formal education not integrated with school response
• Remote areas less informed/ mobilised and have more limited resources
10. Policy framework
• Lack of clear policies, traditions, guidelines or mandates on OVC
Chapter 2: How does HIV/AIDS affect needs of learners and their education outcomes 26