Abstract:
The study focuses on assessing the effectiveness of the OVC Bursary Scheme Policy 2000 in
enhancing access and retention of orphans and vulnerable learners in secondary schools. The
success and development of any child depends significantly on quality education and a nurturing
environment involving various stakeholders such as the government, NGOs, community
members, parents, guardians and the children themselves. The study used a social-constructive
research paradigm and was inspired by the Ubuntu philosophy. It followed a qualitative approach
and used a case design. To gather the necessary data, the study employed semi-structured
interviews and document analysis and selected participants through purposive sampling. The
target participants included school principals, teachers, orphans and vulnerable learners both
supported and not supported by the OVC Bursary Scheme Policy 2000 and guardians or parents
of these learners.
During the data analysis process, I transcribed the audio recordings of the interviews verbatim.
These transcriptions were then translated from Sesotho (the language used during interviews) to
English. The inductive approach was used to code the interview responses, meaning that themes
emerged from the data itself rather than being predetermined. The findings highlighted several
challenges faced by orphans and vulnerable learners, which had a negative impact on their
school participation and ultimately led to school dropout. One of the main challenges identified
is the unmet basic needs of the learners, particularly the lack of food. The availability of
breakfast, lunch and supper was found to be crucial for these learners to actively participate at
school. Additionally, the study revealed that the absence of hygiene items such as soap,
toothpaste and toiletries affected learners' self-esteem.
Based on the findings, the study suggests a series of recommendations. Among other
recommendations, the government should review and strengthen support through the OVC
Bursary Scheme Policy 2000, establish additional financial support programmes, and develop
monitoring mechanisms for OVC recipients. The government is also advised to conduct a
comprehensive review of the policy, make it more holistic, establish parental support
programmes, implement home visitation programs, and provide appropriate support to schools.
The study concludes by suggesting that future research should focus on assessing the factors that
v
impede the effective implementation of the OVC Bursary Scheme Policy 2000 and promote
access and retention of OVC in secondary schools
