Browsing by Author "Abrar, Abdelkader"

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    Practice and Challenges of Single Parented Secondary School Students’ Learning at Ethiopian International School in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
    (Addis Ababa University, 2019-06) Abrar, Abdelkader; Dhabi, Kenenissa (PhD)
    This study was designed to investigate the challenges that secondary school single parented students face in the course of their learning. The study was conducted in The Ethiopian International School in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The study had three objectives with related tasks and questions. The study investigated the challenges encountered by single parented students in secondary school, how the challenges affected their learning and possible solutions to the identified challenges. Qualitative approach was used. Data collection methods included interview, documentary analysis and focus group discussion. The sample of the study included 13 single parented secondary school students, 9 single parents, 8 secondary school teachers, 1 Principal, and 3 members of the school board of directors‟. Data were analyzed thematically and presented in the form of narrative. Findings revealed that the learning challenges that single parented students faceare not only multiple but also complex. They are complex because no single challenge that stand on its own and be able to explain the challenge without connecting to the other. The challenges that the study revealed are economic hardship, lack of parental care, lack of guidance and counseling and psycho-social challenges. It was also revealed that these have affected single parented students‟ learning as they have poor academic performance, poor attendance, drop out of school, and engaging in bad behaviors and use of substances(drugs). According to the outcomes of this study single parented students at Ethiopian International secondary school are learning under many challenges. Therefore, it can be concluded that the status of learning of these students is poor. In the view of the findings it was recommended that generating aid funds using various fund raising campaigns should be another possible means by which single parent students who are living in economic hardship must be assisted. The study also recommends that the school should employ a professional and establish Guidance and Counseling section. Also school community , school administration, teachers and the SBOD should pay attention and offer guidance and counseling services to single parent students in order to encourage them to work hard and accept single parenthood and also to their parents on how best to rear these children.