




































American International Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences  

Vol. 1, No. 2; 2019 

ISSN 2643-0061   E-ISSN 2643-010X 

Published by American Center of Science and Education, USA 

 

70 

Orphans’ Motivation for Higher Education  
 

 

 Omidullah Akbari 

Ba English Literature  

English Department, Kandahar University, Afghanistan  

E-mail: akbariomidullah@gmail.com  

 

Javed Sahibzada 

 Education Faculty’s Research Center Head  
English Department, Kandahar University, Afghanistan  

 E-mail: sahibzada.javed@gmail.com  

 

 

 

Abstract 

The purpose of this study was to find the level of orphans’ motivation for higher education and factors contributing 

their motivation for higher education. Since Kandahar is one of the historically and strategically important provinces 

of Afghanistan in which four-decade war have adversely affected different aspects of lives of its population. Orphan 

and education seem two contradictory terms in a country like Afghanistan with four-decade war history. The study 

is descriptive in nature where a quantitative questionnaire was designed to collect data from randomly selected 112 
students studying in 10th, 11th and 12th of Shaikh Zaid orphanage and from 15 graduates through snowball sampling 

method. The findings revealed that orphans are motivated for higher education transportation, financial problem, 

daydreaming, distraction during study are the major challenges that prevent orphans from getting higher education.  

 

Keywords: Orphans, Motivation, Factors, Higher education  

1. Introduction  

Orphans are making 143 to 210 million of world’s population and Afghanistan is one of those countries which has a 

large population of orphans in the world (Kavak, 2014). UNICEF and global partners define an orphan as a child 
under 18 years of age who has lost one or both parents to any cause of death. According to the report of Aljazeera 

(2017) in Afghanistan, an orphan is defined as a child without a father and by this grouping, there are an estimated 

quarter of a million orphans in the country. By the term orphan, we also mean a child who doesn’t have a father to 

fulfill his/her needs in life.   

The report conducted by Shafaqna website in 2013 which interviewed child foundation head of Balk 

province states that few Afghan orphans live either in orphanages or have the support of other assistance institutions 

and in total only 12464 of the children are living in orphanages and they get education. The source further adds that 

based on the roles of these orphanages orphans are allowed to stay there only till the age of 18. By then, they have to 

leave the orphanage and make a life on their own.  

Due to four decades of war many aspects of lives of the Afghans’ are adversely affected. The consequences 

of war can be also found in orphans’ motivation for higher education. Although it is stated in article 43 rd of 
Afghanistan’s constitution that education is one of the fundamental rights of each Afghan and the government has 

the responsibility to provide them educational opportunities for free. Moreover, the 28th article of the Convention on 

the Rights of Child (CRC) make the member states of the CRC responsible to provide equal educational 

opportunities to every child. Unfortunately, there are still many children including orphans who do not have access 

to education. A research conducted by Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission has found out that though 

both governmental and non-governmental organizations have tried to protect abandoned children or orphans in 

Afghanistan but still thousands of abandoned children and orphans need support and protection (Pazhman, Saramad, 

and Hasrat, 2013).  

 

mailto:akbariomidullah@gmail.com
mailto:sahibzada.javed@gmail.com


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Based on the report of (Azadi radio 1392) which have interviewed deputy minister of Labor and Social 

Affairs and they have reported that there are still 3.5 million abandoned or orphans who are at risk and are deprived 

of their right to education. In addition to that, on the researcher personal communication on December 23, 2018 with 

the officials of Shekh Zaid orphanage. they said that due to different reasons some of their orphans leave attending 

school in secondary levels still most of their graduate students (approximately 80-85% of them) find their way in 

getting higher education through passing the Kankor (higher education entrance exam). They have also said that 
some of these orphans refer back to the orphanage due to some obstacles preventing them from higher educations 

which in result they leave pursuing higher education and those orphans university graduated to be assist and helped 

in finding jobs.  

Previous studies related to orphans have focused more on educational challenges toward orphans, the 

psychological effect, causes of being HIV/AIDS, their age and their target grade at school, their basic needs in 

addition to school fees, educational experiences by orphans, orphans intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence. 

There is still a gap to find out orphans’ motivation in the context of higher education. The findings of this study will 

pave data for those relevant organization who are looking for the challenges that prevent orphans from getting 

higher education. It will also contribute in developing a peaceful neighborhood. As reported by IHH Humanitarian 

Relief Foundation (2014) children in Afghanistan face the threat of kidnapping, forced to child laboring, and being 

recruited as child soldiers. Moreover, it’s also possible that orphans may get into crimes such as robbery, burglary, 

and even worst then these they may join with terroristic groups. The purpose of this study was to find level of 
orphans’ motivation for higher education and factors contributing their motivation for higher education.  

 

 2. Research Objective 

 To find out orphans’ level of motivation for higher education and factors preventing orphans from getting 

higher education.   

  

3. Research Question 

 What is the level of orphans’ motivation for higher education? and which factors preventing orphans from 

getting higher education?   

 
4. Review of the Literature 
Literature review contains previews studies regarding orphans’ motivation for education and the challenges that 

orphans face in getting education. Alive, Nausheen, Kanwal and Anwar 2017) have examined the learning 

experience of a group of children living in the orphanage. Their findings revealed that the social and personal 

circumstances of orphans’ shape orphans’ believe and value about learning. Their findings further revealed that 

orphans’ unmet need influences orphans’ desire to learning. Since some of the orphans aimed to learn in order to 

earn money or make a family. Moreover, their study introduces three major factors influencing orphans learning. 

First, teachers. By observing their teachers in the orphanage classes the researchers found that the teachers were 

attending classes without effective strategies and remained disinterested in their wellbeing and learning in education. 

Next, overcrowded classes and classrooms with fewer facilities such as lack of furniture, discipline, calamity or 

quietness worsened the situation for learning. Third, barriers to orphans’ educations that the syllabus was in a 

foreign language and orphans were lacking in several skills. At the end, they found that children also faced some 
other problems such as healthcare, behavioral issue, and psychological problems. 

Abdussalam (2017) have compared orphans and non-orphans’ social competence and quality of life and he 

found that there is no difference among orphans and non-orphans in the level of their social life. Though, a 

significant difference between the life of orphans and non-orphans was found that orphans’ quality of life was in the 

lower level in compare to non-orphans and therefore suggested a stimulating environment and better sources be 

provided for orphans. 

Shann, Bryant, Brooks, Bukuluki, Muhangi, Lugalla, and Kwesigabo  (2013) investigated the effectiveness 

of educational support for orphan vulnerable children and they have found that providing support to orphan 

vulnerable children was not only important but also effective. Their findings further revealed that in some cases 

supported children performed better than non-supported orphan vulnerable children peers. Furthermore, the study 

found that access to secondary education for those orphan vulnerable children who did not have financial means to 
attend school could be increased by providing a scholarship. The study also found some effective factors affecting 

the educational outcomes of orphan vulnerable children such as: paying school fees, nutritional status, psychological 

wellbeing, and physical safety. 

Kimbi and Mugambi (2017) studied factors influencing orphans’ and vulnerable children’s performance. 

They have found that management competence influenced the peer performance of orphan vulnerable children. At 



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the same time, their study further showed that resource availability, community involvement, monitoring, and 

evaluation were the factors which have influenced orphans peer performance and their study recommended the 

increase of financial allocation, giving report about evaluation and monitoring, use of information technology for 

improving orphan vulnerable children’s performance, training of management team on leadership style and 

sensitizing of community. 

Other researchers have conducted several studies regarding some challenges that orphans face on their way 
to higher education. Kazeem and Jessen (2017) in Nigeria investigating orphans’ school attendance and their 

relationship to household head found that those paternal and maternal or doubled orphans who have close biological 

ties with their household heads have taken more educational advantages comparing to those who were less 

biologically tied to their household head. Their research suggests programs such a cash transfer, child sponsorship, 

and food adoration to be implemented for household heads and school stakeholders to make the household head 

allow orphans, particularly those with distant ties to their household heads to go to school. 

Smiley, Omoeva, Sylla, and Challuda (n.d) studied Orphans and Venerable Children’s trends in school 

access and experience in eastern and South Africa. Their findings revealed that poverty in general and lack of adult 

car were closely tied to educational challenges in compare to orphanhood. Their study further revealed that strict 

school environment had negative effects on the healthy development of children especially those who did not have 

strong caregivers. Dalen, Nekitend, and Musisi (2009) studied the situation of double orphans heading household 

through interviews, focus group discussion, observation, and narratives. Their findings showed that lack of food, 
clothes, and some other material resources, the limited possibilities of regular school attendance, vast responsibilities 

and fewer possibilities of social interaction all were the factors in rising worries and challenges for an orphan as a 

head of household or family.  However, Mayo, Susa, Gudyanga (2015) conducted a study on how the 

institutionalization of orphan children impacts orphan children outcome. They have found that the institutionalized 

orphans faced lack of parents and lack of sources as a factor that demotivated them.   

On the other hand, Sinha, Lombe, Saltzaman, Whetten, Whhetten and Positive Outcome for 

Orphans’Research Team (2016) explored factors associated with the educational outcome of orphans abandoned. 

Their findings showed that more than half of orphan vulnerable children were below their target grade level. 

Moreover, girls and boys were both equally treated and both were at risk. The result also showed that those children 

who did not have a close biological relationship with their caregiver were doing paid work and were the head of the 

family. Therefore, they were not in the grades accommodating with their age. Their study further suggests that some 
actions such as: improving school and infrastructure, quality of teachers within school cheek ups, made meals, 

bringing school support in respect programs for caregivers can be taken to fulfill some of the educational needs for 

orphan vulnerable children. 

Pillay (2018) studied orphan vulnerable children early education for improving outcomes for governance 

and economic development of Africa, showed that by providing educational facilities in early childhood for orphan 

vulnerable children can possibly cause to develop skills and human capital in orphan vulnerable children as future 

adults. Ong, Yuot, Chhon, Shibnuma, Yasuoka, and Jimba (2015) explored factors associated with depressive 

symptoms among orphans and vulnerable children and found that depressive symptoms among both boys and girls 

were affected similarly by different factors. Their findings showed physical health as utmost importance for 

individuals surviving, so their study suggested more healthcare be available for orphan vulnerable children. 

Furthermore, the result indicated that school can be another factor which can act against depression so more efforts 

should be done for improving school role in removing depression and teachers should be trained to recognize 
orphans having depressive symptoms and pay more attention to orphan vulnerable children (OVCs). 

Irshad (2017) have done a comparative study of stress and alienation among Orphans and normal, the study 

found that alienation and stress were related to each other. It means that whenever someone goes under pressure or 

gets into stressful conditions than that person automatically gets alienated and vice versa. In addition to that, the 

study further revealed through the T-test result that orphans were more alienated and stressed in compare to normal 

students. In his study, he recommends that orphans’ should be provided mental health, services including 

bereavement and grief counseling, traditional services and psychological supports. He also recommends that 

caregivers, teachers, public head workers, and community leaders should be trained in a way that they can provide 

psychological support to orphans. 

Oyedele, Chiuwature, and Manayage (2016) investigated the challenges that orphans face at O-level and 

the effect of those challenges on their academic performance. They have found through students’ performance in 
school that teachers did not have any special scheme for identifying and providing academic financial support to 

orphan students in their class. Based on the interview with heads of school their study found that the education 

stakeholders and government have done little works for removing challenges that orphans faced and fostering 

orphan’s academic performance at the secondary level. They have recommended that teachers should identify 



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orphans in their class and provide them the necessary supports especially psychological supports related to their 

parental death. Furthermore, in order to decrease discrimination among students, the study suggests that teachers 

should educate non-orphan students about the challenges that orphans face.   

To conclude all the available literature stated above, summarize orphans’ educational outcomes are related 

to issues; such as, poverty, lack of adult care, being the head of household, lack of appropriate educational scheme 

by teachers, less biological relation with their household heads, high stress and alienation, nutritional problems at 
home and orphanages, lack of treatment for their interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences and lack of some other 

essential cares at school. 

 

5. Methodology 

The study is descriptive in nature where a quantitative questionnaire was adapted from Deo-Mohan Achievement 

Motivation Scale (Deo and Mohan, n.d) and from literature review to collect data from randomly selected 112 

students studying in 10th, 11th and 12th of Shaikh Zaid orphanage at Kandahar city and from 15 graduate through 

snowball sampling method. Since it is the one the famous orphanage of Afghanistan which have orphan students at 

high school level and the other orphanage contains students at primary level. And the current study was best fitted to 

find population which are either graduated from high schools or currently engaged since they were about to graduate 

from high school and go to university for higher education. The instrument consists of three parts; demographic 

information, part two containing question-related to measuring orphans’ motivation for higher education and 
questions related to identifying challenges that limit orphans’ engagement in higher education. The collected data 

was analyzed with the use of SPSS 24 version and Frequency and percentages are presented in the table.  

 

6. Findings 

Table 1. Demographics Information of Participants of the Study. 

  Frequency Percent 

Gender Male  127 100.0 

Female 0 0 

Total 127 100.0 

Education Student of 10th, 11th, and 12th Classes  
112 

 
88.2 

High School graduated 15 11.8 

Total  127 100.0 

Age 15-20 118 92.9 

21-25 9 7.1 

Total  127 100.0 

 

Table 1.Shows demographics information of participants of the study. Result indicates 92.9% of the populations 

were between the ages of 15-20 and 7.1 % of the populations were between the ages of 21-25.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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Table 2. Orphans’ Level of Motivation for Higher Education 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. I like going to university because there is plenty of opportunities to enjoy life. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 0 2 3 20 102 127 

Percent 0 1.6 2.4 15.7 80.3 100 

 

2. I think it’s good to acquire higher education rather than getting married and making a family. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 10 12 13 39 53 127 

Percent 7.9 9.4 10.2 30.7 41.7 100 

 

3. I wish to carry my mission (educational life) forward in spite of facing many problems. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 1 2 9 42 73 127 

Percent 0.8 1.6 7.1 33.1 57.5 100 

 

4. I think of life to be an intellectual challenge so it’s good to suffer problems and attend university. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 3 1 3 33 87 127 

Percent 2.4 0.8 2.4 26.0 68.5 100 

 

5. I already have my favorite college or university faculty which comes through the inspiration that I have from 

my friends studying university. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 8 9 5 32 73 127 

Percent 6.3 7.1 3.9 25.2 57.5 100 

 

6. Since I wish to specialize and become topmost in the field I like and I work hard for hours with the people in 

my favorite field or favorite faculty in order to be successful in whatever I undertake so I think it will help me in 

having high performance in the college or university. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 6 5 8 39 69 127 

Percent 4.7 3.9 6.3 30.7 54.3 100 

 

7. I plan to study carefully all the year round in an effort to get good marks in all the subjects in all the tests 

since marks have a key role in getting scholarships of higher education. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 3 2 3 19 100 127 

Percent 2.4 1.6 2.4 15.0 78.7 100 



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Table 2. shows the frequency and the percentage of participants’ responses with the Likert scale from 1. 

strongly disagree, 2. disagree, 3. undecided, 4. agree to 5. strongly agree for each item. Findings of table 1.2 show 

respondents’ responses regarding their motivation for higher education. For the 1st item shows that 80.3% of 

respondents strongly agreed, 15.7% of agreed, 2.4% were undecided, and only 1.6% of respondents disagreed that 
attending university makes plenty of opportunities in life. For the 2nd item 41.7% of respondents strongly agreed, 

30.7% agreed, 10.2% were undecided and in total 17.3% either disagreed or strongly disagreed to acquire higher 

education rather than getting married and making a family. For the 3rd item 57.5% of respondents strongly agreed, 

33.1% agreed, 7.1% were undecided and in total 2.4% agreed and disagreed to continue their mission or educational 

lofe in spite of facing many problems in their life. 

 For the 4th item 68.5% of respondents strongly agreed, 26.0% agreed, 2.4% of were undecided, 0.8% = 

disagreed and 2.4% strongly disagreed that life is an intellectual problem and they ought to suffer problems and 

attend university. For the 5th item 57.5% of respondents strongly agreed, 25.2 % agreed, 3.9% were undecided, 7.1% 
disagreed and 6.3% strongly disagreed that they have their favorite faculties through the inspiration of their friends.  

Furthermore, for the 6th item 54.3% of respondents strongly agreed, 30.7% of agreed 6.3% were undecided 

and in total 8.6% disagreed and strongly disagreed that they will benefit in the university from their hard-working 

habit that they work hard with the people who work in their favorite field. For the 7th item 78.7% of respondents 

strongly agreed, 15.0% of agreed, 2.4% were undecided, 1.6% disagreed and 2.4% strongly disagreed that they plan 

and study all the year to obtain good marks in all subjects since marks are a key role for getting higher education’s 

scholarships. For the 8th item 64.6% of respondents strongly agreed, 29.9% of agreed, 2.4% were undecided that 
they set standards and try hard to achieve them and this will affect their performance at university however in total 

3.2% either disagreed or strongly disagreed to this item. For the 9th item 66.1% of respondents strongly agreed, 

 

8. I set standards for myself and later on work hard to achieve them which may have a positive effect on my 

performance at university. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 2 2 3 38 82 127 

Percent 1.6 1.6 2.4 29.9 64.6 100 

 

9.  I am interested in developing my skill of pair working, a group working, class participating and individually 

working because they are necessary for a student at the university. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 3 1 5 34 84 127 

Percent 2.4 .8 3.9 26.8 66.1 100 

 

10. Staying late for some lecturers in the class irritates me a lot and I think to affect my performance ant 
university. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 12 12 22 33 48 127 

Percent 9.4 9.4 17.3 26.0 37.8 100 

 

11. I do not like my reaching late to the class which may affect my performance at university. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 3 6 7 39 72 127 

Percent 2.4 4.7 5.5 30.7 56.7 100 

 

12. 0n getting low marks, I feel disappointed and it will affect my performance at university. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 8 11 5 38 65 127 

Percent 6.3 8.7 3.9 29.9 51.2 100 



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26.8% of agreed, while 3.9% were undecided, 0.8% disagreed, and 2.4% strongly disagreed to be interested in 

developing some of their skills: self-working, group working, class participation since they are necessary for 

university students. 

For the 10th item 37.8% of respondents strongly agreed, 26.0% agreed, 17.3% of were undecided, 9.4% 

disagreed and 9.4% strongly disagreed that staying late for some lecturers to finish their lecture irritates them and 

it’s a concern for them which can affect their performance at university and causes them to show less interest toward 
university and it showed that for this item in total 63.8% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed. For the 11th 

item 56.7% of respondents strongly agreed, 30.7% agreed, 5.5% were undecided, 4.7% disagreed and 2.4% of 

respondents strongly disagreed that they mind much for getting late to the class and it can affect their performance at 

university. Finally, for the 12th item 51.2% strongly agreed, 29.9% agreed, 3.9% were undecided, 8.7% disagreed 

and 6.3% of strongly agreed that getting low marks can make them disappointed and it can effect on their 

performances at university.  

 

Table 3. Factors Preventing Orphans from Getting Higher Education  

 

1. My family tells me to take life easy and never bother too much for studies or for future life. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 
Frequency 69 27 6 10 15 127 

Percent 54.3 21.3 4.7 7.9 11.8 100 

2.  My friends consider me shirker and dull and my university classmates may also behave me the same as 

them. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 52 37 8 13 17 127 

Percent 40.9 29.1 6.3 10.2 13.4 100 

 

3.  School is/was demotivating for me and university may also be the same so I don’t like going to university. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 63 34 11 7 12 127 

Percent 49.6 26.8 8.7 5.5 9.4 100 

4.  During studying, I am daydreaming mind wanders off the lesson and I get lost into imagination about my 

life problems such as economic problems and family member sickness so these distractions do not fit for the 
university. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 20 25 14 40 28 127 

Percent 15.7 19.7 11.0 31.5 22.0 100 

 

5 I think it’s better to take care of my family rather than going to university. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 50 36 8 14 19 127 

Percent 39.4 28.3 6.3 11.0 15.0 100 

 

6.  I don’t have the courage of speaking in front of others and it will affect my performance in the university. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 37 17 11 31 31 127 

Percent 29.1 13.4 8.7 24.4 24.4 100 

 

7. University lessons are very difficult and time-consuming and I’m not enough intelligent and rich in having 
time. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 40 33 9 32 13 127 

Percent 31.5 26.0 7.1 25.2 10.2 100 

 



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Table 3. indicates factors preventing orphans from getting higher education by the participants responses 

through selecting linker scale from 1. strongly disagree, 2. disagree, 3. undecided, 4. agree, to 5. strongly agree for 

each item. The result indicates respondents’ responses regarding some challenges on their way to attend university 

and show that several challenges are negatively affecting orphans’ motivation for higher education. The finding for 

the 1st item shows that 54.3% of respondents strongly disagreed, 21.3% disagreed about their family telling them not 

to worry about life and not to bother for education and future life while 4.7% of were undecided, 7.9% agreed and 
11.8% strongly agreed. For the 2nd item, 40.9% of respondents strongly disagreed, 29.1% disagreed, 6.3% were 

undecided, 10.2% agreed and 13.4%  strongly agreed that they experienced their friends considering them dull and 

8. Since in the society I see unemployed people and the unemployed graduated students of university so I 

think I will also be unemployed after I’m graduated from university. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 48 31 8 20 20 127 

Percent 37.8 24.4 6.3 15.7 15.7 100 

9. I don’t like going to university because university graduate students are not good people as they don’t 

behave well with orphans. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 66 37 7 5 12 127 

Percent 52.0 29.1 5.5 3.9 9.4 100 

 

10. Since school and university are so far so the lake of transportation can be a serious problem. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 16 28 15 38 30 127 

Percent 12.6 22.0 11.8 29.9 23.6 100 

 

11. Since I have started school so late in my life, I think at this age attending university is full of challenges. 

 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 55 42 6 13 11 127 

Percent 43.3 33.1 4.7 10.2 8.7 100 

 

12. Doing paid work can cause me not to attend the university regularly. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 25 24 11 34 33 127 

Percent 19.7 18.9 8.7 26.8 26.0 100 

 

13. I think I may not be able / have not been able to follow any Kankor preparation course. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 29 34 16 28 20 127 

Percent 22.8 26.8 12.6 22.0 15.7 100 

 

14. Though there is a chance to work first and study later in the night shift but still I think I may not be able to 

pay the university fees. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 19 20 21 37 30 127 

Percent 15.0 15.7 16.5 29.1 23.6 100 

 

15. In our country, the university is not a secured place. 

 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree Total 

Frequency 40 19 15 28 25 127 

Percent 31.5 15.0 11.8 22.0 19.7 100 



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shirker and they worry that they may suffer it during higher education as well. For the 3rd item, 49.6% of 

respondents strongly disagreed, 26.8% disagreed, 8.7% were undecided and in total 14.9% agreed or strongly agreed 

about school as a demotivating factor for their motivation of higher education. For the 4th item 22.0% of 

respondents strongly agreed, 31.5% agreed that during the lesson they daydream about their daily problems and it’s 

a concern which all works as distractions for their studies and they think it will have negative effects on their 

performance at the university however in this regard 11% of respondents were undecided, and in total 35.4% of 
either disagreed or strongly disagreed. 

For the 5th item, 39.4% of respondents strongly disagreed, 28.3% disagreed, 6.3% were undecided, 11% 

agreed and 15% strongly agreed to prefer caring for their family rather than attending university. For the 6th item, the 

challenge of not having the courage to speak in front of others which may negatively affect their university 

performance 24.4% of respondents strongly agreed, 24.4% agreed while 8.7% were undecided, 13.4% disagreed and 

29.1% of strongly disagreed. For the 7th item, 31.5% of respondents strongly disagreed, 26.0% of disagreed, 7.1% 

were undecided, 25.2% agreed and 10.2 % strongly agreed about the university lessons to be hard and time 

consuming for them since they lack the capacity and time. For the 8th item, 37.8% of respondents strongly disagreed, 

24.4% disagreed, 6.3% were undecided, 15.7% agreed and 15.7% strongly agreed to be less motivated toward 

higher education due to seeing university graduate students unemployed in the society. For the 9th item, 52.0% of 

respondents strongly disagreed, 29.1% disagreed, 5.5% were undecided, 3.9% of respondents agreed and 9.4% 

strongly agreed to be less demotivated for higher education due to the inappropriate behavior of university graduate 
students toward them. 

For the 10th item, 23.6 % of respondents strongly agreed, 29.9% agreed that transportation can be a serious 

problem for them and may cause them not to attend the university regularly because they are living far away from 

the university while in this regard 11.8% were undecided, 22% disagreed and 12.6% strongly disagreed. For the 11th 

item, 43.3% of respondents strongly disagreed, 33.1% disagreed, 4.7% of were undecided, and in total 18.9% of 

respondents agreed and strongly agreed to be less motivated to higher education for not starting school in the early 

age of life. For the 12th item, 26.0% of respondents strongly agreed, 26.8% agreed that doing paid work can cause 

them not to regularly attend the university however 8.7% were undecided, 18.9% disagreed and 19.7% strongly 

disagreed. For the 13th item, 22.8% of respondents strongly disagreed, 26.8% disagreed, 12.6% were undecided 

while 22.0% agreed and 15.7% strongly agreed to be demotivated toward higher education because of thinking that 

they may not be able to follow any Kankoor preparation course. For the 15th item, 31.5% of respondents strongly 
disagreed, 15.0% disagreed, however, 11.8% of were undecided, 22.0% agreed and 19.7% strongly agreed about the 

university to be an unsecured place which can make them less interested toward higher education. For the item (14th) 

23.6% of respondents strongly agreed, 29.1% agreed that they may not be able to pay the fees of university if they 

work first and attend the university in night shifts in some non-governmental universities although 16.5% of 

respondents were undecided, 15.7% disagreed and 15% of strongly disagreed. 

 

7. Discussion 

The findings show that orphans are motivated for acquiring higher education as 80.3% orphans strongly agreed and 

15.7% orphans agreed that they want to acquire higher education because it brings plenty of opportunities to life and 

makes life more enjoyable. The study also found that orphans agreed that acquiring higher education is better than 

getting married since 41.7% of respondents strongly agreed and 30.7% of respondents agreed. The study shows that 

orphans were inspired by their friends who were going to university and they had their favorite faculty since 57.5 % 
of respondents strongly agreed and 25.2 % of respondents agreed in this regard.  The last evidence is that they want 

to carry their mission in spite of facing many problems and 57.5% of respondents strongly agreed and 33.1% of 

respondents agreed in this regard. Moreover, the findings of this study also point out some factors which are causing 

orphans’ to be less motivated to acquire higher education. And those factors are lack of transportation as 23.6 % of 

respondents strongly agreed and 29.9% of respondents agreed for lack of transportation as a challenge, daydreaming 

during the study about their daily problems as 22.0% of respondents strongly agreed and 31.5% of respondents 

agreed that during the lesson their daydreams about their problem which distract their attention from the study, lack 

of courage to speak in front of people 24.4% of respondents strongly agreed and 24.4% of respondents agreed to this 

challenge , doing paid work which can cause them not be able to attend university regularly 26.0% of respondents 

strongly agreed and 26.8% of respondents agreed and as the challenge of their inability to be able to pay the fees for 

night shift university stops them from attending university in night shift and 23.6% of respondents strongly agreed 
and 29.1% of respondents agreed to this. The finding of this study supports the finding of Sinha, et al. (2017) that 

orphans do pay work and it is a challenge in their educational life and can affect their educational performance. The 

finding of this study is also in correspondence with Alive, Nausheen, Kanwal, and Anwar (2017) that orphans’ 

unmet needs influence orphans’ desire to learning. In final, the finding of the present study agrees to the finding of 



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Shann at.al (2013) that those orphans who did not have financial means to get the education their interest to learning 

can be increased by providing a scholarship to them. 

 

8. Suggestions and Conclusion 

Result shows orphans are motivated for higher education but still lack of transportation, orphans’ daydreaming 

about the problems they have act as barriers for their studying lack of courage to speak in front of people, doing paid 
work, unable to pay the fees for night shift university which can cause them unable to attend university regularly are 

some challenges that orphans face in the class and are possible threats to affect orphans’ motivation during 

university lessons too. It is the responsibility of every individual in society, orphans’ caregivers and orphanage 

keepers and any organization working closely with orphans to invest based on their effort for making it possible the 

desired dreams of Orphans in getting higher education through working on the solutions of those factor which this 

study found as challenges that prevent them from getting higher education. In addition, for more enhancement of 

orphans’ motivation for higher education and removing the present challenges of orphans’ higher education, the 

researchers recommend university officials to provide orphans with transportation facilities so that orphans from 

remote areas can also attend the university, provide orphans with part-time job having good payments so that they 

can come over their family expenses and take care of orphans daily and economic problems so that their daily and 

economic problems are not going to distract them during the lesson and their mind does not wander off and they do 

not get into imaginations about their life problems anymore. 
 

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