Assessment of School Adjustment of Pupils Living in Orphanage Homes in Kwara State, Nigeria

The increasing number of orphaned children due different challenges raises concerns about their capacity to integrate successfully into formal education systems. Hence, this study assessed the school adjustment skills of pupils living in orphanage homes in Kwara State, Nigeria. The research used descriptive survey design for the population of 835 primary school pupils living in 18 registered orphanage homes across Kwara State. The study targeted 146 primary school pupils, and census sampling was used due to the manageable population size. Data were gathered using a self-constructed instrument titled Pupils School Adjustment Rating Scale (PSARS), which was teacher-rated and comprised 15 items on a 4-point Likert scale. Face and content validity were established through expert review, while reliability was confirmed through a pilot study, yielding a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.90. Descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation were used to answer research questions, while ANOVA and t-tests were applied to test hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. Results indicated a high level of school adjustment (M = 3.35), with no significant differences based on gender (t = 0.269, p > 0.05) or school location (t = -0.191, p > 0.05). However, a significant difference was found based on duration of stay in the orphanage (F(2,142) = 8.307, p < 0.05), with those staying 6–10 years showing better adjustment. The study concluded that a stable and supportive orphanage environment enhances pupils’ school adjustment. It recommended strengthening caregiver orientation, promoting gender equity in school programs, and ensuring equitable teaching practices across orphanage home schools.