154 7 Marginalised Children and Universal Basic Education
pay tuition and may be reluctant to continue to attend normal schools because of
peer group discrimination. Some may suffer from depression and lose faith in life
(Yang 2009 ). Teachers interviewed observed that even those orphans with good
physical and mental development often under performed and that some were with-
drawn, lacking in confidence, and could be silent and uncommunicative.
The Government and NGOs provide support for HIV/AIDS orphans. The
Ministry of Civil Affairs and 14 other ministries and commissions jointly issued
Opinions on Strengthening the Orphan Salvation Work in March 2006. This was
the first time that government exempted orphans from any fees in compulsory edu-
cation and provided them with free text books and boarding. It also provided for
those in the post-compulsory education stages to be funded and given priority to
join work-study programs coupled with support for special education organiza-
tions and child welfare institutions.
Policies from central government complement those of local governments that
respond to local conditions. An example of the approach adopted is that of Henan
Province through its Notifications and Specification to Strengthen the Support
Work for Aids Orphans. The three main measures to help HIV/AIDS orphans are
to encourage family fostering, individual adoption, and collective adoption. Every
orphan is granted 160 yuan per month. There are five other guarantees. These are
that local civil bureaus offer 130 yuan for each orphan for three years; this con-
tinues up to the age of 18 years; adoption does not count in the one-child limi-
tation; local government arranges free physical examination for adopted orphans;
and orphans have to be treated as other family members equally. Under this
scheme 80 % of all the household expenses are paid by provincial government and
the rest is the responsibility of city and county governments. There are additional
international collaborations, such as “China-UNICEF HIV/AIDS Prevention and
Care Programme” and “Save the Children UK-China Programme” that seek to
support government programmes.
Alongside the efforts of the state to address the need of HIV/AIDS orphans
there are many initiatives by small scale NGOs. In rural areas, especially in ethnic
minority areas, families which adopt orphans still have the problems of adequate
food and clothing, and orphans had to do some farm-work and housework to con-
tribute ton the household economy. This can mean that orphans drop out if the
burden of school and work becomes too great. NGO programmes seek to address
some of the problems. For example, in Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture in
Sichuan province, the “love class” model was established by a local NGO named
Liangshan Yi women’s Child Development Center. The model which promotes a
sympathetic and inclusive approach to supporting orphans has been publicly rec-
ognized and other charitable organizations have begun to imitate and expand the
model. At present, there are more than 20 “love classes” in Liangshan and more
than 1000 orphans have benefited from the establishment of the programme. In
addition, there are also five “little sister classes” which held by HTS program of
the America in Butuo County, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture. These little
sister classes enroll and support over 150 girls (Yang 2011 ).