ABSTRACT
This research investigates the observed systemic patterns of child abuse and it’s effects on academic performance of secondary school adolescents’ in Amassoma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Specifically, the study tried to; identify the personal characteristics of adolescents’ and teachers in public secondary school in Amassoma Local Government Area and investigate the effect of child abuse on adolescents’ academic performance in secondary school. The study uses the survey design and the population of the study was the 195public secondary schools identified in Amassoma Local Government Area. However the research selected 20 out of them for a closer study through the simple random sampling technique. Primary data was collected through the use of questionnaire, presented and analyzed by means of simple percentages. A cut-off mean of 2 points was the bench mark for answering research questions and hypotheses were tested using the one-sample t-test. The research revealed that; child abuse has significant effects on both adolescents’ assessment grades and their participation in class activities; and thus concludes that child abuse has significant effects on adolescents’ academic performance in secondary school. It was recommended that; child abuse and it effects should receive attention in education policy forums; and that parents should always relate to their children with love and affection and provide for their needs; there should be public enlightenment programs to combat mass ignorance and public awareness on the right to freedom from all forms of child abuse; as much as possible, teachers/caregivers should avoid the use of corporal punishment because it only teaches children that violence is the best way of maintaining control and it encourages them to hit other children; there should be provision of nurturing and supportive child friendly school, learning environment free from noise, distractions, discrimination and abuse of any kind; a child should not be disciplined when the adult’s anger is out of control; intense awareness should be created among teachers and school managers using seminars, workshops and training programs about what constitutes child abuse; all forms of abuse should be exposed to this class of caregivers so as to draw their attention to some of the unintentional acts that bother on child abuse; teaching profession should be professionalized to ensure that there is no one teaching as a second best option, this would ensure that people in this profession really see it as their contribution to society’s development; and penalty for teachers’ who commit sexual abuse with their students should be severe enough to deter other perpetrators.
CHAPTER ONE
INTODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The joy of all parents is to bear children and nurture them to a stage where they will all realize their full potentials in life. But in a situation whereby children are not well taken care of by their parents and caregivers those children are usually exposed to all forms of behaviours that tend to hinder their aspirations in life. Many of the children are usually being maltreated or abuse by their parents, caregivers as well as other people in their communities. Child abuse is therefore a practice whereby children are maltreated, battered or deprived of some basic needs in the home, street, religious houses or at school by the elderly. Child abuse could harm children physically, emotionally, sexually or could even lead to their death. It is caused by poverty, lack of parental care, unemployment, marital conflicts and polygamous homes. Child abuse causes pain to both male and female victims. Harmful behaviours of children’s teachers, parents, peers, guardians, siblings, so-called mentors and the society in various forms could also lead to child abuse. Child abuse is therefore not a strange phenomenon in Nigeria. There is no safe place for children anymore because it is everywhere.
Chalk, Gibbons & Scarupa, (2002) opined that child abuse negatively affects the child physically, psychologically and behaviourally. However, it is not possible to discuss them individually in real world situation. Physical problems (for example destruction of a child’s developing brain) can lead to psychological manifestations (for example delay in cognitive development). Psychological effects mostly appear as high-risk behaviours which could affect the abused child academically and ultimately the economy. Also, Shonk and Cicchetti (2001) in their study corroborated this view by disclosing that children who are maltreated usually get low grades in school and do not excel in the society, which slows down the economy. Alokan and Olatunji, (2021) their study on how child abuse influences primary and secondary school children in classroom and their academic performance in Nigeria using a sample of 200 teachers, found out that child abuse and children’s concentration in class is positively related. This means that abused children do not concentrate in class with negative implication on the Nigerian economy. In addition, Umobong, (2010) concluded that child abuse is now prevalent in schools with negative consequences on the educational development of children and the economy in the areas of joblessness. Gaudin, (1999) also submitted that abused children’s intelligence is low as a result of neglect and abuse. As a result of this, the economy suffers because the abused children are unable to contribute meaningfully to the economy.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The increasing number of students and adolescents and those out of school hawking and selling goods on the streets and school premises in the country is a thing of concern that needs proper attention. Most of the children look so malnourished and sick, others in pain of being hurt by beatings and assaulted by gangsters. Most of these children are sent out there by their parents or caregivers, the interest of most parents is what the child can bring to the home through sells (hawking goods) or giving oneself for money; many leave school as early as secondary school, to engage in prostitution, begging around the streets, while others are used as house helps and other menial jobs to bring in money to the family. As a result, the moral and social development of the child has no education basis; their performance in school is affected. This was what made the researcher to be interested in investigating the observed systemic patterns of child abuse and it’s effects on academic performance in Nigeria using Bayelsa state as a case study.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The broad objective of the study is to investigate the effect of child abuse on academic performance of secondary school adolescent in Amassoma Local Government Area.
Specifically, the study seeks to investigate;
1.The effect of child abuse on secondary school adolescents’ assessments grades and academic performance.
2. The effect of child abuse on secondary school adolescents’ participation in the class and academic performance.
1.4 Research Questions
In order to achieve the objectives the following questions are hereby posed;
1.What is the extent of the effect of child abuse on secondary school adolescents’ assessments grades and academic performance?
2.What is the extent of the effect of child abuse on secondary school adolescents’ participation in the class and academic performance?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
In furtherance of the objectives the following hypotheses are hereby projected;
HO 1: Child abuse has no significant effect on adolescents’ assessments grades and academic performance.
HO 2: Child abuse has no significant effect on adolescents’ participation in the class and academic performance.
1.6 Significance of The Study
This study will help the parents and the caregivers who take care of the children at home to give them proper upbringing and the teachers whom the children spend most of their valuable times to take good and healthy care of the children. They will also understand well on the importance of giving the children adequate attention they need which will eventually regulate their academic performances.
1.7 Scope of The Study
This study only confined itself to Bayelsa state. The study focused on the observed systemic patterns of child abuse and it’s effects on their academic performance. The study targeted teachers, parents, caregivers, students and adolescents schools in some selected primary and secondary schools in Amassoma Local Government, Bayelsa state.
1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The study focused on investigating the basic issues in education. The researcher was faced with time constraint of getting the targeted respondents to get the desired information. The researcher was also faced with the problem of reading the questions to some adolescents who could not read very well and also to some parents who could not read and write. Some of them were unwilling to give adequate information needed for this research work. This was tedious and time consuming.
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