Description
ABSTRACT
The study surveyed the influence of on the child abuse on academic performance of secondary school students in Ilorin metropolis. Data were collected from 200 randomly selected students.
A questionnaire was the major instrument used for data collection. The data collected were analysed using t-test and Pearson Product Moment Correlation.
The results indicated that the respondents were abused by their different parents; no significant relationship was found between child abuse and student’s academic performance when correlated. There is also no significant influence of child abuse on the academic performance of students.
It was recommended that public enlightenment campaign should be carried out on the danger of child abuse.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE i
CERTIFICATION ii
DEDICATION iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv
ABSTRACT vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS viii
LIST OF TABLES xi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background to the Study 1
1.1 Statement of the Problem 6
1.2 Purpose of the Study 7
1.3 General Questions 7
1.4 Research Hypotheses 7
1.5 Significance of the Study 9
1.6 Delimitation of the Study 10
1.7 Definition of Terms (Operational) 11
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.0 Concept of Child Abuse 12
2.1 Pattern of Child Abuse 22
2.2 Prevalence of Child Abuse 27
2.3 Consequence of Child Labour/Errand Child 31
2.4 Appraisals of the Related Literature 36
CHAPTER THREE: REEARCH METHODS
3.0 Introduction 38
3.1 Research Design 38
3.2 Population of the Study 39
3.3 Sample and Sampling Technique 39
3.4 Instrumentation 39
3.5 Validity of the Instrument 40
3.6 Reliability of the Instrument 41
3.7 Administration of the Instrument 41
3.8 Data Analysis 42
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.0 Hypothesis Testing 45
4.1 Discussion of Results 49
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.0 Summary 52
5.1 Conclusions 53
5.2 Implication of the Study 54
5.3 Recommendations 54
5.4 Limitation of the study 55
5.5 Suggestion for further studies 55
References 57
Appendix 60
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Distribution of Respondents by Sex 43
Table 2: Distribution of Participants by Parental
Education 43
Table 3: Distribution of Participants by Age Group 44
Table 4: Distribution of Participants by Family Type 44
Table 5: Results of Pearson Product Moment Correlation
Coefficient on Child Abuse and Student
Performance 45
Table 6: Results of t-test analysis on male and
female performance 46
Table 7: Duncan Multiple Range Test on Students
Performance by Parental Education 47
Table 8: Results of t-test statistics on student
performance by age group 48
Table 9: Results of t-test analysis on the students’
performance by family types 49
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background to the Study
Nigerian children are faced with many problems. Many of them suffer abuse in various forms such as neglect, abandonment and starvation. Some of them are victims of broken homes and conflict laden families. As a result of this, many of them are brought up in either single parent homes to by guardians.
Nigerians have positive attitudes to having and rearing the children (Oyebanre, 1991). This is because, they are considered as continuation of the family generation. Thus, according to Oyebanre (1991), is the reason why the extended family system serves to safeguard the welfare of its members.
Another reason for having children was to complement the family labour force. Garuba (1998) stated that Africans and Nigerians in particular have many children in order to use them for farming. She pointed out that in olden days, the larger your family members, the larger your extra hands to work in the farm and the healthy the individual would be in. thus, children in traditional society are taken to the farm at very tender age to cultivate the land.
It is also part of the child-rearing pattern to see children in the family as part of economic aspect. This was related by Oyebanre (1991) in two categories.
The first category is an aspect of socialization, she explained this method is a way of socializing children into the commercial activities. Thus, children are sent out to hawk commodities like cigarette, Kola, Water, groundnuts, etc. This is meant to teach the child how to count money, giving and collecting change.
The second category as noted by Oyebanre (1991) are the parents affected by economic recession in order to find alternative source of income, they engage their children to hawk commodities so that they (the children) could raise money to support the family. Others send them out as householders or as a child labourer called errand child (omo onise). In whatever form, the purpose is to work in order to raise money for the family sustenance.
In all enumerated practices, the children could be exposed to abuse, neglect and danger which could have adverse effect on the development of the children. Nwaomu (1990) asserted that many parents in Bendel State engaged their children in child labour and refuse to send them to school. This, according to her was because of the monetary gains which might not be used for the child’s benefit.
Many of these children that were engaged in this form of labour experienced different form of abuse, some were physically abused. Example of this form of abuse was a house mistress who poured kerosene on a house girl was beaten to the extent of being unconscious for alleged neglect of a baby put under her care.
Daroven (1995) reported that many children had been exposed to work harzard of various forms, children who are sent to engage in street trading have been found to meet with one form of accident or the other. He explained that some of them have been attack by thieves, beaten and money realized from hawking stolen away. Others, particularly girls, have been exposed to danger of sexual abuse leading to unwanted pregnancies and unclaimed child.
One of the growing concerns in the society seems to be the contribution of child abuse on the behavioural, emotional and living problems of children. All these, according to Gill (1999) are not without adverse effect of child’s development. These include juvenile delinquency, hooliganism, drug abuse, theft, teenage pregnancies, drop out and mass failure in school examinations.
Adegbite (1991) reported that poor academic performance of children could be attributed to the child’s background. This refers to the home in which the child is raised. He reported studies which found children of professionals, executives and clerics who receive parental support to be as advantage and academically performed better than children who are abused by their parents.
Personal experience has also shown that children who are abused could find it difficult to adjust to school situation. He could, therefore, found to be habitual late comers, to be always sleeping in the class while others are learning, to always be in short supply of needed school materials and to be among the backward students in the class. It is also the researcher’s opinion that children in this category need assistance in coping with their situations. This is the area of concern for the study.
1.1 Statement of the Problem
Child abuse as one of the social problems plaguing the society could have far reaching effect and constitute block to children’s development. This is because the forms in which most of these children have been abused have prevented them from pursuing normal developmental trends as their colleagues. Thus they face the problem of under development in many areas. (Mustapha, 2002).
Many secondary school children who were abused face many problems including insufficient time for schooling, destruction from the normal academic programme, insufficient time for rest and denial of opportunity of enjoy as other children. All these could have negative effect on the school going and academic performance of secondary school students. This is why, these researchers deem it fit to investigate the effects of child abuse on the academic performance of secondary school students.
1.2 Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of child abuse on students academic performance in Ilorin. I also sought to compare differences between academic performance of students on the basis of sex, age, family type and parental education.
1.3 General Questions
What is the influence of child abuse on the academic performance of secondary school students in Ilorin.
1.4 Research Hypotheses
The following hypotheses will be tested in the study:
H01: There is no significant relationship between the influence of child-abuse on the academic performance of secondary school students.
H02: There is no significant difference in the teachers perception of the effects of child-abuse in the academic performance of male and female secondary school students.
H03: There is no significant difference in the teachers perception of the effects of child-abuse in the academic performance of children from illiterate and literate homes.
H04: There is no significant difference in the teachers perception of the effects of child-abuse on the academic performance of young and old secondary school students.
H05: There is no significant difference in the teachers perception of the effects of children from polygamous and monogamous home.
1.5 Significance of the Study
The study is very necessary to determine if children that are abuse do well in secondary school or not. This is in view of the psycho-social problem confronting these children on the daily basis. Mass failure is a common phenomenon in our educational institutions, knowing the contribution of child abuse in the lives of young school children is an important factor for embarking on this study.
The study could be useful to the abused children themselves through the knowledge of negative consequences it has on them. They may therefore, learn to adjust and cope with the situation in order to improve on their academic activities.
The children abused could also benefit by knowing the damage they area causing on the lives of the innocent children.
The result of this study could be useful to administrators and educators who can use it for assisting abused children in school and to cope with their situations.
The study is very important to the counsellors. This is because, the result could provide necessary information to be used as sources for counselling. Thus, this could sere as aids to the counsellors for assisting the affected children.
The study may be useful as a source of information on the danger inherent in child abuse. This may propel the general public to rise against the abuse of children’s rights.
1.6 Delimitation of the Study
The study investigates the effects of child abuse on the academic performance of primary school children in Ilorin. Data on pupils were collected and analysed across sex, age, parental education and family type.
The study involved 200 randomly selected primary school students. It is however limited to the teachers in the primary schools and the aspect of child abuse measured in the questionnaire.
1.7 Definition of Terms (Operational)
The following terms are defined as used in the study.
Abuse: Being subjected to ill treatment or harsh conditions that may not be morally acceptable.
Child Labour: Engaging a child of tender age on very difficult task or labour beyond their capacity.
Errand Children: School going children who engage in manual work such as washing clothes, fetching water, cooking, etc for monetary gains.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
The review of the related literature is conducted in the following sub-headings: –
- Concept of child abuse
- Pattern of child abuse
- Prevalence of child abuse
- Consequence of child abuse
- Appraisals of the related literature
2.0 Concept of Child Abuse
The Nation Center on child abuse and neglect defines child neglect as an act of omission by a parent or caretaker producing harm. Brown (1999) defines abuse and neglect in terms of condition which determine the healthy and maximum development of potentials.
According to these investigators, abuse can be basically considered as commission of an exploitative behaviour while neglect refers to omission of positive behaviour.
The African Network for the Preservation and Protection of Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN, 1991) define child abuse and neglect as the intentional and or well intentional act which endangers the physical, health, emotional, moral and education welfare of the child. Ebigbo (1989) defined child abuse as relationship with a child, resulting from lack of love, attention and care. He argued that this has a rebound effect and this can lead to psychosomatic illness or character disorder. Kempe 1985, Jaja, 1994 describe child abuse and neglect as any condition injurious to the child physical or emotional health that has been inflicted by parents, guidance or other caretakers. They describe it as any situation in which a child is suffering harm by reason of neglect, malnutrition or sexual abuse. It also covers a phenomenon where a child is inflicted with any injury or is allowed to grow up under conditions which threaten his/her physical and emotional survival.
We can distinguish between child abuse and neglect according to Kalu (1996), Ebigbo, 1996. Child abuse according to them constitutes acts developed or commissioned to inflict harm directly or indirectly or indirectly on a child, child neglect on the other involves severe disregard of general needs which interfere with development of the child. Ebigbo, (1998) further added that child abuse and neglect implies a kind of social disorders in the parent child relationship characterized by a failure of parent to endow the child with personal values, worthy and self-esteem which are necessary for him/her to function adequately in the society.
It is a continuous commission to pay attention to need to the child in any dimension of his/her existence (Kalu, 1996). Also contributing to the concept of child abuse Ofodile (1981) described child abuse as a clinical condition in which child’s health, moral or emotional well being are endangered by intentional of deliberate act of his parent, in a comprehensive and concise manner, Gabgallo, (1985) opined that child neglect is an intended act of omission by a parent or the nation.
It is a situation which may have adverse effects on the child’s health and physical growth, he stress viewing child neglect from psychological point. Johnson (1999) referred to it as emotional withdrawal and parental desertion which may some as a result of depression stress and alcoholism. In contrast, Eraden, (1981) perceived child’s abuse as he practice of child neglect which happened when the parent or caretaker fail to render their filial obligation of child caring.
Stressing further the difference between child abuse and neglect, Garba (1998) defined child neglect as the deprivation suffered by children producing feeling of being loved, wanted and secured which result in the inability children, as opposed to the community was of rearing children. He perception of things e.g. some societal group adopt the uses of an object that can leave permanent marks on the child body while in some, it is based on the age of the child before such marks can be considered as an abuse.
In another dimension, Mulford, (1999) sees child abuse and neglect as the maltreatment of a child which takes the form of exploitation in the work force or in societies where they are used for the sexual gratification of adults. According to him, it is the neglect of children who are left to tend for themselves that could leave permanent mark on children. In a similar view, Garballo stated that child exploitation in the work force or in societies where they are used for the sexual gratification of adults. According to him, this neglect of children who are left to tend for themselves that could leave permanent mark on children. In a similar view, Garballo stated that child exploitation refers to all forms of child abuse from which the abuser gains economics benefits and force children to engage in paid employment and work in the environment that poses danger to their general life development. Garballo notion about child abuse was attested by UNICEF (1991) which revealed that millions of children world wide are now exposed to industrial and other related work hazard.
In this own view, Ofodile (1991) believes that child abuse goes beyond spanking and that the Almighty support (liberal) spanking of an erring child out of love. To her child abuse is a psychological problems. It is any action of punishing children without love. It border on wickedness. It is any action of punishing children without love. It border on wickedness. It is the unleashing of one’s frustration, anger and stress on helpless children. However will-west in 1991 point to the fact that child sell thing at wrong hours, depriving the child of education food and other things. These are, no doubt offences by parents and guardian.
Willson (2000) while explaining child abuse, stated that child abuse include such bodily violence as beating, squeezing, lacerating, binding, burning, suffocating, poisoning or exposure to excess heart and cold. He also includes psychological trauma such as sensory, over load with light, sleep and verbal over load with insult, acquisitions or indoctrination. Braden (1981) on the other hand refers to the syndrome as child neglect. This according to him occur when the parent or guardian fail to perform his/her duties and obligations to the child. These duties and obligation include supervision nurturance and protection which fall within limits of their ability and social circumstance. (Sweet and Resick 1979 in Ayanleke (2000). Neglect includes the denial of food, shelter, clothing, medical care, education and total abandonment.
Leaving out child labour while discussing the concept of child abuse means that a vital part of the concept has been left out. It is the opinion of the researchers that errand children is a form of child abuse or which can lead to the abuse of these children either physically, sexually or psychologically. It is therefore essential to discuss child labour as reviewed in literature. Aderinto 1998 described child labour as a situation in which a child is made to engage on a regular basis in some productive an income yielding activities for which the primary beneficiaries may be themselves or are person other than themselves. In another but similar definition, child labour is described as any physical engagement of the child either paid or unpaid, directed to alleviating adult burden outside or inside the home to make a living (Anukam, 1986).
While enumerating the reasons why engaging children in work could be abusive, scholars such as Abdalla, (1988) Mejiumi, (1991), Black (1993) contended that for large number children, work is an ordeal a source of suffering and exploitation and a fundamental abuse of human right, yet, some believe that child work can be an important element in maturation, securing the transition from childhood. It has also been seen to be essential for family survival. (Kuyongo, male and Walji (1994); Obikeze, 1985. Wilson, 2000). Invade perform family errands. This they do according to their ability. Girls would for example, do a small scale of what their mother did. Boys were expected to follow in their father’s footsteps.
There were case where children were sent to lend hand to their relatives especially grand parent, relative made sure that societal expectation and horns regarding work done by children were strictly adhered to member of society work together to enable children acquire the skill that they would needs when they reached adulthood. This enhances the child’s health and its entire psychological development.
Asagufa (1984) had also opined all over the world that children are in corporate in to a range of different employment relation as either waged labourers in factories or sell employment workers engage in street trading or working as domestic them some are out-worker and other seasonal migrant workers. Many involve in work as the final link in a long chain of subcontractor, some receive park of their wage in kind and some are paid on a piece rate basis. Many are unpaid and work for kind in productive or it may release other form in productivity activity (1988).
Ebigbo (1988) stated that we are all aware that some children are ever worked, over burdened with load to carry, that they are exposed to danger of various kinds, in the street, in the house, that they are derived adequate rest, food, education, self respect and medical care, that they get punished for every body’s mistakes, insulted, humiliated, freighted and insulted, all these at the hands of supposedly mature and responsible adults. According to Fyfe (1989), child labour refers to work which impaire the health and development of children in his own view, he says there should be little argument about what constitutes the super exploitation of children through work. Work according to he can be a gradual initiation in to adulthood and a positive element in a child development, light work, properly structure and phased as not child labour work which does not deprive the child from the other essential activities of children like leisure, play, education etc is not child labour.
2.1 Pattern of Child Abuse
Hollman (1994) stated that there are various forms of pattern of abuse experienced as the child. This includes physical abuse, physical neglect, sexual abuse and emotional abuse and neglect. Some said that often a child is the victims of more than one form of abuse, she goes further to explained each types of abuse that a child can under go. Physical abuse is defined as non accidental injury and it can be further explained that any injury that require medical treatment can be regarded as excessive disciplinary practices.
Physical neglect can be seen as the failure to provide the necessities of life for a child. The necessities of life as she stated are considered to be medical care when necessary, adequate nourishment, appropriate clothing and supervisor of activities. She how ever pointed out that there are willful neglect and unwilful neglect. The unwilful neglect is when an impoverished parent are involved and they are providing the best care possible within their means.
Sexual abuse refers to any sexual activities between an adult and a child; it can be assaultives or non assualtives. She further stated the various type of sexual abuse which includes insects, molestation, incest is defined as sexual activity, including inter course between a child and a parent a sibling or another close relative. Molestation is defined as sexual abuse with or without penetration by a stranger.
Emotional abuse and neglect according to meneese are forms of abuse committed by parents who failed to provide a living environment in which children can thrive to learning difficult. However, she said that diagnosis difficult since visible injuries that are present with physical abuse she concluded.
According to Wilson, (1996) the founder and guiding force of the bonded labour liberation front in Pakistan, stated that children who are engaged in labour are abuse in many ways. These include poor working environment he cited example of a carpet workshop in a Lahore Village. The workshop according to him was small in proportional about the size of a subways car and contained a dozen upright loom. On each, rough-hewn work bench between the looms squatted a carpet weaver. The rooms were dark and air less with a small window that was close against fabric-eating insects. Apart form the working environment, the children are underage between five and fourteen years and work for six days a week starting from 6.00 am to 8.00pm.
The master always screams at the children and sometimes beat them according to the report he gathered the child-labourers the master is less severe with the younger boys often shaped the older one and occasionally leashed them with cane if dissatisfy with their work sometimes apart from the physical punishment, the master will ask the child who committed too much error to pay some fine or correct the errors by working two days straight. The fine usually will be added to the child debt which would extend his apprenticeship by several mouths.
In a similar vein, in a synthesis report of ILO’s international programme on the Elimination of child labour (1 PEC) in 1997, stated that child domestic workers can be abused in a variety of ways.
The children perform a wide variety of tasks traditionally done by women in the house hold, such as looking after children, preparing food, house cleaning, washing and ironing careering for the sick. Sometimes forced to work is or 16 hours a day with inadequate food and lodging they are at the mercy of their employers, frequently exposed to sexual advances and physical and verbal abuse.
To sheet more light on battering, Nye (1994) identified some physical manifestations of child abuse include: –
- Pathognomic skin lesion including lash marks, cigarettes burns, graph-marks, belt buckle marks, human bites, strap mark and bruises of the frontal dental ridge due to forced feeding of a crying baby.
- An injury that could not have been sell inflicted.
- Multiple old and new sign of traumas
- Obvious fear of a parent
- Retinal hemorrhage, mean shocking of they are present without a skill fracture or scalp bruises.
In conclusion, this section as reviewed work on the various pattern by which errand children can be abused both at home i.e. by parents which lead some of these children to the work they are engaging in and how they can be abuse by those who employ them to pay for the services rendered since it still involve adult child relationship. The review has been done under various pattern of physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and others
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