PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF ARMED CONFLICTS ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NORTHERN UGANDA A CASE OF PADER DISTRICT

TABLE OF CONTENT

DECLARATION

DEDICATION

APPROVAL

ACKNOWELEDGMENT iv

ABSTRACT

ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATION ix

CHAPTERONE 1

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 1

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT 4

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 4

1.3.1 General Objective 4

1.3.1 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 4

1.4. RESEARCH QUESTION 5

1.5. SCOPE OF THE STUDY 5

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 6

1.7 LIMITATION 6

1.8 CONCEPTUAL FRAME WORK 7

CHAPTER TWO 8

LITERATURE REVIEW 8

2.0 INTRODUCTION 8

2.1 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE (TASIKISTAN) 8

2.2 BACKGROUND OF THE WAR/CONFLICT 12

2.3 FAMILY ENVIRONMENT 13

2.4 SHELTER FOR SECURITY 14

2.4.0 CULTURAL SOCIALIZATION 14

2.4.1 FAMILY BREAKDOWN 15

2.4.2 BASIC HEALTH AND WELFARE 15

2.4.3 HIV/AIDS 16

FOOD AND NUTRITION 16

PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING 16

2.5.1 CHILD LABOUR .18

2.5.1 ABDUCTION OF CHILDREN

CHAPTER THREE 20

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 20

INTRODUCTION 20

3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN 20

3.2 AREA OF STUDY 20

3.3 POPULATION OF THE STUDY 20

3.4 SAMPLES 20

3.5.0 DATA COLLECTION METHODS 20

3.5.1 DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS 21

3.5.2 VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY 21

3.5.3 DATA ANALYSIS 21

3.6 LIMITATIONS 21

3.7 ETHICAL CONSIDERATION 21

CHAPTER FOUR 22

DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION 22

4.0 INTRODUCTION 22

4.1 Causes of poor performance of Children in armed conflict zone of Pader District 22

4.2 Psychological Impacts of armed Conflict on Academic performance in schools in Pader 24

4.3 Factor for increased poor academic performance of Children in armed conflict zone of Northern Uganda 26

4.3.0 The effect of Child soldering on academic performance in schools 27

4.3.1 The effect of Rape/Defilement on the Academic Performance of Children in schools in Pader district 27

4.3.2 The effects of Abduction on Academic Performance of children in schools in Pader 29

CHAPTER FIVE 37

DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECCOMENDATION 37

5.0 INTRODUCTION 37

5.1 DISCUSSION 38

5.3 SUGGESTIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS 42

5.4 CONCLUSION 43

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDICES 45

Appendix I 45

QUESTIONNAIRE 45

Questionnaire to Inspectors of schools 46

Questionnaires to Parents 48

Questionnaires to the Head teachers 50

Questionnaires to district Education Officers (DEO) 52

Questionnaires to teachers 54

Questionnaire to Learners 56

APPENDIX II 58

INTERVIEW GUIDE 58

LEARNERS 58

APPENDIX III 61

INTERVIEW GUIDE 61

Parents 61

Appendix IV 64

BUDGET PLAN 64

TIME FRAME/WORK PLAN 66

APPENDIX V 67

ABSTRACT 

In Summary the war in northern Uganda (West Nile, Acholi, Karamoja, Lango and Teso Sub regions) has greatly impacted on the lives of the people ofthese areas. The brutal killings, abduction, rape/defilement, maiming and all kinds of atrocities suffered by the unarmed and defenseless civilians at the hands of the rebels, left the population so distraught and traumatized. Survivors of the atrocities have deep seated psychological damages which are usually reflected even in the academic performance of school going section of the population. The above scenario is not only unique to northern Uganda. Countries such as Southern Sudan, Somalia, DRC, Tasikistan, and Iraq have experienced poor academic performance due to protracted wars. Armed conflicts generally result into lawlessness, total destruction of social services, infrastructures and above all else, psychological, Emotional, Intellectual and moral defects in society. In the case of northern Uganda, the researcher wanted to focus mainly on the Psychological effects of armed conflict on academic performance of young people at the level of primary and secondary education. Thus in order to come up with this research and the compiled report as well, he obtained an introduction letter from the University to enable him carry out the research. This letter was given to the District Education Officer of Pader District, Inspector of Schools in Pader, to respective Head-teachers of every school where data were obtained from. Thereafter, permission was granted to the researcher to go ahead with this research. The researcher managed to reach to Rackoko Primary School, Puranga Primary School, Rackoko Comprehensive Secondary School, Kilak Primary School, Agago Primary School, Army Primary School, Achol P11 Army Secondary School and Pader Girls Academy, parents from the nearby villages were also interviewed but that was after assuring them of the confidentiality of their view regarding the ideas they would give in regards t the research.