THE IMPACT OF CHILD ABUSE ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS: THE CASE OF SCHOOLS IN KAMPALA CENTRAL DIVISION, KAMPALA DISTRICT - UGANDA

ABSTRACT

The study assessed the causes of Girl Child Drop Out in Schools: A Case Study of Kihihi Sub

County, Kanungu District Uganda for the period of three months; that is from March to May,

2013. The objectives of the study included: To determine the major causes of child abuse of

students in schools, determine how child abuse affects the academic performance of students and

to suggest measures on how child abuse can be solved among students in secondary schools. The

study obtained information from Directors, Head Teachers, Teachers, Students and

Parents/Community Members both male and female in the schools. The schools were selected on

the basis of ease, accessibility by the researcher to the institutions easing the task of data

collection.

The researcher used questionnaires that were developed from the research objectives, pretesting

with a few hand to different teachers from each school that were also picked randomly. The

respondents were familiar with the researcher and all the questions were filled and collected

without any difficulty as most of the schools were easily accessible.

The research employed Descriptive research approach where simple random sampling technique

was used to get the sample size which required collecting information through questionnaire,

interviews and a total sample size of 188 informants was interviewed. This size was more

preferable due to time limit, the resources available to carry out the research and it was also used

to ensure accuracy in data collection and data was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively in

form of~ tables and conclusion were drawn at the end.

The major findings of the study was that up to 85% of the respondents revealed that there existed

a mutual impact between child abuse and academic performance and it was revealed that unless

child abuse is reduced and prevented among the school going students, then with academic

performance of the students will continue to deteriorate in schools

Recommendations were that the government should take full interest and control of what goes on

in school and the society through increasing the phases of inspections. In conclusion, therefore,

According to the findings presented in the fourth chapter, child abuse has far reached negative

effects even long after the abuse this is clear from the bad class positions of the students who had

experienced any form of abuse or the ones who are still experiencing abuse currently.