Effect of child abuse on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Rwanda

Abstract

The improvement of students’ academic performance can be affected by various factors including factors including getting abused. The child abuse has taken as a high-risk factor that can significantly affect the level of students’ academic performance. The purpose of this paper therefore, was to identify the effect of child abuse on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Kicukiro district in Rwanda. The target population included 418 respondents that provided the sample size of 204 got using Yamane formula. Interview guide and questionnaire were used as data collection instruments. Correlation research design was employed. The findings revealed that sexual harassment, getting heavy work and heavy punishment to a child are considered to be one of the factors associated to abusing children. It was established that these factors associated with children reduce the level of students’ academic performance in public secondary schools of Kicukiro district in Rwanda like students’ grade and promotion rates. This study also established that child abuse can affect the level of students’ academic performance at 7.9% and the remaining 92.1% could be explained by other factors. The paper revealed there is a statistically significant negative relationship between child abuse and students’ academic performance where the Karl Pearson coefficient of Correlation (r) = -0.137 was obtained. This implied that abusing children in secondary schools affect their academic performance negatively. This paper recommended that Ministry of Education should make policy that strengthens the children right at school and outside in order fight against child abuse.  Educational planners should make effective set up that should enhance students' academic performance so as to reduce the level of child abuse in public secondary schools in Rwanda.  The study also recommended that school head teachers should follow up the implementation of rules and regulations so that students' academic performance can be improved and make sure that students are treated well at home and at school without being more stressed. The parents need to encourage their children to perform effectively so as to improve their academic performance.

Keywords: Child abuse, academic performance, abuse, heavy punishment and secondary schools