Effects of child abuse on enrollment in primary school in North Kabuoch zone, Homa bay county

Abstract

Child abuse has been a major threat affecting the education sector country wide among other issues such as HIV/AIDS. In the recent past a large number of children have dropped out of school due to molestation either by their parent or by their guardians, and are forced to remain behind working and tilling their farms as others attend school. It is never alarming that this has to be the norm in most cases, child absenteeism or total unenrolment to any school becomes the order of the day as these same children expected to be in school are maybe and in most cases the head of their families after having been left behind and are therefore forced to take care of their siblings and disabled parent(s). Although this issue affects all parts in the country, this research narrows down to cover an area felt to have been badly affected just to find out how child abuse has been a rampant issue affecting education country wide. Child abuse is becoming an increasing problem in North Kabuoch. A number of studies carried out in the country shows that almost every Kenyan youngster at one time or another experienced child abuse. The major cause of concern is that a significant proportion of these young people eventually drop out of school and decline in performance, stress, change in attitude posing a threat to their own health and future, while creating difficulties for their families and public at large. This study sought to establish the current causes and effects of child abuse in North Kabuoch and to analyze the strategies used to address and solve the problem. The findings are going to be beneficial to both the area selected and will also be applied country wide to solve the issue of child abuse in school enrolment, other issues affecting the education sector arising from this study will and might also be solved by the use of this research findings when found effective. The field survey method was adopted to collect quantitative and qualitative data, using questionnaire and interviews. A variety of factors contribute to child abuse with the majority of children citing poverty, ignorance and illiteracy as the main cause. Both the school administrators and teachers face a number of challenges in attempting to curb this vice in schools.