Effects of Child Abuse on the Academic Performance of Primary School Learners in the Manzini Region, Swaziland

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of child abuse on the academic performance of primary
school learners in the Manzini Region of Swaziland. The study was qualitative in nature and utilised the
phenomenological research design. The target population were the abused learners from the Manzini primary schools.
Data were collected from 15 abused learners and their class teachers in four schools. The critical case purposive
sampling method was used to select these schools. Thus, only those schools that had abused learners were
selected.Semi-structured interviews focus group discussion and document analysis were used to collect data. The
findings showed that a majority of the abused learners underperformed as a result of abuse andbecame suspiciousof
every person around them and this had a negative bearing to their academic performance. Some became antisocial
and adopted a misdirected rancorous attitude to everyone around them. Thus in the main, the study concludes that
child abuse affects the academic performance of learners at primary school level. Based on the findings, the study
recommends that the stakeholders; parents, school administrators and teachers included, should work hand-in-hand in
handling abused learners in order to help them overcome their challenges and improve theiracademic performance and
social life. In addition to that, the relevant ministries (Police, Child and Social Welfare and the Ministry of Education
and Training) should assist in curbing child abuse at grassroots level.