Effects of Child Abuse on Students’ Education in Public Secondary Schools in Arusha District, Tanzania

Getrude Tillya
Olmotonyi Forest Secondary School, Arusha
tillyagetrude7@gmail.com

Paul Raphael Kitula
Saint Augustine University of Tanzania
kitula07@gmail.com

Abstract: The study aimed to investigate the effects of child abuse on students’ education in public secondary schools in Arusha District. The research objectives were to identify the causes of child abuse and examine measures to mitigate these abuses. Childhood Theory and convergent design under a mixed methods approach involving both qualitative and quantitative methods was adopted. The study targeted 835 teachers, 19,630 students and all the 150 parents. Data was collected from 81 teachers, 54 students, and 15 parents across 9 schools using questionnaires and interview guide. Validity was established through expert judgment whereas split half method was used to estimate the reliability of the quantitative tools used for data collection; for QT, r = 0.92and QS, r=0.87. The reliability of qualitative data collection instruments was ensured through triangulation techniques. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze quantitative data in the SPSS version 26.0 and results were presented in tables while qualitative data were analyzed thematically alongside the research questions and presented in narrative forms. The study found that lack of parental involvement, poverty, inadequate teacher training and cultural norms significantly contribute to child abuse. Effective measures identified included comprehensive training for school staff, clear reporting protocols, counseling services, and increased parental involvement. The study concludes that addressing the identified causes and implementing the recommended measures can significantly reduce the impact of child abuse on students’ education in Arusha District.