THE ROLE OF MINISTRY OF EDUCATION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CHILD ABUSE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN EDO COLLEGE.
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THE ROLE OF MINISTRY OF EDUCATION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CHILD ABUSE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN EDO COLLEGE
CHAPITER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Despite the fact that many countries around the world have laws and constitutions that recognise and, to some extent, safeguard children’s rights, child abuse and neglect are quickly spreading throughout today’s world cultures.
Child abuse has the potential to significantly affect Nigerian schools, students, and the economy. According to even the most conservative estimates, 17% of children in the United States are physically abused, and 18% are physically neglected before the age of 18 (Flisher, Kramer, Hoven, & Greenwald, 2007).
Students’ academic progress might be hampered by childhood abuse and bad parenting habits in general. The ability of schools to achieve the goals set forth in the No Child Left Behind Act (US Department of Education, 2005) could thus be compromised, putting them in risk of losing federal funding.
Due to its effect on middle and high school achievement, it may also be detrimental to students’ economic outcomes as adults. Child abuse is defined as “deliberate and unintentional acts that adversely affect the child’s physical, mental, emotional, moral, and educational welfare”
by the African network for the prevention and protection of child abuse and neglect (ANPPCAN). Hopper (2004) defined child abuse as any maltreatment or subjugation that endangers a child’s physical, emotional, or mental development.
According to Gelles (2007), in addition to physical violence, child abuse also encompasses malnourishment, abandonment, neglect, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse.
In Nigeria, common kinds of child abuse include child labour, teenage prostitution, early marriage, forced marriage, and child abuse. In Nigeria, both emotional and sexual abuse are pervasive. 625,024 children had been born to teenage mothers in Nigeria at the time of the study, according to Oji (2006).
Unwanted pregnancies have been identified as a significant contributor to child abuse in Nigeria. Many abused children were never wanted to begin with and ended up being a huge burden on their emotionally incapable or impoverished parents.
Todd (2004) suggested that Nigeria, a famously corrupt African nation, is on the edge of slipping into deadly poverty, with its teeming people lacking sufficient food for a healthy lifestyle.
Low-income families are more likely to abuse their children. Oluwole (2002) expressed a similar sadness while looking at the circumstances of children who work as housemaids.
The UN’s objective of reaching universal primary education by 2015 has been delayed since child abuse is one of the biggest obstacles to achieving education for all (EFA). According to Onye (2004), child abuse is an indication of poverty.
Aderinto and Okunola (2008) discovered that some children were compelled to work as street hawkers in order to provide for their families. That implies that children are the primary provider for their different families, even at an early age.
When they should be in class learning in the schools in Nigeria’s major parks and streets, children between the ages of 6 and 16 are commonly observed hawking products,
pushing trucks for money, or asking for money. All of this illustrates how kids are especially susceptible to illnesses, exploitation, abuse, and violence.
Although child abuse has a significant potential impact, there is frequently insufficient evidence to support its causal influence on children’s long-term educational outcomes.
There is now only weak support for a connection between childhood maltreatment—physical, sexual, or emotional abuse—and academic achievement.
Children who have experienced abuse typically obtain lower marks, have lower teacher evaluations, perform worse on cognition tests and standardised academic achievement tests, are suspended from school more frequently, and are retained in grade. The development of new friendships with peers and adults as well as adhering to social norms are more difficult for abused youngsters.
The primary goals of the Ministry of Education are to enhance student performance and reduce barriers to learning. Millions of dollars are annually permitted for this purpose under Public Law 94/142. Every child’s right to get a specialised education is protected by this education law.
This law shows our dedication to removing obstacles to learning for all kids. However, child abuse and neglect’s long-term effects are just as much of a learning obstacle as any perceptual problem. Educators are trained to recognise and act when kids are unable to fully benefit from their educational possibilities.
Because of their training, they are uniquely able to spot signs that might point to child abuse. The only place where kids are routinely watched is at school. The ministry of education will therefore have the chance to see how their appearance and demeanour have changed.
1. 2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The school system is prone to being impacted by child abuse, yet it has a lot of control over the situation. Nigeria has long struggled with the issue of child abuse, which has only gotten worse for the country as a whole. It cannot be stressed that child abuse in Edo State has a long history, going back to the beginning of the country of Nigeria.
Due to mistreatment of students sitting their National Examination Council (NECO) final exams, the government has suspended Edo College’s principal and house master.
Among other things, child abuse includes teenage prostitution, early marriage, forced marriage, child labour, child abandonment, and neglect.
The bulk of the time, parental neglect is the root cause of all of these social abuse manifestations. Observation has shown that the purpose of education is likely to be lost if kids are often subjected to the rigours of child labour, even though school, as a socialisation agent, promises to have a powerful and overwhelming impact on a kid’s growth.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The following are the study’s goals:
The Ministry of Education’s contribution to the battle against child abuse in secondary schools should be evaluated.
To look at the tactics the Ministry of Education uses in secondary schools to combat child abuse.
To determine if there has been a decrease in child abuse in secondary schools.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
This study is guided by the following research questions:
What essential part does the Ministry of Education play in the fight against child abuse in secondary schools?
What tactics is the Ministry of Education employing to combat child abuse in secondary schools?
Has there been a decrease in child abuse in secondary schools?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The results of this study are important because they will improve understanding of the issues surrounding child abuse among the ministry of education, parents, guardians, teachers, school administrators, and all other stakeholders in the educational system.
Such knowledge could prevent further child exploitation, especially when the youngster is used as a source of revenue for the family.
Hawking clearly exposes kids to a range of social vices, therefore the study’s aim to develop a paradigm for socially responsible child rearing justifies its existence.
This study will add to the body of knowledge in this area and be a useful tool for academics, researchers, and students who may want to do further study on this or a related subject in the future.
1.6 SCOPE OF STUDY
The primary goal of this study is to better understand how the Ministry of Education combats child abuse in secondary schools. The study will also look at whether the Ministry of Education has a significant impact on the fight against child abuse in secondary schools,
the tactics the Ministry of Education employs in that fight, and whether or not there has been a decline in that abuse. Thus, the scope of this study is restricted to Edo College in the Edo State.
1.7 LIMITATIONS
The difficulties the researchers had while conducting the study were related to finances, poor supplies, and time constraints.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Child abuse is when a person puts a child in danger of serious harm by intentionally inflicting physical harm, causing death, causing emotional harm, or neglecting to act at all.
The Federal Ministry of Education is one of the Federal Ministries of Nigeria and is responsible for overseeing education in that country.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
This chapter’s main goal is to critically review pertinent material that can be used to describe the research topic and to acknowledge the contributions made by academics who have previously made significant contributions to work along similar lines. The chapter seeks to fill in identified gaps and increase comprehension of the study.
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