Domestic violence and its influence on pupils’ academic performance and school participation: a case study of Kiandutu slum – Thika Municipality, Kenya

Abstract

Domestic violence is a paradox because it occurs in the family, a place where people are expected to maintain intimacy and experience greater emotional support in their relationships. It is ironical therefore, that this very supportive social unit is also the arena where violence is experienced especially in urban slums with untold suffering to the partners involved and also on their children. Children who witness violence between their parents face increased risk for such emotional and behavioural problems as anxiety, depression, poor academic performance, low self-esteem, disobedience, nightmares and physical health complaints all of which may be associated with academic performance and school participation. This research aimed at analyzing domestic violence and its influence on pupils’ academic performance and participation in schools in Kiandutu slum of Thika Municipality. The study used cross-sectional survey on the targeted population, which was made of households living in Kiandutu slum with children going to the local primary schools. It explored cases and types of domestic violence and how they relate to academic performance and participation of pupils in school. The target population comprised of about 700 households from which 80 households were sampled using simple random sampling technique. The study used two sets of tool for data collection: household questionnaire and pupil school participation profile (PSPP). The data was collected in two phases. Phase I involved questionnaire administration at the household level while phase II involved administration of another set of questionnaire to the class- teachers in the primary schools attended by the 154 pupils in the selected households in phase I. Descriptive statistics of mean, standard deviation, frequencies and coefficient of variation as well as tables and charts were used to summarize the data. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson product moment correlation coefficient (¡), Chi-square ($²), and student t-test were used at 5% level of significance to test the hypotheses. The study revealed that domestic violence affects pupil’s academic performance and school participation. It also revealed prevalence of all the forms and extent of domestic violence investigated in this study. This study recommends that different education sector stakeholders should address domestic violence as a social vice in order to improve academic performance and school participation of children coming from the slum areas. Education policy makers, school administrators, teachers, local administrators, social workers and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) should formulate strategies for addressing the ills of domestic violence and encourage ocially inclusive intervention mechanisms within the slum areas. The legislative framework should incorporate protective laws against domestic violence and school participation, basic education rights and regulations. This study also recommends further research in order to investigate the predisposing factors that may exacerbate the influence of domestic violence on pupil’s academic performance and school participation in the slum areas.