Impacts of domestic violence against women on students’ academic performance as perceived by primary school teachers in Nigeria

Abstract

Domestic violence is a gender based violence in which women are often the target of the aggressive and/or oppressive behaviour from their spouses. Unfortunately, children are known to be the victims of the negative consequential effects of this abnormal behaviour with possible maladjustment that may become observable in their academic performance among others. Therefore, this study investigated primary school teachers’ perception on the impacts of domestic violence against women on academic performance of students. One research questions were generated to guide the study; three hypotheses were stated and tested. A researcher-designed questionnaire titled “Impacts of Domestic Violence against Women on Academic Performance of Students Questionnaire” was administered to three hundred (300) school teachers randomly selected from primary schools in Osun State. Simple percentage, mean, t-test and ANOVA statistical analysis were used to analyze data collected. Where the results of ANOVA showed a significant difference, Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) statistics was used to determine the group(s) that contributed to the significant difference. The findings showed that most respondents agreed to the statement that most students from violence-prone family exhibited poor concentration in the class; there is no significant difference in perception of primary school teachers on the impact of domestic violence against women on academic performance of students on the basis of gender and qualification; while there is significant difference on the perception of primary school teachers on the impact of domestic violence against women on academic performance of students. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that Government should create Counselling centers in the communities to provide marriage counselling to spouses; while School authorities should also see to the establishment of Counselling Units in primary schools to cater for emotional challenges of students.