Relationship between Sexual Abuse and Academic Achievement among Students in Public Secondary Schools in Bungoma East Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish the relationship between sexual abuse and academic achievement among students in public secondary schools in Bungoma East sub-county, Kenya. The issue of concern was15 men appearing in court for sexual abuse (Republic of Kenya, 2012)and low K.C.S.E mean scores in the sub county since 2008(DEO,2009). The study's specific objective was to find out the relationship between sexual abuse and academic achievement among students in public secondary schools in Bungoma East sub-county, Kenya. Its hypothesis on the other hand was "there is no significant relationship between sexual abuse and academic achievement among students in public secondary schools in Bungoma East sub-county. The study did adopt a theoretical framework based on the Bowen Family Systems Theory. A correlation research design used on the study population from 40 public secondary schools did comprise 3493 Form 3 students, 1 Sub County Education Officer and 40 Heads of Department Guidance and Counseling (HOD's G/C). Purposive Sampling technique was used to obtain a sample size of 1Sub-county Education Officer and 13 HOD's G/C from 13 public secondary schools. Questionnaires did obtain data from  HOD's G/C while   focused group discussion was used to obtain data from Form 3 classes. Quantitative data from the questionnaires was analyzed using descriptive statistics (percentages, frequencies and means) and inferential statistics (t-test and Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient). Qualitative data from focused group discussion guides were received in verbatim then organized into sub-themes on relationship between sexual abuse and academic achievement. Analyzed data was presented using tables. The study's findings indicate a strong but not significant relationship between sexual abuse and academic achievement among students. Recommendation given was that families and schools should avoid being compromised hence report all cases of sexual abuse.