Effects of Child Abuse on the Academic Performance of Primary School Learners in the Manzini Region, Swaziland

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of child abuse on the academic performance of primaryschool learners in the Manzini Region of Swaziland. The study was qualitative in nature and utilised thephenomenological research design. The target population were the abused learners from the Manzini primary schools.Data were collected from 15 abused learners and their class teachers in four schools. The critical case purposivesampling method was used to select these schools. Thus, only those schools that had abused learners wereselected.Semi-structured interviews focus group discussion and document analysis were used to collect data. Thefindings showed that a majority of the abused learners underperformed as a result of abuse andbecame suspiciousofevery person around them and this had a negative bearing to their academic performance. Some became antisocialand adopted a misdirected rancorous attitude to everyone around them. Thus in the main, the study concludes thatchild abuse affects the academic performance of learners at primary school level. Based on the findings, the studyrecommends that the stakeholders; parents, school administrators and teachers included, should work hand-in-hand inhandling abused learners in order to help them overcome their challenges and improve theiracademic performance andsocial life. In addition to that, the relevant ministries (Police, Child and Social Welfare and the Ministry of Educationand Training) should assist in curbing child abuse at grassroots level.