Child abuse and neglect is known as a
major public health problem diminishing the health and wellbeing of a child and
an adolescent across the world. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
uses the term child maltreatment in a general concept that includes “abuse”,
and “neglect” even though the terms “maltreatment and abuse” are mutually used
in the literature. According to CDC (2008) this is defined as any act or
series of acts of commission1 or omission by a parent2 or other caregiver that
results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child (Leeb, Paulozzi, Melanson,
Simon, & Arias, 2008). Furthermore, World Health Organization defines “Child Abuse
and Neglect” as ‘Every kind of physical, sexual, emotional abuse,
neglect or negligent treatment, commercial or other exploitation resulting in
actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development, or
dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power. Several
studies have shown that children who have been abused or neglected tend to show
signs of developmental issues, impaired cognition, eating and sleeping disorders,
poor academic performance, poor relationship, PTSD, depression, suicidal
behaviors and themselves may inherit the trait of abusiveness (Olatosi,
Ogordi, Oredugba, & Sote, 2018).
For over a century, according to the
Nigerian culture, children are perceived to be an instrument or property that
has no rights of its own. The belief states that children should be seen on occasions,
but not heard; they are not permitted to listen to the discussions of that of
an adult or make contributions to their conversation. Not only was the
situation prevalent in the Nigerian society, it continued its way into the
educational system of the country. Unfortunately, children were only authorized
to contribute in a class activity when the teacher deems it as necessary. The educational
curriculum in Nigeria is recognized as a means of establishing a free
democratic and equal community that is strong, united and independent with a
land full of opportunities and potentials for the citizens to grow and prosper (Umobong, 2015).
The African custom detects that the
parents are the solely responsible for training their child, and a member of
the community also has the right to discipline and correct a child who misbehaves
or acted in a wrong way. The parents are to teach their children in a suitable
and acceptable way according to the standard of the society. However, in recent
times, as a result of the introduction of nursery and pre-schools, parents
pushed the responsibilities such as directing, guiding, counselling and role
modeling to the academic institution; hence, contributing to the demands of the
curricular of the school. Children at the age of two years, who are supposed to
be at home to receive the warmth and nurture of a mother are enrolled into
schools. The school is therefore faced with managerial challenges on how to
manage the children and train them. This eventually leads to the lack of
provision of human rights for the children; children are further subjected to physical
abuse and neglection; emotional abuse from the teacher and other inhuman
treatments (Umobong, 2015).
Academic institutions go beyond gathering
children to enroll them for learning sessions; it is a way of addressing
behavioral problems among students. Schools are challenged with numerous acts
of misconduct from students. Although it has been argued by a lot of teachers
that punishment is an answer to misconduct, others tend to enact discipline
among the students. Therefore, teachers and academic administrators inflict corporal
punishments on students for several reasons. Pupils are beaten for receiving a
poor grade in an exam, for talking in the class etc. A considerable number of
teachers, administrative staff and parents have the belief that these punishments
are essential in the upbringing of a child; to teach the child a lesson or discourage
misbehaviors in the future(Yemi, 2018) .
According to a survey conducted by
UNICEF which focused on violence on children by caregivers or family members,
authority figures, peers and strangers, showed that over 60% of adults in
Nigeria agree with the method of physical punishment as an act of discipline
towards children to raise and educate them. 91% of children between the age of
2-14 years have experienced violent discipline such as psychological aggression/physical
punishment by a parent or a teacher. Over 30% of Nigerian children have been subjected
to severe case of physical punishment from hitting the child on the head, ear
or face to hitting the child with objects such as canes or sticks(UNICEF, 2014).
Another survey that studies eye injuries
caused from corporal punishments in Nigerian academic settings that involved
172 primary school teachers in Ilorin, Kwara state, Nigeria, indicates that 80%
of participants had witnessed students undergo punishments by the teachers with
a cane, 46% students were subjected to horse-whip and 30% were slapped by the
teacher’s hand; 61% of the students were flogged on their buttocks, while 49% of
them on their backs, 52% on the palms of the their hands, 20% on the head and
16% received beatings on their face (Mahmoud, Ayanniyi, &
Salman, 2011).
REFERENCES:
Leeb, R. T., Paulozzi,
L. J., Melanson, C., Simon, T. R., & Arias, I. (2008). CHILD
MALTREATMENT SURVEILLANCE Uniform Definitions for Public Health and Recommended
Data Elements Version 1.0.
Mahmoud, A. O.,
Ayanniyi, A. A., & Salman, M. F. (2011). Observations of teachers in
llorin, Nigeria on their practices of corporal punishment that are potentially
injurious to their pupils eyes. Annals of African Medicine, 10(2),
150–154. https://doi.org/10.4103/1596-3519.82075
Olatosi, O. O., Ogordi,
P. U., Oredugba, F. A., & Sote, E. O. (2018). Experience and knowledge of
child abuse and neglect: A survey among a group of resident doctors in Nigeria.
The Nigerian Postgraduate Medical Journal, 25(4), 225–233.
https://doi.org/10.4103/npmj.npmj_92_18
Umobong, M. E. (2015). CHILD
ABUSE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE EDUCATIONAL SECTOR IN NIGERIA.
UNICEF. (2014). HIDDEN
IN PLAIN SIGHT A statistical analysis of violence against children. New
York, NY.
Yemi, F. (2018). Journal
of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN (Vol. 9). Retrieved from
Online website: www.iiste.org
