The Effects Of Divorce on Children’s Academic Performance

Effects Of Divorce on Children’s Academic Performance – A case study on Oreinta Primary School Etiti Edda In Afikpo South, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

                Divorce is a legal termination of valid marriage. If a marriage is not valid when contracted, there cannot be a divorce because there cannot be a divorce because there was not really a marriage. Martial unhappiness is only as a result of the various factors that predispose martial instability. Marital conflict is inevitable in any society as long as husband and wife are different individuals and their actions are important to each other. With such view divorce is a mechanism for dealing with the pressure and problem inevitably caused by marriage because without marriage there would be no divorce.

                The negative effects of parental divorce upon children depend upon factors, including the age and sex of the child at the time, it occurs, the amount of conflict within the family unity, and the degree of co-operation between the divorced or separated parents. Each of these factors, alone or interaction with each other influences the psychological health of the child and the ability of the child to do well at school.    

   

                The manner by which parents, interact with each other, both begin and after the divorce, may have a far reaching impact on the child than the actual divorce itself. Indeed, it is often difficult to separate the effects of divorce from the effects of a conflictual family relationship in this manner, the negative effects of divorce may stem from per-existing differences in the family unit, prior to the divorce itself, and these negative effects may be more related to the emotional separation that precedes the legal divorce.

                In general, children who have recently experienced a family dissolution have a more difficult time with education and academic expectations at school than children from a stable family or “happy family”. This is visible in the children’s ability to adjust to the reality of their parents’ divorce, most circumstances, children of divorce homes, are only disposed to the negative effect of their current family situation such children show resilience in adjusting to the effects of parental divorce. Indeed, children who thrive of their current family situation such children show resilience in adjusting to the effects of parental divorce. Indeed, children who thrive well in family dissolution are more likely to live in homes characterized by other family members support.

                Therefore, children do better when parents provide consistent coordinated and understanding qualities in which they monitor their children and provide them with love, kindness and guidance such situation requires a problem-solving approach in which the separated parents deny their children, as a result of parental disagreement.

                Despite such resilience, many children of divorced parentage experience intense, long term effects that the impact show negative upon their school performance, and a few children carry this long lasting effects into their own adulthood, this in turn seriously impair their ability to develop and maintain a long-lasting social and mutual relationship.     

      

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The study is intended to investigate among others why, with all the abundant food and material resources, within Etiti community in Ebonyi State, parent end age themselves and divorce which has negative effects on the child academic performance.

                Children from separated homes are more likely to exhibit signs of early disengagement from school, and also associated with it, is the truancy and more negative attitudes towards school.

                Children from separated homes report lower educational performance, as a result of less monitoring of school work by both parents.

                Despite the effect it has on the children academic achievement, it also strains the couple’s relationship with other members of the family and the church.    

 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

                To solve the research problem and achieve the objective of the questions will be addressed.

a.            In what way are children divorce family affected.

b.            What are the effects of divorce on children academic performance?

c.             What are the best strategies or solutions to adopt to reduce the effect or divorce on children academic performance? 

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The following are the specific objectives of this research.

a.            To examine the cause of divorce

b.            To examine the extent to which divorce affected children, and effect on children academic performance?

c.             Identifying the strategy to reduce the effect of divorce of children academic performance.  

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study is very timely, especially today that hands are on--- to reduce of the divorce in the county.

                The study will be of immense benefit to both the public and private individuals who are greatly convinced about the rate of increase in divorce in Ebonyi State with reference to Etiti which us in Afikpo South.

                It would be of great help to the public to know how they can render to the affected children of divorce homes.

                It would help the government to know the impact of divorce on children and service that should be provided to help these children in solving their problems.

                Lastly, the study will help to educate the children of the divorce parents about the need for them to report their problem to other family members and social welfare officers for assistance instead of indulging in anti-social behaviour.    

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

Marriage: It is a legal valid, traditional or the normal procedure of relationship which binds the husband and wife.

Social welfare service: A system that is organized by the government to help people who have financial problem by given advice or assistance.

Psychological: Having to do with the mind and emotions of the individual.

Family: A group that consist mainly of the father, mother and children.

AREA OF STUDY

This study is carried out in Orienta primary school Etiti Edd in Afikpo South Ebonyi State.

Orienta is located in the tropical---- zone with the average daily temperature of about 27-28c, relative humanity of 70-80 percent, and annual rainfall 1,720-200m. The two main climatic season are the raining season, lasting from April to October, and the dry season which is between November and March.

                Orienta primary school is cultivated Ezi Edda among --- Iuguzu road and it is in Etiti community in Afikpo South Ebonyi State. Orienta shares common boundary with Etiti secondary school, Ndeaba and hospital  Etiti Edda. 

                The cover of the school uniform is white and blue. The school is made up of nine hundred and eighty one (981) students, from various parts of the villages. It has twenty three (23) classes and thirty seven teachers. This consists of 14 men and 23 women.