Emerging issues on child abuse: voices of student teachers

Abstract

This study sought to find out issues emerging from student teachers pertaining to how they conceptualise child abuse. The study was premised on the qualitative design methodology. It was conducted when participants were now in the University after completing their teaching practice in the schools. The main data collecting tool was through the essays they wrote in connection with what they had observed in schools pertaining to their concept of child abuse. Their focus was on child abuse by qualified teachers. Since they were now away from their teachers, it was assumed that they would write all their observations without fear hence increasing reliability and validity of data collected. Data were analysed using content analysis. Student teachers conceptualize child abuse as the ill–treatment of pupils by teachers which was in the form of sexuality, physical nature, emotional form and making pupils do domestic activities for teachers that are not the core business of the school curriculum during school time. It was concluded and recommended that pupils must be made aware of the issues regarding child abuse and their rights within this domain.