THE IMPACT OF DIVORCE ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF PRIMARY SCHOOL LEARNERS IN NYAZURA CLUSTER IN MANICALAND PROVINCE

Abstract

In this study I set out to investigate the impact of divorce on the academic performance of primary school learners in Nyazura cluster in Manicaland province. I employed the qualitative research paradigm. The major areas of research were the positive effects of divorce on the learner`s academic performance, the negative effects of divorce on the learner`s academic performance and how divorce learning related challenges can be overcome. I used questionnaires and interviews as research instruments for the study. I administered questionnaires to teachers and administrators. To gather data from learners I conducted focus group interviews and to solicit for information from parents I employed interviews. The major findings of the study were that divorce has negative effects on the academic performance of a learner resulting in reduced scores in tests and examinations. In the study I also established that learners get psychologically affected by divorce thereby resulting in emotional instability among learners. Other findings were that divorce leaves leaners insecure and engaging in bad behaviour. However I also established in the research that counselling learners and parents, forming support groups, community initiation of community based projects and establishment of laws that make divorce difficult were ways of overcoming divorce learning challenges. Recommendations after the study were that teachers and school administrators should educate parents of the negative effects of divorce on learners and that they should both provide emotional and financial support to their children and avoid soliciting for the child to take side with either parent. Other recommendations were that schools should build child friendly schools that have child protection committees whose mandate is to offer school based guidance and counselling to learners. Furthermore schools should also invite role models to give motivational speeches to learners, design policies that allow divorcees to pay fees in the form of labour and help learners form support groups where they share their problems and discuss how to overcome them. On the part of communities community leaders to advocate and initiate self-sustenance community based projects for low income parents in order to support their children, help divorcees form support groups where they share their problems and discuss how to overcome them initiate feeding programs termed (zunde ramambo grannery) where grains are collected and kept for distribution to needy children. Finally government should also play a role by setting up an education assistance fund for learners from divorced families and employing social workers to be assigned to a cluster of schools were they help learners and parents from divorced families go through their challenges.