Examination of Child Protection Practices in Primary Schools: A Case of Selected Primary Schools in Mzuzu City in the Northern Education Division of Malawi

Abstract

This study is about an examination of the child protection practices applied in primary schools. It draws from the scholarly arguments that children must be protected from all forms of violence, abuse and any form of maltreatment. The study adopted a qualitative research approach, a constructivism paradigm and it was guided by the grounded theory. Data was collected through document review, one to one interview of key respondents and focus group discussions. Thematic analysis and content analysis are the methods that were used to analyze the collected data. The study was conducted in four primary schools within Mzuzu City, in the Northern Education Division. Participants included headteachers, class teachers, learners, lead teacher for child protection and some members from Mother Group committee. The study found out that primary schools do not have a unified child protection policy to function as a standardized guide in safeguarding children enrolled in their school. Nonetheless, each school uses its own initiatives to protect their learners from various forms of violence and abuse which eventually may affect their academic life. These include counseling of learners and teachers, meeting parents, provision of punishment to the perpetrators of school based violence, increased security within and around the school, and involvement of Mother Group. Assessment of these child protection practices revealed that these practices are partially effective as their outcomes do not guarantee that learners are completely safeguarded from school based violence, or from home based violence and abuses. The study found out that some factors that limit the effectiveness of the practices include inadequate training for teachers, poor collaboration from some parents, and lack of skills for the Key stakeholders participating in child protection and financial constraints. Most primary schools are not yet organized, they do not have established strategies and procedures on how to respond to safeguarding issues for the learners. In most primary schools teachers have not yet received any training on child protection. Consequently, much as they strive to safeguard learners through the child protection practices stipulated above, teachers lack expertise. There is need therefore to improve the child protection situation of primary school children. Teachers as well as key stakeholders for child protection, must be empowered through trainings and provision of necessary resources.