CHILD ABUSE EDUCATION FOR TEACHERS: CHANGING THE NARRATIVE AT THE BASIC LEVEL OF EDUCATION IN OSUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined whether teachers were educated on child abuse at pre-service stage or there were inservice trainings to make up for such in Osun State. It also determined whether there is a need for the inclusion of child abuse education as a course in the teacher education curriculum. The study employed survey research design. Ninety-six basic school levels teachers of Osun State were randomly selected as population sample for the study. The results showed that teachers were not educated on child abuse at preservice and in-service stages as reported by 96.8% and 92.7% of the sampled population, with mean value(x=1.2 and 1.25 respectively).There were also no courses specifically on child abuse in the curriculum of the teacher education as reported by 97.9%(x=1.18). Meanwhile,93.7% (x= 3.64)agreed that the knowledge teachers have on child abuse was through other channels and 98% (x=3.55) stated that such knowledge was inadequate in handling abuse cases. All the sampled population (100%, x=3.85) agreed that there is a need for the inclusion of child abuse as a course of study in teacher education curriculum in Nigeria. The study concluded, that teachers were not trained on child abuse at preservice and in-service stages of their training and there is no course on child abuse education in teacher training curriculum. The study then recommended the inclusion of child abuse education into the teacher education curriculum in Nigerian and in-service training programme on child abuse for teachers in the service.