Title: School Attendance and Menace of Street Children in Central Division Kasese Municipality in Uganda
Authors: Kiribyunza Selevano, Rutaro Abas
Volume: 9
Issue: 5
Pages: 64-81
Publication Date: 2025/05/28
Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to establish the relationship between school attendance and menace of street children in Central Division of Kasese Municipality, specifically focusing on: establishing the relationship between school attendance and Changing Family Structure; Single Parent families; Child abuse and neglect in Central Division of Kasese Municipality. A descriptive research design where pragmatic sequential mixed methods were applied. The population was 5612 respondents while sample size of respondents was 360 selected from the population using Krejice and Morgan (1970), comprising of household heads in the Central Division of Kasese Municipality. Results showed that there is a moderate positive relationship between school attendance and child abuse and neglect this was evidenced by a correlation coefficient(r) of 0.643 that is statistically significant since the p value (0.000) < 0.01.; Results further showed that there is a moderate positive relationship between school attendance and Single Parent families as evidenced by a correlation coefficient(r) of 0.448 that is statistically significant since the p value (0.000) < 0.01.; and Results further showed that there is a strong positive relationship between school attendance and Changing Family Structure as evidenced by a correlation coefficient(r) of 0.556 that is statistically significant since the p value (0.000) < 0.01. The study concludes that there is significant positive relationship between school attendance and menace of street children in Central Division of Kasese Municipality. Recommendations: Careful measures should be taken with regard to children allowing separation or divorce because any of the two should not be allowed except making sure that one of the parents or institutional care would protect children; Severe penalties should be reconsidered for parents who expose their children to risk and vulnerability through full application of the provisions of child law.