Table of Content

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………….3

1.0 Inception Report …………………………………………………………………………4

1.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………..5

1.2 Topic……………………………………………………………………………….5

1.3 Research Topic……………………………………………………………………5

1.4 Background……………………………………………………………………….5-12

1.5 Rational …………………………………………………………………………12

1.6 Research Hypothesis ………………………………………………………………13

1.7 Main Concepts …………………………………………………………………….13

1.8 Significance ………………………………………………………………………..14

1.9 Knowledge Transfer …………………………………………………………..14-15

1.10 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………..15

2.0 Literature Review ………………………………………………………………16

2.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………17

2.2 International ………………………………………………………17-22

2.3 Regional ……………………………………………………………23-25

2.4 Local ………………………………………………………………25-29

2.5 Conclusion……………………………………………………………29
CHILD POVERTY 2

3.0 Research Methodology…………………………………………………………………..30

3.1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………31

3.2 Research Design ……………………………………………………………….31-32

3.3 Population ……………………………………………………………………..32-33

3.4 Sampling Frame and Procedures……………………………………………33-35

3.5 Ethical Guidelines………………………………………………………………35

3.6 Instrumentation ……………………………………………………………….36

3.7 Reliability and Validity ………………………………………………………36-37

3.8 Data Collection and Analytical Procedures …………………………………37-39

3.9 Conceptual Framework …………………………………………………………39-42

3.10 Research Instrument …………………………………………………42-47

3.11 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………47

Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………….48

Appendix………………………………………………………………………………….49-50

i. Timeline

ii. Budget

Reference …………………………………………………………………………………52-55
CHILD POVERTY 3

Introduction

Child poverty is a vicious cycle that affects affects about 43% of the World’s children. As a
result of this, many are deprived of their basic need for human sustenance. This study recognizes
Child Poverty at three tiers; the international level with regions including Sub-Saharan Africa
and Canada, at a regional level which includes Latin America and the Caribbean and Locally;
Guyana. All three levels were compared to and contrasted in many distinct way but they all
shared the same felt recognition on the scourge of Child Poverty. Often times famished and
deprived of the right to an education; children are unable to cope; this can be seen in their poor
academic performance or their involvement in deviant behaviours with special focus on
Secondary School age children. To further emphasis; this study wishes to investigate the extent
to which poverty affects children’s performance in Secondary Schools. It is done on a
quantitative measure; with a sample size of about 50 Secondary School age children made for
generalization. It also provides insightful information that were extracted from reviewed
literature such as online articles and journals related to the research topic. The proposal in no
way wishes to demonstrate any measure of biases but rather to contribute to existing literature
therein.
CHILD POVERTY 4

Chapter I

Inception
Report
CHILD POVERTY 5

1.0 CHAPTER ONE: INCEPTION REPORT

1.1 Introduction

This section of the proposal entails the topic of which the research is to be based on.
Additionally, this chapter contains a background of the research topic with information taken
from existing literature and studies that were previously conducted, which will guide this
research. This chapter also consists of the study’s rationale, hypotheses, main concepts
significance and knowledge transfer.

1.2 Topic

Child poverty

1.3 Research topic

To what extent does poverty affect children’s performance in Secondary School?

1.4 Background
Internationally
People living in poverty are at a disadvantage environmentally, psychologically and
physically, which are factors greatly influencing the academic performance and career of
children living under these circumstances. Many studies have sought to explain the impact of
poverty on children’s academic performance and the factors that contribute to their performance
and behaviors. According to a Canadian research entitle “the impact of poverty on educational
outcomes for children” (Ferguson, H, Bovaird,S, &Mueller,M. 2007) confirms poverty’s
negative influence on students behavior, achievement and retention in school. Research from the
Ontario Child Health Study in the mid-1980s reported associations between low income and
psychiatric disorders, school and academic functioning and chronic physical health problems.
CHILD POVERTY 6

Measures have been put in place to alleviate the issues; however, the social issues still remains a
prevalent problem in many societies. The study posits that one of the major areas influenced by
family income is educational outcomes. The study explains a child’s home has a particularly
strong impact on school readiness, (which is a child’s ability to succeed both academically and
socially in a school environment, which requires physical well-being and appropriate motor
development, emotional health and a positive approach to new experiences, age-appropriate
social knowledge and competence, language skill, cognitive skills etc.) and children living in
poverty have lower levels of school readiness due to not receiving the stimulation and do not
learn the social skills required to prepare them for school. This may be as a result of issues
originated from their homes, for example, the parent(s) not having the knowledge and support,
or the changes of primary caregivers.

Canadian studies have also demonstrated the association between low-income

households and decreased school readiness. A report by Thomas (2006) concluded that children
from lower income households score significantly lower on measures of vocabulary and
communication skills, knowledge of numbers, copying and symbol use, and ability to
concentrate than children from higher income households. Other researchers have conducted
studies around this phenomenon with findings showing that affluent students have better
academic and social outcomes than those living in poverty. The largest effects were for
cognitive and school measures and then social and emotional measures (Ferguson, H, Bovaird,S,
&Mueller,M. 2007). Studies have shown that the characteristic the community where a child
lives is also a contributing factor to their performances and behaviors, living in poverty strict
communities and being exposed to criminal behavior within that community. Janus et al found
that schools with the largest proportion of children with low school readiness were from
neighborhoods of high social risk, including poverty (Ferguson, H, Bovaird,S, &Mueller,M.
2007).

Studies conducted in the United States have shown that socioeconomic disadvantage and
other risk factors that are associated with poverty (lower parental education and high family
stress) have a negative effect on cognitive development and academic achievement, smaller
CHILD POVERTY 7

effects on behavior and inconsistent effects on socio-emotional outcomes… (Ferguson, H,

Bovaird,S, &Mueller,M. 2007).
A Human Resource Development Canada study title “the cost of dropping out of high
school” reported that lower income students were more likely to leave school without
graduating. In a nonrandom sample for a qualitative study, Ferguson et al reported that one-half
of Ontario students leaving high school before graduating were raised in homes with annual
incomes lower than $30,000. Finally, in Canada, only 31% of youth from the bottom income
quartile attended post secondary education compared with 50.2% in the top income quartile.
This evidence indicates that students from low-income families are disadvantaged right through
the education system to post secondary training (Ferguson, H, Bovaird,S, &Mueller,M. 2007).

According to another study, done in the United States, between the University of
Michigan and the states, which posits the factors beyond school can influence a child’s
educational outcome. It highlights the severe traumas that children can face, including
homelessness, domestic violence, parental drug abuse, neglect and physical or sexual abuse
which may have severe impact on the child’s behaviors and cognition. Such trauma is
consistently linked to a broad variety of negative life circumstances including poverty, juvenile
delinquency, adult crime, low academic achievement, substance abuse, mental disorders and
poor health. ( Ryan et al 2018)

Children raised in poverty are faced daily with overwhelming challenges that affluent
children may not confront, their brains have adapted to sub-optimal conditions in ways that
undermine good school performance (Jensen 2010.). These children endure emotional and social
challenges, acute and chronic stressors, cognitive lags, health and safety issues, which makes it
extremely difficult for children living in poverty to achieve academic and social success
(Vale Richmond 2016). Living in poverty can also affect their interactions with each other and
external stimuli; how and why they prioritize things such as their academic performance.

According to the Chicago policy review; “the effects of low socioeconomic status will
CHILD POVERTY 8

persist long into adulthood even if their financial situation improves.” There is a relation
between the time a child spends in poverty (between birth and age nine) and the negative impact
poverty exerts in their physical and mental health in their teenage and early adult years (Vale
Richmond 2016). Additionally, the effects of poverty on behavior and academic performance
often entail a learned helplessness behavior because poor children think they are not in control
of their life.

Internationally Continued

Child poverty is a negative cycle that impacts many countries such as Sub-Sahara Africa,
India and China among other nations. Sub- Sahara Africa which includes countries such as
Liberia and Malawi among others accounts for the largest number of ‘two hundred and forty
seven million children deprived of their basic rights’ (UNICEF, 2015). It should be noted that
Sub-Sahara Africa is the most impoverished nation as well as children are the vulnerable group
susceptible to poverty than their adult counterparts across nations.

According to Agbor (2012) there are disparities among rural and urban school aged
children in Sub-Sahara Africa. The article highlighted how disadvantaged the children in the
rural areas are; in light of their socioeconomic standing and the quality of education they
received. “Young people living in rural communities are more likely to have limited access to
secondary education compared to youth in urban areas. Seven out of 10 rural youth have never
attended school” (State of Education in Africa Report 2015). According to Wikigender’s article
on Secondary Education in Sub-Saharan Africa “This implies that nearly 78 million of the
region’s secondary school-age children were not enrolled in secondary school”. In addition, the
poor conditions in the rural areas in which these children live have shown how poor health care
have caused illnesses to children forcing them to drop out of school. The prospect of child
marriages has been also debilitating a girl’s quest to become educated. “Child marriage is also a
critical challenge. Child brides are much more likely to drop out of school and complete fewer
years of education than their peers who marry later” (World Bank Org, 2017).

Moreover, the poor infrastructure has also impacted the delivery of education as well as a
CHILD POVERTY 9

disproportion in the teacher to children ratio. “The average pupil/teacher ratio in secondary
school by MDG region, circa 2006 was 25.8 in Sub- Sahara Africa” (UNESCO Institute for
Statistics, Data Centre, May 2008). Agbor’s article also spoke to the teachers in rural
communities being less qualified to deliver education to children. To support this, “In Sub
-Saharan Africa, the impact of teacher shortages is felt disproportionately by the poorest and
most marginalized in society. Shortage of teachers tends to result in an ability to deploy teachers
to the most remote schools.

Where unqualified teachers are used to fill the gaps, these tend to be unevenly deployed,
with more of the unqualified teachers in the least desired locations. Where class sizes increase,
this too has a disproportionate effect on the most marginalized, with less access to educational
support at home or through extra tuition (UNESCO 2010). Agbor (2012) also highlighted that
these teachers preferred urban centers than rural ones because there is greater opportunities and
higher incomes.

Regionally

The study, “Child poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean” carried out during 2008-
2009 by Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) measured multiple dimensions of child poverty in Latin
America and the Caribbean. They looked at it from the perspective of International Convention
on the Rights of the Child. The study took account of factors such as nutrition, access to
drinking water, connection to sanitation services, quality of housing and the number of people
per room, school attendance and access to information and communication media, as deprivation
thereof contributes to a frame of poverty and social exclusion.
According to recent statistics the incidence of childhood poverty in Central America and
the Caribbean remains the highest in the region. The World Bank Group defined childhood
poverty as the percentage of children below the age of 15 living on less than $4 per day. The
World Back Group carried out a study in 2004 which showed that 1/3 of childhood poverty had
declined and childhood extreme poverty almost by half between 2004 and 2014. Despite these
CHILD POVERTY 10

gains, children in LAC have seen slower reductions in poverty than the overall population.
Education and health-care – remains limited for children in the region. International test scores
show LAC countries trailing globally in quality of education, while also revealing significant
gaps in academic achievement between children of high and low socioeconomic groups.
“Students from poorer households face disparities in terms of quality of education to which they
have access” (Gonzalez 2018) .This therefore contributes to poorer learning outcomes, as shown
in standardized tests.
For example, the socioeconomic background of a student has a larger impact on students’
test scores in Latin American and Caribbean countries than in countries of other region.
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) assumed responsibility for the preparation of a
situation analysis of Caribbean adolescents 10 – 14 years old. Under the topic of schooling and
education the study found that provision for formal education during the adolescent years (10 to
14) is provided at the upper primary and lower secondary levels of Caribbean education systems.
The main issue they found for education in the Caribbean region was school dropouts and
research proved that this due to poor performance, financial constraints and community and
school violence. However, according to a World Bank Report on Caribbean Youth Development
the proportion of boys who do not attend secondary school is similar for the non-poor and the
poor after controlling for wealth variables. Another study pointed to the fact that the main
reasons for adolescent girls’ drop-out were pregnancy followed by financial constraints.
Several studies in the Caribbean have examined the risk factors associated with
childhood aggression and juvenile delinquency. In one study utilizing the data from the
PAHO/WHO nine Caribbean country study, the major risk factors for youth involvement in
violence were found to be physical and sexual abuse, skipping school and rage. Specific factors
identified as contributing risk factors to youth crime included poverty and a weak education
system.

Locally

Research carried out in Guyana found that poverty in children is the major cause of all
CHILD POVERTY 11

other vulnerabilities. Statistically children living in poor families in Guyana have a higher
chance of living in a worse off situation. Children living in a poor family have smaller chance of
having access to computers and books. They also have higher chances of being out of school
(Guyana Situation Analysis of Children and Women, 2016).

Poor households have lower attainment; household poverty and its implications for
children is probably the most significant barrier to children's school participation in Guyana.
Based on interviews that were carried out in this research, it was noted that even though there
are no fees attached to public education, parents in many poor communities could not afford the
cost of the numerous inputs required for school attendance.For example: limited resources to
acquire clothing for school, access to internet to do assignments, daily travel expenses or meals
for children during school time. In areas such as the hinterlands or rural areas, many children
face even more pressuring barriers that forces them to leave school and work. Nevertheless,
parents have to supplement their low household income to provide for their children’s education
(Guyana out of School Children Study 2017).

The study by Guyana Budget and Policy Institute titled “Poverty Facts: Almost 4 in 10
Guyanese can afford Basic Cost of Living”, posits that poverty in Guyana has a child’s face.
This is due to both economic and social dilemma. Almost 47.5% of children under 16 years old
live in families that are in poverty. Children in poverty are susceptible to poor health, are less
likely to perform well in school, less likely to acquire good formal education, less likely to find
and keep good paying jobs and contribute to the economy compared to affluent persons. The
study also stated that children in poverty are more prone to live in poverty in their adulthood. It
is a cycle that passes on to the next generation which is often known as “inter-generational
poverty”.

In Guyana, the communities are categorized in three areas; urban coastal, rural coastal
and rural interior. Most of the country’s population lives on the coastal areas. The study states
that there are high levels of poverty and extreme poverty in the rural interior area, this level was
measured by the national average. About “73.5 percent of people in these communities live in
poverty i.e. more than 200 percent of the national average of 36.1 percent and the level of
extreme poverty in these communities are 54 percent i.e. almost 300 percent of the national
CHILD POVERTY 12

average of 18.6 percent” while Rural coastal areas have 60 percent of the population dwelling
there. Of that 60 percent 37 percent lives in poverty and 17.1 percent lives in extreme poverty
and urban coastal areas have 28 percent of the country’s population dwelling there, 18.7 percent
lives in poverty and 7.3 lives in extreme poverty.

1.5 Rationale

Education is necessary at childhood stage, this is the period where it provides children a
chance to develop mentally, physically and develop social awareness in them. It gives them
experience to start facing the world. It is a stage in which children should be able to explore
themselves. However based on research it has been proven time and time again that children
who are lesser fortunate or living in poverty are not able to access quality education as a result
they may engage in deviant behaviors such as gang violence, drug abuse and alcohol abuse,
sexual activities, truancy among others; this has prompted the researchers to want to investigate
these issues. In addition, poverty is a leading factor that contributes to children’s poor academic
performance. “There are more than 124 million primary or secondary school-aged children who
are not in school among the world” (The Borgen Project 2017). This is as a result of poverty. In
response to this problem, this study proposes to investigate how poverty can be alleviated to
further assist children to improve academically.

1.6 Hypothesis

This investigation is done to validate the following hypotheses:

 Secondary school children affected by poverty perform poorly in school.

 Secondary school children living in poverty are more likely to engage in deviant behaviors
in the school setting.

1.7Main Concepts
CHILD POVERTY 13

Poverty: In this research poverty is defined as those families and situations that do not facilitate
and provide the basic needs for all its members, which include: the lack of opportunities-
educational and recreational opportunities- meals, clothes, school equipment, and to the extreme
shelter. In keeping with this study, this simply suggest a child who is deprived the right to food,
clothing, shelter and education

Children:
For the purpose of this research, children are defined as minors, persons that are not capable of
taking care of themselves and are not of age to be employed, and ‘under the age of 18 years’.
(UNICEF,2017)

Academic performance/Achievement: “According to Academic achievement represents

performance outcomes that indicate the extent to which a person has accomplished specific
goals that were the focus of activities in instructional environments, specifically in school,
college, and university” ( Wirthwein et al, 2014). 

School: According to the Oxford dictionary a school is an a place where children go to be

educated

Affect: For the purpose of this research affect means being influenced by an external factor in
relation to the growth and development of human relationships and its interaction with
institutions. This is to say that a child’s development may become disrupted if their basic needs
are not consistently and effectively supported.

Deviant Behaviors: According to Crossman (2018) deviant behavior is any behavior that is
contrary to the dominant norms of society. For this study, it suggest that the traits these children
exhibit and are not in keeping with societal norms are considered maladaptive.

1.8 Significance

Members of the group have observed children who are believed to be living in poverty

and developed  concerns for the child’s/children’s performance in school. Based on observations
CHILD POVERTY 14

by many it is shown that educational outcomes are one of the key areas influenced by family

incomes and children from low-income families often begin school already behind their peers

(Bovaird et al, 2007); who come from more affluent families, as shown in measures of academic

performance. Abdu- Raheem (2015) conducted a research in Nigeria, which posited that parents

level of income has significant effects on student’s performance those findings has shown 23.6%

of total variation(factors) accounts for parent’s level of income. Children living in poverty do

not have basic needs such as food and this will affect their brain function According to a study

carried out by Dr. Gellner “Hunger is more than just missing a meal, and the psychological,

emotional, and social impacts on children can have lasting negative effects. ”Students as

young as kindergarten age who have food insecurity have poor reading performance and

impaired social skills, and this can persist into the later grades. Long-term studies are

showing that teens are at higher risk of mood disorders, behavior issues, substance use

which would all affect their academic performances in school. Home is referred to as the

place from where the foundation of learning and education takes place. In order to

produce good academic outcomes, it is vital for the parents, children and other family

members to encourage a learning atmosphere within homes, but when children come from

a home of poverty were they lack resources for transportation, proper clothing and school

supplies this will facilitate the decline in their academic performance . The researchers wish

to heighten the awareness of the government, the education sector; the society on poverty being

a deep rooted cause to which secondary school-aged children may engage in deviant behaviors

so that it could be acknowledged that children at all times need guidance and support that fosters

academic success and development. This study will provide possible suggestions,of strategies

that could be implemented at the secondary school level to help provide the basic necessities to
CHILD POVERTY 15

combat poverty and enable improvement of students’ academic performance

1.9 Knowledge transfer

The researchers of this study proposes to raise awareness on the vicious cycle of Child
Poverty through the uses of the media, formal meetings with government officials and
symposium exercises to empower and advocate for less fortunate children, this will be supported
by our newly conducted research findings; note these conferences will be open to the general
population and those with a keen interest on combating this plague. Such uses of the media will
entail protest demonstration/ picketing exercises all in an effort of capturing the government’s
eyes as well as local Non-governmental Organizations (NGO); so that much focus will be placed
on the school aged population and their learning achievements; as well as to eradicate the
vicious cycle of Child Poverty. In addition, the researchers wish to intervene by hosting
numerous fund raising activities and donate those raised funds towards disadvantage youths and
their caregivers, this aide will see to it that these children are returned to school with the
provision of school clothing, accessories and importantly food supplies. As such these projects
will most definitely be ongoing until that percentage of the population especially children who
are impoverished may have their standard of living enhanced.

1.10 Conclusion
To conclude this chapter, the literature and studies used to develop the background of the study
have captured information that proves that the effects of poverty on a child's academic
performance is currently an issue across the platforms of regional, International and local
regions.
CHILD POVERTY 16

Chapter II

Literature
Review
CHILD POVERTY 17

2.0 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

The reviewed literature used within this study was done with the intent of providing insightful
information and serve as a support base for the research topic “To what extent does poverty
affect children’s performance in Secondary School”. Existing literature such as online journals
and articles would have assisted the researchers of this study. The preface of the literature
reviewed was used as a carbon copy to that of the aforementioned background conducted on an
international scale which focused on countries in the Sub- Sahara such as Sierra Leone, Nigeria,
Latin America and the Caribbean, Guyana and Canada. All of which spoke to the issue of
poverty in its relations to children’s academic performance.

2.2 Name of Publication: The influence of Poverty on Academic Performance of School

Going Children: Western Rural District, Sierra Leone as a case study.

Author: Alhaji Bakar Kamara

Year of Publication: 2018

Evaluation done by: Secola Thomas

Kamara (2018) study was carried out in an effort to assess the influence to which poverty
affects the academic performance of children in junior secondary school level three, Integrated
Science (still yet to be researched) according to Kamara. The study highlighted that back in
September, 2000 the United Nation had crafted a strategy known as the Millennium
Development Goal (MDG) aimed foremost at eradicating poverty worldwide; the time frame for
which these important goals were to be met was 2015. However, all of the goals were not met
importantly that of the eradication of extreme poverty; as a result the United Nation membership
CHILD POVERTY 18

revised the strategies and set the new time frame to which they are to be met which would be the
year 2030. Kamara emphasized that the world’s most impoverished nation is Sub-Sahara Africa
therefore the Millennium Development Goals still has much more work to do in this hemisphere.

Kamara (2018) provided evidence to support why Sub-Sahara Africa and its states such
as Sierra Leone are the most impoverished therefore an example would be “Africans finds it
hard to eat a meal a day”. He also cited World Bank (2010) “People living on $1.25 a day
accounted for 48.5 percent of the population”. The influence of the Civil War (1991 and 2002)
among other factors such as the Ebola outbreak (July, 2014) have severely weakened the nation
of Sierra Leone. Children were used as child soldiers to wage war with other nations as well as
turning the guns on civilians; the loss of teachers and the burning of schools accounted for much
of the nation’s 70,000 causalities as well as the displacement of 2.5 million people.

The researcher cited Paulson (2011) stating that the government of Sierra Leone changed
the Education System from 7-5-2-4 to 6-3-3-4 in September, 1993. This is to demonstrate that
the first six years represented primary education; followed by three years of junior secondary for
all students who graduated from the primary level after which they are made to sit the Basic
Education Certificate Examination (BECE); in totality this equates to a nine year period which
are broken down into two cycles. In addition, this would suggest that there was a decline in the
academic performance during the years preceding September, 1993. This was mostly as a result
of child recruitment, family planning/involvement and the government. Kamara highlighted that
parents with poor children were unable to help them with school work stemming from their own
parental illiteracy. Kamara posits that “children who go to school without food comes back
home without achieving much from the lesson”; and as a result persons especially children drop
out of school to seek sustenance. The researcher realized that much of the negative impact of
poverty and education is deeply rooted in the homes.

Kamara employed a mixed method approach to carry out his research findings; in his
study’s aim at improving the quality of education of school going children in Sierra Leone.
Despite our study usage of the quantitative approach (only) it will be beneficial to have a deeper
CHILD POVERTY 19

understanding of both flip sides of quantitative and qualitative used in this study.

2.2 Name of Publication: Parents’ Socio-Economic Status as Predictor of Secondary School

Student’s Academic Performance in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Author: B.O. Abdu- Raheem

Year of Publication: 2015

Evaluation done by: Secola Thomas

Abdu- Raheem (2015) publication sought to assess the influence of parental socio-
economic status as a “contributory factor” of students in the district junior/senior secondary
schools of Ekiti, Nigeria. The researcher emphasized the critical importance of having an
education. Abdu- Raheem cited Asiru (2014) “Education is a catalyst to the development of
individuals, society and the nation as a whole”. However in Nigeria, the academic performance
of secondary school aged children is decreasing (Abdu- Raheem, 2015). She highlighted that
between the year(s) 2005 and 2007 this was evident; the children performed poorly in the Senior
Secondary Certificate Examinations causing major concerns for the government and other
education stakeholders (Abdu- Raheem, 2015). In addition, she provided statistical evidence to
show that a mere 26.9 percent students passed with credit at the Certificate Examinations
(Junior).

Abdu- Raheem cited Hassan (1983) providing intrinsic (internal) and extrinsic( external)
factors that may be influencing children’s academic performance; the most important one that
stood out was parental socio- economic status for which one of her hypothesis was tested on.
Abdu- Raheem crafted four hypotheses; the one which relates to parental socio- economic status
read “Parent’s level of income does not have a significant effect on the academic performance of
CHILD POVERTY 20

secondary school students”. Using a quantitative method Abdu- Raheem tested that hypothesis
while carrying out her study and findings show that 23.6 percent of the total variations (factors)
were in fact due to parents’ level of income.

Abdu- Raheem (2015) publication will definitely add to our own research because there
are statistical evidence to prove that parent’s socio- economic status among other factors has a
huge impact on the quality and delivery of education that children may receive.

2.2 Name of Publication: Effects of Poverty on behavior and academic performance

Author: Vale Richmond

Year of Publication: 2016

Evaluation done by: Evita Rodrigues

The article explains how poverty affects individuals physically, emotionally,

psychologically and environmentally, emphasizing on how it affects a developing child, living in
poverty, as they grow older. It outlines the factors contributing to poor academic performance
among these children and the daily challenges they have to face. The psychoanalytic theory
argues that a person’s behavior is as a result or a symptom for what is going on within the
individual (their thoughts and emotions), and previous childhood experiences, contribute to the
current behavior. This theory can also explain how poverty can affect a child’s academic
performances and behavior because of the conditions (that were brought out in the literature)
they were exposed to in their early years of development. The literature also states that children
living in poverty are exposed to all the different types of abuse, physical, sexual, emotional,
verbal, neglect etc., and as a result, exposures to these traumatic experiences are internalized and
their behaviors are symptoms of these behaviors - “ the severe traumas that children can face,
including homelessness, domestic violence, parental drug abuse, neglect and physical or sexual
abuse which may have severe impact on the child’s behaviors and cognition. Such trauma is
consistently linked to a broad variety of negative life circumstances including poverty, juvenile
delinquency, adult crime, low academic achievement, substance abuse, mental disorders and
poor health”; “the effects of poverty on behavior and academic performance often entail a
learned helplessness behavior because poor children think they are not in control of their life.”
CHILD POVERTY 21

The conditions they were exposed to limited their cognitive development and as a result they
perform poorly in school. The literature indicates that children living in poverty have stressors
very overwhelming, with addition to their academics and school social life to deal with, that
affluent children do not face, which affects their performance and behavior, “Children raised in
poverty are faced daily with overwhelming challenges that affluent children may not confront,
their brains have adapted to sub-optimal conditions in ways that undermine good school
performance…”.

This article is relevant to the study as it gives substantial insights on the focus question.
It gives the researchers of this study a better understanding of the phenomena and it serves as a
guide, for the direction in which the research may go. The article also gives insights as to how
poverty can affect children’s academic performance. It gives additional information that poverty
can not only affect a child’s academic performance but also their behavior in general, their
behavior towards school and their social skills.

2.2 Name of publication: The impact of poverty on educational outcomes for children

Author(s): Ferguson, H, Bovaird, S & Mueller, M

Year of publication: 2007

Evaluation done by: Evita Rodrigues

This article is a study that was conducted in Canada on the effects of poverty on
educational outcome for children. It is compiled with a number of other studies and literature
about the phenomenon, which is use as a basis of evidence for this study. In one of the studies
within the literature posits that “the characteristic the community where a child lives is a
contributing factor to their performances and behaviors, living in poverty strict communities and
being expose to criminal behavior within that community” these exposures contribute to the
child’s development as an individual. The behavioral theory argues that behaviors are learned,
and behaviors can be learned through observation, conditioning and modeling. This theory can
help explain that the children living in poverty, within communities with characteristics of high
CHILD POVERTY 22

social risk, poverty or rich in crime, are exposed to many behaviors which they learn by
modeling, conditioning or observation, hence these behaviors are displayed the educational
institutions, which can result in poor academic performances and social skills. This provides
evidence that the environment do affect the child’s behaviors and performance.

Additionally, the article also states that the home in which a child grows up in can affect
the cognitive and social development of the child, and children living in poverty are deprive
from a healthy environment that enhances positive and healthy development, “ a child’s home
has a particularly strong impact on school readiness, and children living in poverty have lower
levels of school readiness due to not receiving the stimulation and do not learn the social skills
required to prepare them for school. This may be as a result of issues originated from their
homes, for example, the parent(s) not having the knowledge and support, or the changes of
primary caregivers.”

This article is relevant to the study as it provides evidence of many other researches, both
qualitative and quantitative, that was conducted around the phenomenon it also gives additional
on the study. It gives the researchers of this study a better understanding of the phenomena and it
serves as a guide, for the direction in which the research may go. The article also gives insights
as to how poverty can affect children’s cognitive and social development that would affect their
academic performance.
CHILD POVERTY 23

2.3 Name of Publication: PISA- Latin America and the Caribbean (HOW DO POOR AND
RICH STUDENTS PERFORM?)

Author:  By María Soledad Bos, Alison Elías, Emiliana Vegas, and Pablo Zoido

Year of Publication: 2015

Evaluation done by: Danica Melville

This publication depicts the results of a yearly study carried out by PISA program for
International Student Assessment. Every three years it tests 15-year-old students from all over
the world in reading, mathematics and science. This particular journal that was published in
2015 focuses on the results for the Latin America and Caribbean region. The data was gathered
using a quantitative method.

Bos et al (2015) believe that students’ socioeconomic status impact their academic
performance. In the LAC region, poor students perform two and a half years of schooling (80
points) below their richest peers in science, mathematics and reading. Their study revealed that
Schools in the region are socioeconomically segregated and Schools with poor students have
fewer and lower-quality resources compared to schools with wealthy students the poorest
schools in the region have fewer or lower quality teachers and educational materials. Lesser
socioeconomic differences within the schools shows greater social segregation, where schools
are no longer a meeting point for students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. PISA
noted that very few poor students in the region are resilient and these are students who, despite
their socioeconomic status, perform well on the test.
What really interested me about this publication is that their strategy of gathering data is
similar to the one we would like to undertake and the results are in keeping with the hypothesis
we seek to prove.
CHILD POVERTY 24

2.3 Name of Publication: The Missing Generation: A Situational Analysis of Adolescents

(10 – 14) in the Caribbean Community
Authors: Professor Barbara Bailey Miss Suzanne M. Charles
Year of Publication: 2008
Evaluation done by: Danica Melville
In keeping with the mandate of the CARICOM Commission on Youth launched in 2006,
the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); as an ex officio member of the Commission;
assumed responsibility for the preparation of a situation analysis of Caribbean adolescents 10 –
14 years old, to inform and support the mandate of the Committee by identifying: The relevant
issues by which Caribbean adolescents are affected, Existing policy aimed at the development
and empowerment of Caribbean adolescents , Gaps in existing policy, legislative and
institutional arrangements for adolescent development and empowerment in the region, The
social, economic and financial benefits of harnessing the assets and talents of adolescents and
youth as well as the cost of non-attention to risk and vulnerability factors. The data in this study
was gathered using the quantitative method.
The interesting part of this study was the two chapters that dealt with Crime (chapter 6)
and Education (chapter 5), which are both topics related to the hypothesis. In the education
section, the main issues discussed were organized around two major gender equality goals
referred to in the Education For All (EFA) Dakar Framework for Action: formal equality in
education, which aims at closing numerical gaps between the sexes at various levels of
education systems, as well as substantive equality which refers to ‘the quality of experience of
education in terms of equal treatment during the educational process, and, benefiting from
education beyond school in terms of the social currency of education to either sex. Although
they looked at it from the perspective of gender equality what was found is that both genders
experience in the education/schooling system are influenced greatly by their a lower socio-
economic status.
Because the hypothesis also seeks to prove that Children living in poverty are more likely to
engage in deviant behaviors in the school setting. The chapter on Crime was enlightening when
CHILD POVERTY 25

it came to this aspect. Several studies in the Caribbean have examined the risk factors associated
with juvenile delinquency. In one study utilizing the data from the PAHO/WHO nine Caribbean
country studies, the major risk factors for youth involvement in violence were found to be
physical and sexual abuse, skipping school and rage. The strongest protective factor was school
connectedness (liking school and getting along with teachers) and other protective factors were
family connectedness (parents and other family members care for you, pay attention to you,
understand you). One of the specific factors identified as contributing risk factors to youth crime
included poverty and a weak education system.

2.4 Name of Publication: Poverty Facts: Almost 4 in 10 Guyanese can afford Basic Cost of
Living

Author: Richa Sekhani

Year of Publication: 2017

Evaluation done by: Merisha Welch

The study “Poverty Facts” was based on a research conducted in Guyana. The research’s
aim was to assess the levels of poverty in the various age groups within the 10 administrative
regions of the country. Richa Sekhani utilized both Qualitative and Quantitative methods of
research in the publication. By using the quantitative research method, Sekhani was able to add
statistics to her findings narrowing it down to the particular age group and area in Guyana that’s
mostly affected by poverty. Also with the use of the qualitative method, Richa was able to add
more debt to the findings by using various published studies
By using both methods of research, Sekhani was able to link poverty with poor health, lack of an
education which leads to lack of adequate income. According to Sekhani ‘poverty in Guyana has
a child’s face’ since 47.5 % of all children less than 16 years lives in homes that are poverty
stricken. Sekhani views this as an economic and social catastrophe since it poses a loss in
Guyana’s economy because almost half of the country’s children live in poverty. This leads to
poor health, lack of an education or poor academic performances which will result in joblessness
or even being able to attain a good paying job in the future which will also result in them not
CHILD POVERTY 26

contributing to the country’s economy when they reach adulthood. Sekhani believes that ‘present
and future poverty are inextricably linked to child poverty’. Because her publication have
gathered that children who grew up in poverty are likely to remain in it.
Sekhani also gathered that 33.7% of the population from the age of 16 to 25 years lives in
poverty. This affects the economy because a ‘high level of young adults in poverty undermines
the country’s ability to develop a healthy and productive workforce’.

2.4 Name of Publication: Children of Guyana

Author: Humanium
Evaluation done by: Merisha Welch

Despite Guyana’s willingness to provide appropriate living conditions for children there

will always be a shortcomings in some areas in Guyana because the country’s finances “cannot

provide economic aid for its impoverished people”.Guyana is one of the poorest Caribbean

countries which sees 35.1 % of the population living under the poverty line. This can have an

effect on children’s health (malnutrition) and childhood since children especially boys would

give up their schooling in order to help out with the household finances. Additionally, the

Amerindian children living in isolated and inaccessible areas would have difficulties getting to

and from school.

Physical punishment are still shared in Guyana. This can lead to “broken families,

difficult socio- economic conditions, and holes in the social services”. As a result of these

punishment from the period of 1999 to 2006 the reported cases in Guyana of violence towards

children rose from 87 to 310 per year.

The Justice system is set up is not appropriate for minors as they are meted with the same
CHILD POVERTY 27

sentencing as the adults. Also the disciplinary (penal) age is 10 years old. There are no centre for

juvenile delinquents and this only leads to believe that minors can be placed in the same location

as the adults. Discrimination of children are also prevalent especially towards the disabled

children who are often mocked. The constitution also does not provide protection against

discrimination for the disabled children and there are no special facilities set in buildings so that

they can easily access it. The Amerindian children also are discriminated against because of

where they grew up and the lack of education provided to them (especially in their native

language). Although “the children mortality rate of under 5 years old has been cut in have in

Guyana over the past ten years”, it is still relatively high. This is reported to be caused by a

“high number of malaria cases especially in the Amerindian children”, some suffer from

malnutrition and in some cases iron deficiency anaemia. Another troubling problem is the high

degrees of teenage pregnancy and HIV/ AIDS amongst the younger people of Guyana.Although

the government has implemented that registration of birth should be recorded, this is not done

for most children in the Amerindian areas because of their location and the finances to travel and

get the children registered. There are many children working and being exploited under the guise

that they are helping a family member, also many of them live in the street and would drop out

of school. This is due to the government not having measures to prevent situation from

happening to children.

2.4 Name of Publication: Situation Analysis of Children and Women

CHILD POVERTY 28

Author: UNICEF

Year of Publication: 2016

Evaluation done by: Akiela Hayles

Published by United Nations Children's Fund Guyana This report was based on a research
conducted by United Nations Children's Fund in 2015 /2016 in Guyana and published in July
2016. This research was focused on helping / supporting the new government in the
development and implementation of National Strategic Development Plans and Programs so as
to advance the realization of the rights and development of Guyanese children, with a strong
equity focus on the most vulnerable children and their families. This report is relevant to the
proposed study because it started off by stating that children are the heart of everything we do.
Both a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods were used.

There were desk reviews of key documents from research, studies publication, government plans
and other materials that were identified as important in conducting this research. The mixed
method was of quantitative data review, focus groups /group interviews and field observations.

2.4 Name of Publication: Guyana Out of School Children Study

Author: United Nations Children's Fund

Year of Publication: 2017

Evaluation done by: Akiela Hayles

This report was based on a research conducted by United Nations Children's Fund 2017 with aid
from the Ministry of Education on aiding the ministry on developing another education sector
plan. This research compromised a desk review, recording, data transformation and analysis of
data from the 2014 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey; a combination of both quantitative and
qualitative data was used. This report outlined issues relating poverty that children face. In
Guyana many children will leave school (drop out) before attaining the education needed to
move on to higher level which is one of many challenges/disadvantages of children living in
CHILD POVERTY 29

poverty which is relevant to the proposed study.

Conclusion

It is known that a Literature Review for any research or proposal conducted provides a deeper
insight into the topic being discuss, as well as to aid researchers with an existing knowledge base
for their current study. The Literature Review of this proposal located immediately above was in
no way different; existing literature were utilized and resourceful information were gathered to
provide reliable data on Child Poverty and the extent to which it affects children’s academic
performance in Secondary Schools at an International, Latin America/Caribbean, and Local
platform.

Chapter III
CHILD POVERTY 30

Research
Methodology
CHILD POVERTY 31

3.0 CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

Research methodology can be defined as the plan and structure of enquiry formulated in order to
obtain answers to research questions on business aspects. The research plan or design constitutes
the overall programme of the research process. This chapter of the research project will clearly
describes the techniques to be used for selecting samples, collecting data,and other aspects that
are essential for conducting a research.

3.2 Research Design

This study will utilize a Quantitative approach. Quantitative methods emphasize

objective measurements and the statistical, mathematical, or numerical analysis of data collected
through polls, questionnaires, and surveys, or by manipulating pre-existing statistical data
using computational techniques. Quantitative research focuses on gathering numerical data and
generalizing it across groups of people or to explain a particular phenomenon. [ CITATION
Bab10 \l 1033 ]

Our research is looking to determine the link between poverty and secondary school
children’s academic performance. This is a question that asks “is there” and seeks to confirm a
hypothesis. The methods will be highly structured and consistent during data collection, using a
questionnaire with closed-ended questions. The results will provide numerical data that can be
analyzed statistically as the researcher looks for a correlation between poverty and school
performance. Therefore quantitative methodology would best apply to this research problem. . A
quantitative approach allows the researcher to examine the relationship between the two
variables of poverty and school performance. The data can be used to look for cause and effect
relationships and therefore, can be used to make predictions. This research would be carried out
on secondary school children in the areas in the urban area of Guyana specifically Georgetown.
CHILD POVERTY 32

Specifically Tiger Bay and Albouystown.

3.3 Population

Definition: Polit and Hungler (1999) refer to the population as an aggregate or totality of
all the objects, subjects or members that conform to a set of specifications, a binding
characteristic or trait.

3.3 Population of the study

This study would be conducted within the Demerara-Mahaica, Region 4, administrative

region, among the Tiger Bay, certain parts of Charlestown, Albouystown and Kingston area,
which are common areas known for poverty. The target population for this research would be
respondents who are adolescents within the grade nine levels; living within these areas.The
Burgess’s concentric zone model theories assumes how different social groups are located in a
metropolitan area. Social groups based on the socio-economic status of households and distance
from central area or downtown of a city (Planning Tank, 2018). This theory acts as a basis of
selection for the population of this study, as the theory explains the geographic location of
households with relation to their socio-economic status.

The theory explains that people living in poverty are found in zone 2 and 3, the transition
and working-class zone, respectfully, within a city. It explains that the first zone is the central
business district where many commercial activities take place (hotels, offices, businesses etc.)
and earns maximum economic returns. Meanwhile, zone 2, the transition zone, is characterized
with residential and commercial use; it is on the outskirts of the central business district. This
zone is also known as decay because of many old buildings, structures and factories, and those
residing in this zone were of the poorest segment and had the lowest housing condition.
Moreover, the working-class zone, zone 3, is occupied for residential purpose and may be
known as inner suburbs. Within this zone slums and low-income houses/households are found.
Within these two zones poverty is prevalent and is poverty communities, which makes these
CHILD POVERTY 33

zones suitable for conducting this study. Persons within these zones would be appropriate
respondents for the research.

3.4 Sampling frame and Sampling Procedures

Sample Defined

In this quantitative study the use of the term sample is shown to demonstrate the gathered
data that which is generalizable to the entire population. As a result of this only a subsection of
that population is drawn for viability even if the population of interest is large or scattered.
(Dhivyadeepa, 2015, pg. 8)

Probability Sampling

The research of this study is being conducted quantitatively as such the employment of
probability sampling must be utilized. This is so because “Probability sample can provide an
accurate estimate of success and failure (Babbie, 2013, pg. 96). Based on reviewed literature it
can be seen that much of the school aged population affected by poverty are in rural
communities as opposed to urban ones. However, the researchers of this study wishes to
quantify statistical evidence of those students living in urban areas that are believed to be
poverty stricken.

Type of Probability Sampling used

Stratified Random Sampling

The researchers of this study propose the use of stratified random sampling. As such,
“The advantage of stratified random sampling is clear; it ensures that the resulting sample will
be distributed in the same way as the population in terms of stratifying criterion” (Bryman,
2016). Therefore, the population for which the sample is drawn will be precise as well as
producing an accurate representation of the study population and reducing sample errors in the
CHILD POVERTY 34

research as oppose to other sampling strategies. With this being said the population being
studied have to by every mean necessary be singled out to ensure that the characteristics with
which the researchers have selected for that of the school aged population have precision and to
a greater extent reducing biases. In addition, the use of simple random sampling will be utilized
with the strata (group) to avoid overlapping.

Identified Schools

The researchers of this study have selected Secondary Schools that are believed to have
students living in the transition and working class zones that attend the following schools:

4.0 Charlestown Government Secondary

5.0 Carmel Secondary
6.0 Dolphin Secondary
7.0 St, Mary’s Secondary
8.0 Kingston Secondary

Sample size

The population will comprise of all students in Grade Nine (9) attending the five
identified secondary schools within the catchment area, which are characteristic of the zones
identified above. The sample will consist of 10 students drawn from each school within the ninth
grade.

Sampling frame

The sampling frame will be materialized to represent students within the ninth grade of
the identified Secondary Schools who fits the following criteria below:

 Families with income below Guyana’s income threshold

 Parental education level
CHILD POVERTY 35

 Student’s academic performance

 Student’s who engage in school misdemeanor
 The student lives within one of the zones identified above.

Sampling Procedure

The researchers of this proposal will be visiting the Ministry of Social Protection to seek
verbal and written approval (letters), as well as the incorporation of the Ministry of Education so
our intentions are well received and presented to the Head Master/Mistress of the varying
schools with which the researchers will be conducting their study. This measure will be used
towards accessing and gathering information from ten students within the Ninth Grade from the
five identified schools above. In addition, the students will have to meet the aforementioned
criteria such as their families income is below Guyana’s income threshold, their parental
educational level, their academic performance, their involvement in school misdemeanor and are
residing within one of the zones identified above in order to become participants of this study.
This will be garnered by inviting the parents of the identified students to a meeting to have
discussions and gained consent about questions/concerns that will be asked during the sampling
process and this will be aided by further assistance from the teachers of these identified students.

3.5 Ethical Guidelines

At the beginning of the questionnaire, the respondents were asked if they wanted to
participate in the filling up of the survey before it was given to them. They were informed that if
they felt uncomfortable and wished to discontinue the process, they were free to do so without
any scrutiny, harm or fear that what they would have started will be used against them. It was
also made clear that the information given will be treated with great care, caution and
confidentiality so as to protect the respondents’ privacy. Hence, the respondents were not
required to state their names so as to enforce the anonymity of each questionnaire. If any
questionnaire were to be passed out to minors, the parents/ guardians’ permission was sought
before handing out the questionnaire.If there was any question that the respondent did not
understand, it was further broken down so that the respondents could comprehend the question
CHILD POVERTY 36

and answer to the best of their ability.

3.6 Instrumentation

The instrument used to conduct the research will be a structured questionnaire consisting
four sections with questions related to bio-data intake, psycho social history, geographical
location, and educational capacity. The questionnaire is made up of mainly close ended
questions. This method of research will employ the Likert measure of scale to gather data.

3.7 Reliability and Validity

Reliability

Reliability is the degree of consistency with which the instrument measures an attribute
(Polit & Hungler 1999). It further refers to the extent to which independent administration of the
same instrument yields the same results under comparable conditions (De Vos 1998). The
researchers will utilize the internal consistency to test the reliability of the study. Internal
consistency is the consistency of people’s responses across the items on a multiple-item measure
(questionnaire). In general, all the items on such measures are supposed to reflect the same
underlying construct, so people’s scores on those items should be correlated with each other.

Internal consistency can be applied to this study mainly, because the research instrument
facilitates a multiple-item measure, which is the questionnaire that consists of close ended
questions that will facilitate measurable responses. The questionnaires will be distributed ten per
the five secondary schools which will amount to fifty. For desirable outcome the majority of
respondents should have similar responses to yield reliability.

Validity

Validity is defined as a measure of truth or falsity of the data obtained through using the
research instrument. It is classified as internal and external validity of the measuring instrument
(Burns & Grove 2001:226). Research validity can be divided into two groups: internal and
CHILD POVERTY 37

external. For the purpose of this study the researchers would utilize internal validity which refers
to how the research findings match reality. In the case of this study this is so because poverty is
a real phenomenon and can be measured (Pilessier, 2008, p.12)

In addition to the types of validity this study will utilize Sampling Validity which,
ensures that the area of coverage of the measure within the research area is vast. No measure is
able to cover all items and elements within the phenomenon, therefore, important items and
elements are selected using a specific pattern of sampling method depending on aims and
objectives of the study (Dudovskiy, 2018). This can be proven by the measurements of the
criteria of the participants and the locations chosen which will be selected to prove that poverty
affects these individuals academically.

3.8 Data Collection and Analytical Procedures

i. Data Collection

According to Dudovskiy (2019)data collection is a process of collecting information

from all the relevant sources to find answers to the research problem, test the hypothesis and
evaluate the outcomes. Data collection methods can be divided into two categories: secondary
methods of data collection and primary methods of data collection. The researchers of this study
will utilize both the primary and secondary methods in data collection methods. The secondary
data will be data gathered from existing sources which were the literature used to develop this
study such as articles and existing results from previous studies on our research topic. Secondly,
the researchers will be primary data which will be collected by developed questionnaires with
closed ended questions and the likert scale will be used to obtain and measure data. The
questionnaires will be distributed to secondary school children within the target population. The
data that will be collected from the questionnaires will be calculated using different
mathematical formats.

ii. Data Analytical Procedures

According to Babbie data analysis is the numerical representation and manipulation of

CHILD POVERTY 38

observations for the purpose of describing and explaining the phenomena that those observations
reflect. (Babbie, 2010, p. 422).

Analyzing the data collected will be done following steps provided by Center for
Innovation in Research and Teaching (CIRT).

Step 1: The first step in quantitative data analysis is to identify the levels or scales of
measurement as nominal, ordinal, interval or ratio. This is an important first step because it will
help you determine how best to organize the data. The data can typically be entered into a
spreadsheet and organized or “coded” in some way that begins to give meaning to the data.

For this step the most suitable scale of measure relating to our research topic would be the
ordinal scale. The ordinal scale provides information regarding where data points lie in relation
to one another. It typically uses non numerical categories such as low, medium and high to
demonstrate the relationship between data points such as meal intake, school attendance,
parental supervision, personal conflicts and average academic performance. For the purpose of
our research which seeks to examine the relationship between education and poverty, the data
collected may indicate that 10-12 students education are impacted by poverty. And thus the data
could be arranged in order and examined in terms of the level of which each student is impacted.

Step 2: The next step would be to use descriptive statistics to summarize or “describe” the
data.  It can be difficult to identify patterns or visualize what the data is showing if you are
just looking at raw data, so therefore the following descriptive statistics will make the job
easier. Frequencies – a count of the number of times a particular score or value is found in the
data set

 Percentages – used to express a set of scores or values as a percentage of the whole

 Mean – numerical average of the scores or values for a particular variable
 Median – the numerical midpoint of the scores or values that is at the center of the
distribution of the scores
 Mode – the most common score or value for a particular variable
CHILD POVERTY 39

 Minimum and maximum values (range) – the highest and lowest values or scores for any
variable

Step 3: Finally, the type of data analysis will also depend on the number of variables in the
study. Studies may be uni-variate, bi-variate or multivariate in nature.  This research analysis
will be multivariate because this is an analysis of the simultaneous relationships among several
variables which in the case of this research will be the extent to which poverty affects children’s
performance in secondary school.

3.9 Conceptual framework

Independent and Dependent Variables

Independent Variable

Poverty is the independent variable in this study’s research topic. It is an independent variable
because poverty itself is a social issue, which many people from different age groups can
experience, and it controls the research outcome and a change in this variable will change the
outcome and affects of the dependent variable. Poverty, the independent variable, sets a standard
and main focus of the study.

Dependent Variable

‘Secondary school children’s academic performance’ is the dependent variable in this study's
research topic, as a result of poverty Secondary School children’s academic performance is
affected.

Although, children’s academic performance can be affected by many other factors this research
focuses on how poverty affects their academic performance, therefore a change in the
independent variable (poverty), will affect the dependent variable (children’s academic
CHILD POVERTY 40

performance)

Literatures reviewed for this study generally indicated that the major influencing factors that
affects the performance of a child living in poverty are deeply rooted in the family, the
community in which the child lives and the educational institution itself, these factors
subsequently affect these children physically and psychologically, and can be supported by the
functionalist perspective. The functionalist perspective posits that society is a system of
interconnected parts that work together in harmony to maintain a state of balance and social
equilibrium for the home (Mooney et al, 2007).

Family- The literatures state that the family income has a major impact on educational outcomes
and, that the family has a strong influence on a child’s school readiness, support, attendance,
enthusiasm, performance and behavior. Additionally, families living in poverty cannot provide
its members with the basic meals because of their low income, which affect their health. And,
the literature posits that bad nutrition in children living in poverty affects their performance.
Right here in Guyana many families cannot afford to give their children breakfast in the morning
before going to school and resulted in a decrease in academic performance. However, the
government had implemented a feeding program to address this issue. Notwithstanding the fact
that many families cannot afford to send their children to school, being well equipped and
having resources to acquire good education. A child growing up in a violent and abusive home
will learn that behavior and portray it in school or may internalize family issues that would lead
them to deviant and delinquent behaviors.

Community- the literature indicates that the community also has an impact on a child. The child
can adapt/learn behaviors and languages that are observed within their community. A child
growing up in a violent community will model that behavior and as a result acts violently in
CHILD POVERTY 41

school. The community in which these children live can introduce them to delinquency.
According to an old proverb, “it takes a community to raise a child.”

Educational institution- Here in Guyana many teachers after training do not like being placed
at school within the rural areas, such as the interior and the hinterlands. This issues also exists
within the urban areas as well, teachers that are working in community high school or schools at
are not considered to be top schools are often been moved to the top school, equipping those
school with teachers. Additionally, more qualified teachers are moved from these community
high schools to the top schools, so not only do these schools have fewer teachers but also less
qualifies teachers. And the schools that are not considered top schools are where most poverty
oriented children are found. In some cases a child living in poverty may be eligible to attend a
top school but their parents cannot afford to send them to those school since those schools
requires more materials and higher registration fee.

Using these concepts the questionnaire will be divided in three (3) parts for which each section
will focus on: family, community and educational institution.

3.10 RESEARCH INSTRUMENT

Questionnaire
CHILD POVERTY 42

SECTION ONE: DEMOGRAPHICS

1. Age: _____________

2. Gender: Male Female

3. School attending: _________________________________________________________

4. Class: ___________________________

5. What Community do you live in:

_______________________________________________________________________
_

Family

6. How many persons are living within your home/family?

3 5 6 7 Other: _________

7. What family type are you living in?

Single parent Nuclear family Extended family Sibling family

Reorganize family Foster family

8. How many sibling(s) do you have

1 2 3 4 Other: ______

9. Do your parent(s) work full time jobs?

CHILD POVERTY 43

Yes No

10. How many jobs your parent(s) work?

None 1 2 3

11. How often are your parent(s) at home?

Never Seldom Often Always

12. Do your parent(s) help you with your homework/ school work?
Yes No Sometimes

13. If no why?
They do not understand They cannot read nor write They don’t have the time

They are not around

14. Did your parents complete school?

Yes No

15. How often do you have a meal?

Once a day Twice a day Three times a day Every other day

16. How often do you go to school?

Never Seldom Sometimes Often Always

17. What are some reasons why you may be absent school?
Parent(s) may not have money Have to look after younger siblings

Help parent(s) with work

CHILD POVERTY 44

18. Do you have clothes for school?

Yes No

19. Do you have enough equipment and books for school?

Yes No

20. Have you ever seen your parents being violent towards each other or anyone else?
Yes No

21. If yes how, please state?

_______________________________________________________________________
_
22. Do your parent(s) or someone close to you tell you things that hurt your feelings?
Yes No

23. If yes what do they say, please state?

_______________________________________________________________________
_

24. If yes how often?

Sometimes Often Always

Community

25. Have you ever seen your neighbor who attends school miss school?
CHILD POVERTY 45

Yes No

26. Do you know why they may not go to school?

Yes No

27. How often do they attend school?

Sometimes Often Always

28. Have you ever seen anyone within your community using or dealing with drugs?
Yes No

29. If yes how often?

Everyday Sometimes Often Always

30. Have you ever seen anyone in your community harm another person?
Yes No

31. If yes how, please state?

________________________________________________________________________

School System

32. What are your grades like?

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Excellent Good Average Bad

33. How good are you in Mathematics?

Excellent Good Average Bad

34. How good are you in English?

Excellent Good Average Bad

35. How many have friends in schools?

None Few Many One

36. Do you get into any conflict with your friends or classmates?
Yes No

37. How often do you have conflicts with them?

Never Seldom Sometimes Often Always

38. What usually cause the problem, please state?

_______________________________________________________________________
_
39. How do you feel about school, please state?

_______________________________________________________________________
_
40. Do you fight in school?
Yes No

41. How many times do you fight?

2 3 4 more than 4
CHILD POVERTY 47

42. Have you ever taken away someone’s lunch or money?

Yes No

43. Are there enough teachers to teach every subject in you have to do?
Yes No

3.11 Conclusion

This chapter explored the depth in which we would have to go to gather the information needed.
It explored the population sampling size and also the instrument used.
CHILD POVERTY 48

Conclusion

Finally, this research proposal has provided measurable, statistical and reliable gathered data
used for generalization. The researchers were assisted by literature such as online journals and
articles and relevant analytical demonstrations to provide surety and canonical representations of
the vicious cycle of Child Poverty and the extent to which it affects a child’s academic
performance in Secondary School. For further emphasis as expressed in the general introduction
to the proposal, the researchers in no way demonstrated any measure of biases. This research
proposal was done with the intent to educate and provide knowledge learned to its readers and
all relevant officials on the extent to which poverty affects children’s performance in secondary
school.
CHILD POVERTY 49

Appendix

Time-Line

Inception Report Timelines/Outline Plan

Statement of Research Focus February 12, 2019
Identification of Main Concepts February 19, 2019
Background February 20- March 08,2019
Significance February 20- March 08,2019
Evaluations February 20- March 08,2019
References February 20- March 08,2019
Submission of Inception Report March 09, 2019
The theoretical and operational framework; and March 12- April 07, 2019
literature review

Outline of all major variables, their March 12- April 07, 2019
operationalization/and assumed relationships

Literature Review March 12- April 07, 2019

Objectives March 12- April 07, 2019
Research Questions March 12- April 07, 2019
Assumptions & Hypothesis March 12- April 07, 2019
Timeline/Output Plan March 12- April 07, 2019
Submission of Theoretical Framework and April 09, 2019
Literature
The Research Methodology April 23- June 18, 2019
Research Design April 23- June 18, 2019
Data collection and analytical procedures April 23- June 18, 2019
The research instrument April 23- June 18, 2019
CHILD POVERTY 50

Ethical guidelines April 23- June 18, 2019

Knowledge Transfer April 23- June 18, 2019

Submission Date June 20, 2019

The research aim was to show how poverty affects secondary school children’s academic
performances and also to gather how these children display deviant behaviour in the school
setting; using the qualitative research method. The resources that will be needed are research
skills (internal resources) and external resources such as transportation, supplies and materials
such as pens for the filling up of questionnaires.

Budget

Expenses Cost (GYD)

Transportation $ 15000
Materials $ 2500
Printing $4500
Miscellaneous $4000
Total $26000

The researchers of this project will be hosting a hot-dog sale to raise finances for this
project.

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 CHILD POVERTY 51

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