CHAPITRE 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
This chapter presents analysis and interpretation of data
collected by the researcher was to evaluate the effect of trauma on secondary
school student' learning in post genocide period,
4. 1 Students' views about the effect of trauma on
learning
4. 1. 1 Identification of students
Identification of the respondents was one of the aspects
considered in the present study. Such aspects as age, sex and whether the
respondent is a daily or boarding student were considered and the table below
shows the details.
Table 3: Identification of the students
|
Frequency
|
Percentage
|
|
Age
|
|
Under 15
|
6
|
9
|
|
Between 16 and 18
|
17
|
22
|
|
Between 19 and 21
|
26
|
34
|
|
Between 22 and 24
|
23
|
30
|
|
25 and above
|
5
|
6
|
|
Day or boarding students
|
|
Boarding students
|
68
|
88
|
|
Day students
|
9
|
12
|
|
Sex
|
|
Male
|
43
|
44
|
|
Female
|
34
|
56
|
As shown in table 3 above, 86% of the respondents were aged
between 16 and 24 while 9% were under 15 years of age. 6% were aged 25 and
above. This means that most of the respondents witnessed the 1994 genocide and
therefore it is likely that they experience Post genocide trauma. Furthermore,
a big number of the respondents (88%) are boarding students.
As far as age is concerned, it was found that more than half
of the respondents were female students and 44% of respondents were male. The
number of female respondents is more than that on male students due to the fact
that there are more girls in the classes from which the sample was chosen.
4. 1. 2 Views of students about trauma and its effect on
learning
In order to find out whether students had some knowledge about
trauma, a question «What do know any thing about trauma» was asked
and all of the respondents answered in the affirmative. This implies that the
respondents were knowledgeable about trauma probably because of the trauma
cases that usually occurs at the school ever year.
4. 1. 3 Occurrence of trauma at school and the most
affected
Respondents were asked the frequency of trauma cases in the
school and table below provides their Reponses.
Table 4: The students' view about occurrence of trauma at
their school
|
Responses
|
Frequency
|
Percentage
|
a) Sometimes
|
7
|
9
|
b) Very often
|
|
60
|
78
|
|
Source: Primary data
From the table above, it can be seen that cases of trauma in
Kabuga High School are common as revered by 78% of the respondents. The
implication is that frequent cases of trauma affect students' learning as they
hardly concentrate on studies and this may consequently result in poor academic
performance. As put by Digest (2002), trauma is detrimental to students'
learning. A traumatized student may not be able to attend classes, tests, and
may manifest such behaviors as spacing about, and having what may be
interpreted as inappropriate or extreme reaction to class discussions or
activities may actually be responses to trauma. It is true that learning may be
impeded by fear, anxiety, poor concentration, and the enormous energy involved
in hiding abuse effects on learning are shaped by education discourses.
Table 5: Students most affected by trauma
|
Responses
|
Frequency
|
Percentage
|
a) Girls
|
67
|
87
|
b) Boys
|
|
10
|
13
|
|
Source: Primary data
As evidenced, from the table above, the findings showed that
girls (87%) are the ones who mostly experience trauma. This seems to suggest
that girls are emotionally weak in terms of recalling tragic events.
Table 6: The time students with trauma take before attending
normal classes
|
Responses
|
Frequency
|
Percentage
|
a) One day
|
8
|
10
|
b) Less than 1 week
|
23
|
30
|
c) 1 week
|
16
|
21
|
d) 1 - 3 weeks
|
26
|
34
|
e) More than 3 weeks
|
|
4
|
5
|
|
Source: Primary data
As indicated in the table above, 30% of the respondents
pointed out that trauma manifestation among some students last for less than 1
week while 21% said to some students it takes one week. 34% said that some
students take 1-3 weeks, 10% mentioned one day and 5% said that trauma takes
more than 3 weeks for some learners. Based on the above statistics, it can be
asserted that the period for trauma manifestation varies from one individual to
another.
| 
