Study of Teachers’ Knowledge of Child Abuse Identification and Reporting in Plateau State Nursery Schools

Early childhood educators are often the first adults outside the family to observe signs of child abuse, and their preparedness to identify and report it is a critical child protection capacity in North Central Nigeria. This study assessed pre-primary school teachers' knowledge of child abuse identification and reporting procedures in Jos North, Barkin Ladi, and Mangu Local Government Areas, Plateau State. A descriptive survey was conducted among 120 nursery school teachers using a structured knowledge questionnaire covering definitions of child abuse types, physical and behavioural indicators, reporting channels, and professional responsibilities. Results showed that physical abuse recognition knowledge was adequate in 62 percent of respondents, while emotional and sexual abuse recognition knowledge was adequate in only 38 and 27 percent respectively. Knowledge of mandatory reporting obligations was present in only 31 percent. Only 19 percent had ever made a formal child protection report. Training in child abuse identification had been received by only 22 percent of respondents. Teachers from private schools showed significantly higher knowledge than public school teachers. The study concludes that child abuse knowledge among Plateau State nursery teachers is inadequate across most dimensions and requires systematic professional development. Recommendations include mandatory child protection training in teacher pre-service programmes, annual refresher training, clear reporting pathway documentation in all schools, and a state-level ECDE child protection coordination mechanism.

Keywords: child abuse identification, reporting, nursery teachers, Plateau State, child protection