Community Conflict and Academic Performance in Secondary Schools in Uganda a Case Study of Moroto District

ABSTRACT The study sought to examine the community conflict and academic performance in secondary schools in Uganda: A case study of Moroto District. The study objectives were; to identify the causes of community conflicts in Moroto District, to examine factors influencing academic performance in Moroto District and to establish the effects of community conflicts on academic performance in Moroto District. The study applied a cross-sectional research design to reflect aspects of perception, feelings, experiences, facts and emotional feelings of the study respondents in finding out the impact of community conflict on academic performance in secondary schools in Moroto District. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in data collection and analysis and general information on the subject matter was collected from the different stakeholders involved in the study. Qualitative design involved in-depth interviewing of the community leaders in Moroto. The study population involved 133 participants where 15 officials from Moroto District (Conflict and Dispute Resolution Unit), 18 Community leaders (Moroto District), 65 representatives from Moroto High Senior Secondary School, Moroto Parents Students Academy, Nadunget Seed Senior Secondary School and Apostles of Jesus Seminary Nadiket and 35 local peasants. A sample size of 100 respondents was determined through purposive and random sampling methods. Data was collected from primary and secondary sources using questionnaires and interviews. After collecting data, the researcher organized well-answered questionnaire, data was edited and sorted for the next stage. The data was presented in tabular form, pie charts and bar graphs with frequencies and percentages. The study findings revealed that the sample constituted of 50 respondents of which 66% were females and the 34% remaining were males. This implies that females are the majority. This implies that the most respondents were women since they are the ones who are mostly affected by community conflicts within the society. The study also concludes that corporate interests and activities in Africa have also contributed to exploitation, conflict and poverty for ordinary people while enriching African and foreign elites. The study recommends that a lot still needs to be done to fight against poverty in the communities since this often severe poverty often fuels community conflicts, his is because minimizing and reducing poverty helps to improve social welfare and thus restore sanity. International community needs to play a vital role in advocating against dictatorship in Africa. This is because dictatorship often leads to community conflicts.