SOCIAL-STUDIES

SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT

2017

TOPIC: “MARRIAGE FAILURES IN MAHAICONY”

NAME: PREA CHUNILALL

CENTRE: HOPE SECONDARY
CANDIDATE NUMBER: 090025
TEACHER: MS. ABIGAIL WILSON
TERRITORY: GUYANA
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This School-Based Assessment (SBA) would not have been
concluded or completed without the obligations and mutual support
of a few number of persons whom the researcher wishes to thank.
Firstly, the researcher wishes to thank all of her family members for
their outstanding cooperation, for releasing her from chores in the
home and also for their assistance and support in financial ways.
Secondly, the researcher would like to pass out a special thank you
to her Social Studies teacher whom guided her in every step through
her toughest times from beginning to the ending and also took time
off from her busy schedule to make checks within the SBA.
Thirdly, the researcher would like to thank the residents of
mahaicony whom understood and took time out from work to help
the researcher with the most important task of this SBA.
Finally, without health and strength from the most thy God, the
researcher would not have been able to carry on in completing this
SBA. Hence, the researcher would like to give all thanks to God.
 INTRODUCTION
This research is concluded with the intention of examining or
investigating the factors leading to the failure of marriages in the
community of Mahaicony. Mahaicony is one of the villages located
on the East Coast of Demerara, consisting of approximately two
hundred and fifty households. Mahaicony has been considered as an
residential area comprising of residents at a lower level of both
social and economic backgrounds with an mixed ethnicy and
religion. Mahaicony is approximately forty minutes (40mins) away
from the capital city of Guyana. Georgetown.
The reason being for the selection of this village is that the
researcher resides in the same village where she has observed the
great number of homes being torn apart by the failure of marriages
and the researcher is well known to the residents of Mahaicony,
hence data collection would not be difficult to obtain.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Statement of problem………………………………………………………..1
Reason for selecting area of research…………………………………2
Method of investigation……………………………………………………..3
Instrument used to collect data………………………………………….4-9
Procedures used to collect data………………………………………….10
Presentation of data…………………………………………………………..11-13
Analysis and interpretation of data…………………………………….14
Findings……………………………………………………………………………15
Recommendation and implementation………………………………16
Appendix…………………………………………………………………………..17-20
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………..21
Markscheme……………………………………………………………………...22-24
 TOPIC
MARRIAGE

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
 What are the major effects of marriage failures?

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 REASON FOR SELECTING AREA OF RESEARCH
To conduct this investigation, the researcher has chosen Mahaicony
because of the following reasons:
1. The researcher has noticed that alcohol and drug addiction are
two main factors leading ton marriage failures in this
community

2. Mahaicony is one of the communities within Guyana with a

vast number of marriage failures occurring and is either
affecting or having effects on the family homes.

3. The divorce rates are rising rapidly in this small community

which is not healthy for a good standard of living in society.

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 METHOD OF RESEARCH
QUESTIONNAIRE
A questionnaire refers to a set of questions on a form submitted for
replies that can be used for analyzation of valuable information or to
collect statistical data.

This questionnaire refers to a part of collecting data and has a

number of advantages as follows:
 Respondents have time to think about their answer.
 The format is familiar and understandable to respondents.
 The information will be easier to analyze.

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 INSTRUMENT USED TO COLLECT DATA
Cover letter

Hope Secondary School

Hope Lowlands
East Coast Demerara
Guyana
10th September, 2016

REF: A SURVEY ON WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF MARRIAGE

FAILURES

Dear respondent,
The researcher is a grade eleven student of the above
mentioned school and is preparing to write the Caribbean
Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) in the month of May/June
2017.
As a vital part of the social studies examination, the researcher
has been instructed to regulate a survey on a social problem that is
at high influence to her community. The researcher has decided to
address and identify the issues of marriage failures.
As it is a consideration of the researcher to seek your co-
operation in filling out this questionnaire in honesty and to the best

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of your skills and ability. Please note that all responses given by you
will be kept strictly confidential.
Thank you for your understanding and co-operation.
Yours respectively,
Prea Chunilall
(CSEC candidate 2017)

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 QUESTIONNAIRE
1. What is your gender?
Male [ ] Female [ ]

2. What is your age range?

15-25 [ ]
26-35 [ ]
36-45 [ ]
46-55 [ ]
56 and over [ ]

3. Ethnicy
Portuguese [ ]
East Indian [ ]
African [ ]
Chinese [ ]
Amerindian [ ]
European [ ]

4. What is your marital status?

Married [ ]
Single [ ]
Divorced [ ]

5. What is your religion?

Hinduism [ ]
Islam [ ]
Christianity [ ]

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6. How long have you been residing in Mahaicony?
Under 1 year [ ]
1-3 years [ ]
4-6 years [ ]
Over seven [ ]

7. What do you think a marriage is?

A vow [ ]
A proposal [ ]
Legal union which contains of a certificate [ ]
Two person living together [ ]

8. What is the most common marriage occurring in the

community?
Shot- gun [ ]
Arranged marriage [ ]
Family tradition [ ]
Marriage of convenience [ ]

9. What is the major factor of marriage failures in Mahaicony?

Domestic violence [ ]
Financial issues [ ]
Drug abuse [ ]
Fertility problems [ ]

10. Is divorce a common end to marriages in Mahaicony?

Yes [ ]
No [ ]

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11. Which individual suffers the most after marriage failures?
Husband [ ]
Wife [ ]
Children [ ]

12. Which of the following effect will a divorced male likely to

face?
Lost of self identity [ ]
Paternal instinct is challenged [ ]
Depression [ ]

13. Which of the following effect will a divorced female likely

to face?
Lost of self identity [ ]
Maternal instinct is challenged [ ]
Depression [ ]

14. What is the main role of socialization the spouses should

share with each other?
Respect [ ]
Love, affection and attention [ ]
Be at each other’s side [ ]
Adore partners [ ]

15. What is the major effect of divorce to children/child of the

divorced home?
Academically challenged [ ]
Psychological distress [ ]
Suicidal thoughts [ ]
Become ill [ ]
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16. Which of the following may reduce marriage failures?
Counseling [ ]
Decline of domestic violence [ ]
Drug abuse [ ]
Others [ ]

17. Are there chances of the divorced couples being

remarried?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]

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 PROCEDURES USED TO COLLECT DATA

The researcher selected the topic ‘marriage’ to be investigated

upon for this SBA then constructed a questionnaire of 17
questions to submit to the subject teacher to be checked and
corrected. After the necessary corrections had been made, the
researcher then typed out the questionnaire and made 25
copies for distribution within the community of Mahaicony.

The researcher distributed the questionnaire to residents on

20th October 2016 around 16:00hrs pm. The researcher
distributed the questionnaires using a “first house on the
street” method where one questionnaire was given to the
owner of the first house on every street. The respondents
selected were given onto five days to fill the survey forms.
After collecting back the questionnaires on 25th October 2016,
the researcher used the respondents’ information to compile a
report.

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 PRESENTATION OF DATA

Fig. 1
What is the major factor leading to marriage failures in
mahaicony?

factors leading to marriage failures in

Mahaicony

20%
36%
domestic violence

22% drug abuse

infertility
financial problems
22%

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Fig.2

What is the major effect of divorce to children/child of the

divorced home?

8
7
6
no. of responses

5
4
3
2
1
0
academically phychological suicidal thoughts become ill
challenged distress
options

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Fig.3
Which individual suffers the most after a marriage failure?

individuals that suffer the most after a

marraige failure

child/children

husband

wife

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

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 ANALYZING AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

In fig.1 the major factor leading to marriage failures in

Mahaicony was examined. It can be clearly seen that domestic
violence is the most common factor followed by drug abuse
and infertility with 22% of responses each while financial
problems was the response of the least being 20%.

In fig.2 the major effect of marriage failure to a child of the

divorced home was illustrated. Four options were given where
8 respondents chose academically challenged, another 8
respondents chose suicidal thoughts, 5 respondents chose
psychological distress while the remaining 4 respondents
chose illness.

Fig.3 examines which individual of a family suffers the most

after a marriage failure. Out of the 25 respondents, 16 chose
wife, 5 chose husband while 4 chose children

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 FINDINGS

The researcher observed from the survey that one main cause
of marriage failure is domestic violence and this does not only
occur in Mahaicony alone but in other parts of the country and
the world because most partners are not able to understand
each other. Also, the researcher identified that when marriage
failure occurs in a home with child/children, the major effects
are suicidal thoughts and academical challenges. This is so
because children tends to stress over family matters once it is
brought fully to their attention which leads to suicide and
hinders their focus in school, thus decreasing this grades
rapidly in school. Finally, it was quite clear and evident to the
researcher that wives/ females suffers the most throughout a
marriage failure. Especially in cases where the mother is left
alone with her child/ children, the mother is faced with
expenses and also, life becomes hard for the wife, as she may
have to begin a new relationship to have someone else
providing for her children/child.

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 RECOMMENDATION

The major causes of marriage failure is domestic abuse

whereas marriage failures also hinders academicals
performance of a child and drive them to the suicide point
while wives of the broken home suffers the most from the
severed tie/bond.

Hence I strongly recommend the following:

 Partners should avoid being abusive to their partner or
seek counseling if necessary.

 The government should construct a centre where single

mothers can be able to be trained and work on various
programs.

IMPLEMENTATION

When the government implements recommendation number two

of this research, broken homes will be assisted financially,
unskilled females can become skilled and be able to obtain little
jobs such as sewing, cooking, crafting etc, in order to obtain
money to assist her child/children financially.

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APPENDIX

17
Other reasons for marriage failures

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Associations which provides counseling to
broken homes

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 BIBLIOGRAPY
In order to gain information and guidance to make this
research possible, the researcher used the following
sources:

 www.divorceparents.org
 www.families.org
 www.effects/causes/families.com
 www.brokenmarriages.org

 Ramsawak, Rampersaud and Ralph R. Umraw

Modules in Social Studies with SBA guide and CXC
questions Trinidad w-I Caribbean Educational
Publishers 1982

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 SOCIAL STUDIES MARKING SCHEME

COMPONENTS OF SBA PROFILE

Application, Evaluation and
Problem Solving
(A E P)
MARKS
Statement of Problem 2
 Problem stated clearly in the form of a question 2
 Problem unclear but in a question form 1
Reason for Selecting Area of Research 2
 Reason stated clearly 2
 Reason unclear 1
Method of Investigation 2
 Method of investigation justified and described 2
 Method of investigation stated 1
Data Collection Instrument 4
 Data collection instrument very well constructed 4
and sequenced and address relevant variables
 Data collection instrument constructed and 3
sequenced addressed
 Data collection satisfactorily and constructed 2
and sequenced
 Data collection identified only 1
Procedures for Data Collection
 Procedures to collect data identified clearly and
described
 Procedures to collect data identified but not
clearly described
Presentation of Data 6
 Data presented using tables, graphs and charts 6
that are appropriate, well labeled and accurate
 Data presented in three ways that are 5
appropriate, well labeled and accurate
 Data presented in three ways that are 4
appropriate, well labeled but with inaccuracies
 Data presented in two ways that are 3
appropriate, with inaccuracies
 Data presented in one way that is appropriate, 2
well labeled and accurate
 Data presented in one way with inaccuracies 1

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Analysis and Interpretation of Data 4
 Analysis and interpretation relevant and well 4
developed
 Analysis and interpretation relevant and
adequately developed 3
 Analysis and interpretation moderately relevant
and moderately developed 2
 Analysis and interpretation show limited relevance
and development 1
Statement of Findings 3
 Three statements of findings based on data 3
presented
 Two statements of findings based on data 2
presented
 One statements of findings based on data 1
presented
Recommendation and Implementation Strategy 4
 Two recommendations and one associated 4
implementation strategy
 Two recommendations and no implementation 3
strategy
 One recommendation and one implementation 2
strategy
 one recommendation only OR implementation 1
strategy
Writing Skills 4
 Excellent organization (paragraphing) use of 4
language, spelling and grammar
 Good organization, use of language, spelling and 3
grammar
 Satisfactory use of language and grammar and 2
several spelling errors
 Poor use of language, poor use of grammar and 1
many spelling errors
Overall Presentation 4
 Appropriate layout with four elements such as 4
acknowledgement, table of contents, bibliography,
cover page, appendixes
 Appropriate layout with most part with three 3
elements
 A moderate presentation with only two of three of 2
the elements
 An unsatisfactory presentation with only one of the 1
elements
Total 40

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