Causes of Truancy among Government Secondary Schools Students in Kuje Area Council of FCT Abuja
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Background of the Study
School is an institution for educating children (oxford Dictionary, 2015). It is also an agent of socialization as well as institution set up by the society in order to pass knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and other necessary qualities to the younger generations so that they become productive and leaders of tomorrow. Mahuta, (2007) was of view that a school is regarded as a centre of knowledge and it possesses the power to mould and shape the character of individuals in the society. Therefore, it is clear that school is a backbone and life wire of a society.
In our schools, teaching and learning take place effectively when there is proper attendance on the part of both staff and students. However, present day students do engage in absenting themselves from school without concrete and reasonable reasons which makes them truant. Therefore, truancy becomes one of the problems seriously affecting teaching and learning, general performance and quality of our secondary school students as well as the quality of the education generally in developing nations like Nigeria. Even though teachers, school administrators, government and community are trying their best in order to tackle truancy, it still persists in our schools.
Nigerians refer to truancy as an act of indiscipline, psychologists and counsellors see truancy as the behavioural problem which can be solved if the causes are found and properly tackled. Truancy remains a major antisocial problem among secondary school students in Nigeria.
The concept and acts of indiscipline have received a lot of attention by researchers. Peck (2007) opined that the various behavioural disorders like stealing, violence, drug abuse, examination malpractice, sexual abuse and truancy have so undermined effective teaching-learning processes that some teachers have become helpless and disorganized in their task of impacting knowledge to the learners. Truancy as it affects the school and life chances of students, stands as conspicuous and serious stumbling block against the achievement of success academically. Truancy contributes to idleness, joblessness, unemployment. In fact, it has been ranked as the seventh in the line of behavioural problems according to teachers (Tierney, and Snyder 2003).
Truancy has to do with none or irregular attendance to school. There are different shades of truancy; some children are engaged in money making ventures like hawking thereby absenting themselves from school without permission from teachers or school authority. Students may run away from school or may leave their homes on the pretence of going to school while roaming the streets only to return home at the close of school among many others. According to Garry ( 2001), truancy is one of the behavioural problems in our secondary schools that need to be investigated. Extensive and more detailed research that would give full coverage and exposition to this problem need to be conducted urgently so as to prevent this menace from resulting into more serious or further problems in our educational system. This study therefore attempted to assess the causes of truancy among secondary school students in Kuje Area Council, Abuja.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Indiscipline among students is a perennial problem. One common discipline problem found globally is truancy. Davies and Lee (2006) found that school children are inclined not to go to school or choose not to attend certain classes during the school hours. Truancy also occurs among Nigerian students, and according to Bello (2003), it has become a social moral issue.
Indeed, what is of concern is that the spread of the truancy problem has given rise to various moral and social problems among students. This cannot be treated lightly, because studies have shown that truancy nearly tops the list of acts of misbehavior among students.
Preliminary investigation by researcher in some secondary schools in kuje Area Council, Abuja showed that a lot of students found one excuse or the other to be involved in truancy. Some of the excuses were based on helping their parents to hawk goods in the market or roadside, inadequacy of fund to get instructional materials like books and other stationery and even failure to do assignment. The question now is what are really the causes of truancy among government secondary school students in Kuje Area Council, Abuja? This what the study would provide answer for.
1.3 Objective of the Study
The main objective of this study was to examine the causes of truancy among government secondary schools students in Kuje Area Council of FCT Abuja. Specifically the study was to;
Establish the causes of truancy that come from the homes of Government Secondary School Students in Kuje Area Council, Abuja.
Determine the causes of truancy originating from the students in Government Secondary Schools in Kuje Area Council, Abuja.
Ascertain truancy among students originating from the Government Secondary Schools in Kuje Area Council, Abuja.
Proffer possible solutions to occurrence of truancy among students in Government Secondary Schools in Kuje Area Council, Abuja.
1.4 Research Questions
The study sought answers to the following questions:
What are the causes of truancy that come from the homes of Government Secondary Schools students in Kuje Area Council, Abuja?
What are the causes of truancy originating from the students of Government Secondary Schools in Kuje Area Council, Abuja?
What are the causes of truancy among students originating from the Government Secondary Schools in Kuje Area Council, Abuja?
What are the possible solutions to curb truancy among students of Government Secondary Schools in Kuje Area Council, Abuja?
1.5 Significance of the Study
The youth of today are leaders of tomorrow as the adage stands. If they are not disciplined today, they cannot be expected to become responsible leaders of tomorrow.
The study would be useful to the following;
School administrators; this study would examine the various causes and consequences of truancy and state the way of curbing them which would serve as a vital sustainment for effective school administration
Parents; the study would equally give parents an insight on how and why their wards engage in truancy and the effects of such activities
The study would also be of immense value to graduate and undergraduate students who are studying administration in the field of education as it would give them insight on how to handle truant students.
The study would also help in the discovery of the fundamental aspect of truancy that is mostly found among students with this, proper guidance and counseling would be given to them to enable them make the best out of education. The study would also go a long way to help students do well in academy performance and to be good citizens of the society at large.
It would be significant to Kuje community because if students are corrected from truant behaviour , the streets will be decongested of hooligans and arm robbers.
1.6 Scope and limitation of the Study
The scope of the study was based on the causes of truancy among students of Government Secondary Schools in Kuje Area Council FCT, Abuja
The Study covered all Government Secondary Schools in Kuje Area Council, Abuja. The Schools were;
S/No
NAME OF SCHOOLS
LOCATION OF SCHOOLS
1.
Government Secondary School
Gawu, Kuje
2.
Government Secondary School
Guabe, Kuje
3..
Government Secondary School
Gudun karya, Kuje
4.
Government Secondary School
Gwagwarda, Kuje
5.
Government Secondary School
Pasali, Kuje
6.
Government Secondary School
Rubochi, Kuje
Source: WAEC Registered Centers Kuje (2016)
1.7 Operational Definition of Terms
Truancy: The practice of staying away from school without permission. In other words, it is the act of staying away from school without a reasonable excuse.
Truant: A child who stays away from school without permission
Disobedient: Failing or refusing to obey.
Abet: To encourage somebody to do something wrong.
Phobia:A strong unreasonable fear or hatred of something.
Government Secondary School: A school that admits or registers and educates learners from Junior Secondary to Senior Secondary level owned and managed by government.
Student: A learner who is studying in a Secondary School
The Effect of Social Problems on the Academic Performance and Social Adjustment of Senior Secondary School Students in Selected Schools in Shomolu District II of Lagos State
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the study
Anti-social activities are rampant in the contemporary Nigerian Society. This is evident in the deluge of social problems witnessed on regular bases. These problems which include various factors such as social inequality, ethnicity, limited resources, corruption, poverty, criminality, and other socio-economic crises pervade the length and breadth of the country. There is a wide gap between the expectations of the society and its actual manifestations. Hardly would a day go by without a record of one form of social problem or the other.
In line with the above, Osarenren (2002) argued that societal attitudes change because society is dynamic and changes occur quite frequently and to support her claims, she advanced some fundamental reasons for anti-social behaviours in the society. For her, one of the reasons is the change in the structure of the society which happens to be as a result of rapid transition from rural to urbanization and industrialization; secondly, there has been a serious disruption of sense of community solidarity and of the integrity of the extended family structure; and thirdly, it is observed that delinquency is on the rise in deteriorated neighborhoods near the city centres of large cities. One may therefore surmise that delinquency is closely associated with urbanization.
From a sociological perspective, a social problem exists when there is a sizable difference between the ideals of a society and its actual achievements. From this perspective, social problems are created by the failure to close the gap between the way people want things to be and the
way things really are (Coleman, 1999). Certain social conditions are detrimental in any situation (Eitzen, Smith & Baca-Zinn, 2009). These conditions prevent members of a society from developing and using their full potential. Those conditions like poverty, racism, unequal opportunity are, therefore, social problems in any social setting.
There is a common consensus among experts that deviance is a social problem and could be seen as a product of both personal and social traits. Osarenren (2002) argued that any behavior which does not conform to the rules, regulations, norms and values of a given time is viewed as deviance. In line with this position, Ajuzie (2005), submitted that deviance should be eradicated or put to control in the society .She argues further that the best a society could do in order to achieve this is to undertake application of knowledge to practical ends, through corrections, development of policies and programmes for combating crime and deviance, to reform, remobilize and to treat deviants. Matza (1964) came up with the idea of treating deviant cases when he projected a premise that something must be wrong with a deviant actor and which compels him to be lawless and inhibits him from conformity to conventional norms and the laws of the society.
Education is a watchdog that is essential for correcting the problem of deviance and ensuring conformity to institutional rules and regulations. The impact of education on change and adjustment is tremendous in that knowledge is light, it transforms and leads in the right direction. The thrust of this study is to explore the effect of social problems on the academic performance and social adjustment of secondary school students. In this breadth, ‘deviance’ readily comes to mind, because it is a term that is easily associated with social problems among youths in general and secondary school students in particular.
Before the study is explored in-depth, laying a solid foundation with regards to relevant accounts of social deviance issues among youths and secondary school students in Nigeria will be useful.In the account of Osaat (1999),the present Nigeria generation has been a generation of youth restiveness and moral decadence, sporadic ethnic and religious violence, insurgent tribal youth militias, and labour unrest among adult workers, and a generation where youths grow with criminal tendencies, with growing interests in cultic activities, and examination malpractice as the dominant means of achieving success in educational institutions.
Deviance, disturbances, crises, issues, violence, unrest and all anti-social behaviours, all of which have been categorized as social problems are prevalent in every sector of the Nigerian nation. The primary focus of this study is to lay emphasis on these problems with a focus on the educational sector and especially among students of senior secondary schools in Nigeria. Student participation in anti-social behaviours is on a steady rise. The alarming effect of this behavior constitutes a major challenge Teachers, Parents, Guardians, and the Government, the stake-holders in the educational sector and even among the well meaning Nigerians at large.
A number of occurrences, which have become the ‘norm’, are testimony to the fact that social problems in schools have come to stay. A practical example was recorded by the Nation newspaper of Thursday, June 21, 2012, that social unrest broke out at the Government Girls Secondary School in Abuloma, Port- Harcourt. At the aftermath of the violence, about 13 students including teaching staff were recorded to have sustained various degrees of injuries. The Nigerian Tribune of Thursday, October 4, 2012 also recorded the killings of about 46 students of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State. The Newspaper attributed the reason for the killings to ethnicity and school politics .Although investigations are still on going as to what led to the extra-judicial killings of the students, but some of the students have confessed that the perpetrators of the dastardly acts are very likely to be their fellow students. In an egalitarian society, there are ideals like peace, fairness, law and order, brotherhood, social and equitable justice, and whenever these collective ideals are truncated, social problems become the consequence.
Violence is rampant in secondary schools these days. According to Awujo (2006), Nigeria today is faced with the syndrome of youth restiveness, which is believed to be connected to the political, social and economic problems of our country. He argued that the syndrome of youth restiveness was borne out of the wounds of despair and disappointment. It is a cry of daily hurt, persistent injustice, exploitation, impoverishment, pain and anger as a result of man’s inhumanity to man.
Aside youth restiveness, there are other social problems witnessed among secondary school students. Sexual promiscuity is one of the problems associated with some secondary school students.Adenuga (2006) supports this claim by stating that the problem of sexual promiscuity is not a new phenomenon in Nigeria especially among senior secondary school students. He went on to reveal that many secondary school students are under pressure to engage in premarital sex as the popular saying in the urban society is that “everybody is doing it”.
Sexual promiscuity among secondary school, if unchecked, eventually culminates into sexual perversions as lesbianism, homosexuality, transgender sex and other bizarre sexual experimentations like incest, bestiality and other sexual abnormalities. One cardinal danger that sexual promiscuity portends for teenage girls is teenage pregnancy which in all cases is unwanted pregnancies. This will either result in abortion or in teenage parenting which constitutes social problems. All forms of sexual promiscuity and the negative effects constitute danger for the affected victims; it makes them become social misfits. For example, a secondary school girl who gets pregnant will have to undergo series of castigations and rejections from her parents, family members, school mates and even her close friends. The reproach could even lead to her withdrawal from school, a case of school dropout.
Cultism among students is another case of social problem. Today, participation in cultic activities has been extended to students in the secondary schools, but this was not the case in recent past when cultism was limited to students of higher institutions only. The case of cultism on campuses gives credence to the claims of Salako (2005), that our institutions of learning in Nigeria today are being rocked by crises caused by secret cults on the campuses. Cultic activities have become the order of the day so much so that institutions of higher learning seldom run the normal school calendar.
Corruption has been linked with participation in cultism in the country. Eneh (2008) believes that widespread corruption in high places and endemic poverty in the society are precursors of cultism in Nigerian educational institutions. This claim is true when you look at the cases of cultism among students, one would realize that participation in cultic activities is majorly driven by the ambition of students to acquire power and money. That is why they hunt for students from well to do families as initiates, also, some political leaders in the country make use of student cultists to perpetrate evil so as to secure their political seats for as long as they want. These cultists carry out all the dastardly acts for the politicians in exchange for money. Corruption and endemic poverty are at the very roots of cultism in Nigeria’s educational institutions. Corruption eats deep into the fabrics of the society. Little wonder, Umar (2007),put forward a staggering statistics that about 2% of Nigerians control over 60% of the Nation’s financial assets, while over 70% of the population live below the poverty line (Encarta,2005).
The irony of our country is summarized below by Eneh (2006):
“Nigeria, a country blessed with the natural potentials to be among the richest nations of the world, is variously rated between the 13th and 21st poorest country; and 1st or 2nd most corrupt nation of the world” p.126.
There is need to also highlight problems of drug and substance abuse, truancy and juvenile delinquency among students. These all signify the existence of social problems in the society. Smoking and drug intake among youth, as adjudged by Oloyede (1996), is rampant among Nigerian youth of different socio-economic backgrounds both in rural and urban areas. Drug intake and smoking is common among secondary school students. Cigarettes and other performance-enhancing drugs come in cheap and readily available, so students can afford them irrespective of their social class, and also there seems to be no serious laws in the society prohibiting the access of students to these drugs.
Research has proven that students’ truancy is caused by social factors like unstable home life, poverty and socio-economic factors. Juvenile delinquency is another problem among students, it causes a lot of worries for Teachers and Parents. Research has also shown that the influence of the family on the lives of juvenile delinquents is certainly much greater. Studies show that children from poor homes are much more likely to commit serious criminal acts. (Coleman and Cressey, 1999).
From the accounts put forward in the background of this study, it is obvious that Nigeria, as a society, is plagued with multi-faceted social problems. These problems are affecting every segment of the society including the secondary schools which is the focus of this study. In order to establish the effects of social problems on the academic performance and social adjustment of senior secondary school students, it will be useful to highlight the two variables in focus, which are academic performance and social adjustment.
Performance of students in the classroom and school takes a central role in the academic development of the student. Parents, Teachers and School administrators alike take cognizance of the academic well-being of the students. Yardsticks are set by school authority to measure performance, the standards set by the school will determine whether a student is performing well or not.
In the assessment of performance, Ilogu (2004) argued that performance is the behavior of an individual that can be directly observed by another individual. There are schools of thought in academic performance. One school of thought justifies performance of students by evaluating what students have done as against what students have learnt throughout the course. This evaluation is done by measuring home work, test and even examination. By this method, areas of strength and weaknesses in a student’s academic career are determined and evaluated in order to improve on the learning process of the student. Academic performance of students allows for ranking of students in numerically identifiable scale. This is about positioning students in terms of performance. It can also be used for placement purposes. This method is used to determine students that will progress to the next class and those that will stay behind for another process of re-evaluation.
Studies have shown that factors which influence students’ academic performance include the following:
Hard work and discipline, family income, parent’s education, previous schooling and self motivation. Other factors include students’ aptitude, class attendance, age of student, student’s learning style matched with instructor’s delivery style. (Romer, 1993, Cohen & Huston,1995).
Aside students’ academic performance, their social adjustment in and out-of school environment is also very critical. Social adjustment and academic performance go along with Each other as one will either affect or compliment the other. Social adjustment, according to Kelvin and Robert (1991), is the psychological process through which people manage or cope with the demand and challenges of everyday life.
Social adjustment frequently involves coping with new standards and values. In the technical language of psychology, adjustment means getting along with members of the society as best as one can. Psychologists use the term adjustment of varying conditions of social and interpersonal relations in the society. In this regard, adjustment means reaction to the demands and pressures of the social environment imposed upon the individual. Whenever two types of demands come into conflict with each other and results in an adjustment being made, then some special problems of adjustment arises.
Adjustment in School has been described as a very important aspect of student life. Teachers are advised to be more concerned with the adjustment of students in school because the primary purpose of education is to train students to be well adjusted in their social life. Human beings have the capacity to adapt to new situations, they do not only adapt to physical demands but also adapt to social pressures. Social pressures play an important role in the choices students make. In an environment where the degree of social problems is high, then the student would easily fall for the social pressure. This is what the students face on a daily basis.
From the foregoing, it is evident that social problems in our society are generating concerns for all and sundry. This study is concerned about the extent to which social problems affect the academic performance and social adjustment of students in Nigeria.
It is on the basis of these assumptions that this study was construed to examine the effect of social problems on the academic performance and social adjustment of senior secondary school students of Shomolu Education District II of Lagos State, Nigeria.
Theoretical Framework
This study is anchored on the effects of social problems on the academic performance and social adjustment of secondary school students. The theories that throw light on these problems are appraised below.
Social Disorganization Theory
This theory was propounded by Shaw and McKay (1969).It viewed society as a collectivity of people bound together by a set of interrelated norms and values. The theory sees deviance as a natural bye-product of rapid social change especially when the pace of social change is significant to disrupt a society’s normative order.
In this study, social disorganization theory will provide a framework for explaining how secondary school students develop deviant behaviours as a result of the rapidly changing social order of the society. The study investigates the extent to which change in society dictate social adjustment.
Labeling Theory
Labeling theory is another theory that strengthens the importance of this study. The theory was propounded by Howard Becker (1963). Howard Becker viewed deviance as the creation of social groups and not the quality of some act or behavior.
He believed that social groups create deviance by making rules whose infraction creates deviance, and by applying those roles to particular people and labeling them as outsiders. From this point of view, deviance is not a quality of the act the person commits, but rather a consequence of the application of rules and sanctions to an ‘offender’. The deviant is one to whom the label has been successfully attached.
According to Becker (1963), studying the act of the individual is unimportant because deviance is simply rule breaking behavior that is labeled deviant by persons in positions of power. He viewed those people that are likely to engage in rule breaking behavior as essentially different from members of the rule making or rule abiding society. Those persons who are prone to rule breaking behavior see themselves as morally at odds with those members of the rule abiding society.
Becker (1963) also detailed the process of how these deviant outsiders become involved in secondary deviance. Primary deviance is the first step, and the primary act may be either intentional or non-intentional. He argued that most people only think or fantasize in a deviant manner.
The process of being caught and labeled deviant by a person in position of authority leads to secondary deviance. Secondary deviance involves the acceptance of the deviant label. Certain rule breakers come to accept the label of ‘deviant’ as status.
In this study, labeling theory provides a framework for explaining the way and manner society reacts to known cases of deviance. Also, the study attempts to investigate primary and secondary deviance as well as distinguish behaviors that society terms as ‘socially acceptable’ from ‘rule breaking’ behaviours.
Physiological/ Biogenic Theory
A third theory that strengthens this study is the physiological or biogenic theory. The theory was propounded by Cesare Lombroso (1876). He attempted to explain human and social behavior by making use of genetic/biological mechanisms.
The theory stipulates that individuals with certain defective pathological characteristics are predisposed to criminal/ deviant activities. This links criminality/deviance with certain propensities to personalities, temperaments and particular body types or shapes.
During autopsy, he discovered that certain physical stigmata were apparent, making him formulate a number of theses indicating some criminal/deviance tendencies. He attached criminality/deviance to certain physiological attributes like: head size and shape common to race and region from which the criminal belongs, asymmetry of the face, eye defects and peculiarities, excessive dimensions of the jaw and cheek bones, ears of unusual size standing out from the head as those of the chimpanzee, abnormal dentition and others.
The theory provides a basis for linking deviance to some physiological constitutional defects or abnormality or cultural experiences.
Statement of Problem
In recent times, it has become a common phenomenon to read, hear or witness incidences of students’ involvement in anti-social behaviours such as teenage pregnancy/parenting, child abuse, alcohol intake, drug abuse, rape, prostitution, sexual perversion, stealing, cultism, adolescent suicide, school dropout and all kinds of wanton misdemeanor.
Sad to say that some of these social problems are unfortunately fallout of the social ills in the society. It is the society that creates severe poverty, homelessness and economic hardships. Kyra (2009) supports the assumption that social problems are created by social structures when she revealed ‘that much of what goes on in society leaks into the school system, impacting students and their learning experience’. Eitzen et al (2009), also seconded the assumption by suggesting that norm violations are symptoms of social problems and that the source of deviance is found within the social structure. He continues, society plays a role in creating and sustaining deviance by labeling victims as. This shows that anti-social behaviours expressed by students are reflective of what obtains in the larger society.
Many have agreed that deviant acts perpetrated by students in the secondary schools are responsible for the downward turn in the academic performance and social adjustment of these students. It is not certain whether efforts taken by researchers, teachers ,school administrators and stakeholders at linking behaviours among secondary school students to social problems with a view to curbing these behaviours have yielded any fruits in the past.
In the light of the overall challenges of social problems in schools, this study sets out to examine the effect of social problems on the academic performance and social adjustment of senior secondary school students in selected schools in Shomolu District II of Lagos State.
Purpose of the Study
The specific objectives of the study include:
To identify the common types of social problems exhibited by students in the selected schools for this study.
To evaluate the social implications of the behavior exhibited by the students.
To assess the various ways in which social behavior affects students’ classroom activities.
To ascertain the impact of social problems on students’ academic performance.
To ascertain the impact of social problems on students’ social adjustment.
Research Questions.
The study provided answers to the following research questions:
What are the common types of social problems exhibited by secondary school students?
What are the social implications of behaviours exhibited by the students?
To what extent do social behaviours affect students’ classroom activities?
To what extent do social problems impact on students’ academic performance?
To what extent do social problems impact on students’ social adjustment?
Hypotheses
The following hypotheses were tested in the study:
The social problems students’ exhibit in school will not impact negatively on their academic performance.
Students’ social problems will not significantly interfere with their social adjustment.
There will be no gender difference in students’ deviant behaviours.
Significance of the study
The study will be beneficial to the following individuals:
The Students: The findings and recommendations of the study will inform students and help them understand the manifestations of social problems in Schools.It will enlighten them on ways of managing social problems and its influence on classroom activities.
The Teachers: The study will help them to easily identify students who exhibit behaviours that reflect social problems. They will also be equipped with the knowledge of managing students that are prone to social problems and working effectively with parents.
The Parents: Parents will benefit from knowledge of social problems which will enable them identify and associate with their children with the intent of solving the perceived problems.
School Authority: The school authority will be encouraged to pay more attention to social re-orientation programmes such as sex education, health and safety awareness, HIV/AIDS awareness, drug-free initiatives and adolescent counseling programmes.
Government: Relevant information on social problems in schools will inspire the Government to take pro-active measures, which may include enacting laws that will protect the rights of vulnerable students. It is expected that at the top of Government agenda is eradication of endemic poverty and its withering effects on school children. The study will also encourage Government to work on solving the prevalent problems of social injustices, inequalities and economic challenges in the society. All the aforementioned factors adversely affect students’ academic performance and social adjustment in schools.
The Society:The study will create awareness on the social ills of the society. The awareness is expected to generate concerns for majority of people and stake holders in the society who in turn will gear up to eradicate the prevalent social problems of the society.
Scope of the Study
The study covers the effect of Social problems on the academic performance and social adjustment of Senior Secondary School students in Shomolu Education District II of Lagos State.
Definition of Terms
Academic Performance: This is the behavior of a student that can be directly observed by evaluating what he/she has learnt during a course of study. This behavior can be measured through class work, homework, class participation and tests.
Deviance: This refers to possibility of an individual or group deviating from an established norm. Any behavior which does not conform to the rules, regulations, norms, and values of a given time is viewed as deviance.
Social Adjustment: This is the psychological process through which a student copes with the challenges that his/her peers face daily. It involves coping with new values and standards.
Social Problem: A social problem exists when a significant number of people in a society believe that a certain condition is in fact a problem.
Effects of Broken Homes on Academic Performance of Secondary School Students
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Education has been viewed by scholars based on their perception of what education is Castle (2005) sees education as what happened to us from the day we are born to the day we die. Yoloye (2000) defines education as a weapon for combating ignorance, poverty, and disease, as a bridge between confusion and comprehension, as a dam for conserving man’s store of civilization and for generating the power to move to greater civilization, as a means for transporting man from a state of intellectual subservience to a state of intellectual sovereignty.
In a nutshell, education is an all round development of an individual, intellectually, morally, and mentally, so that he will be useful to himself and the society he belongs.
It is assumed that a broken home retard the progress of those children from such background in that both parents are not on a ground to direct and guide the child towards the achievement of educational goals. It is arguable or believed that children form broken homes are more likely prone to poor academic performance. A child may become a victim of broken home as a result of divorce or separation of the parents. When this happens, the child is entrusted to other people that are different form his parents. This person is expected to play the role of a surrogate parents despite his/her commitment to his/her own children. Without any empirical evidence, it is very clear that nobody will treat a child who is entrusted to his care the way he/she will treat his/her own child. By this token, the child is always confused and frustrated under the leadership style of step fathers or step mothers. The frustration of a child knows no bound. At home under surrogate parents he is discriminated and suffers some psychological deprivations. He carries the same emotional frustration to the school. Instead of listening to the teacher and taking down notes, he is more often occupied with the intimidation, discrimination and deprivation he/she is facing at home. As such, he has little or no interest in the learning materials, as classes are ought to be attended and comprehensible in the course of subject taught or presented at school.
Apart from the frustration, discrimination, discouragement and deprivation, the child may also be malnourished and segregated by surrogate parents (i.e mother) who feel that she is wasting the family resources on the child she did not give birth to. The child may lack the necessary school materials and in most cases, may grudgingly allow the child to be attending school while the child may not be given the necessary things that are vital for acquisition of knowledge since he know that he will be punished by the teacher for lack of learning materials, he may result to play truancy.
Single parenthood has been found to adversely affect the learning situation of human being particularly the children. That is to say, children who are reared in homes where parents are separated or divorced are most likely to be faced with sleep disturbance in class while learning and become irritable, fearful, aggressive and withdrawn (Cole and Cole, 2003; Vander-Zanden, 2000). Studies further confirm that children in one parent’s household not only do or perform poorly in school because they tend to lack self-control; but also become disruptive in the classrooms, instead of paying attention to what is being taught in class, they are busy disturbing others ready to learn. In addition, it is also reported that two years immediately after mother’s marriage break up, the mother exercise less control over her children than she did before (Hetherington, Cox and Cos, 2002).
The problems children from broken homes are facing with the resultant failure in school is a serious affair that calls for the attention of all and sundry including the government.
Statement of Problem
In Nigeria, divorce is becoming a common phenomenon. Mallon (2008) noted that it is common to see and hear of divorce cases here and there. In Ekpoma, this is a common trend among those who lives as married couples, to file divorce suite on the other. This is usually associated among the educated elites, this bad trend should be noted by teachers and school heads both public and private at the secondary school levels, as it has bear its ugly toll on the psychological, social and most importantly academics performance of school children, who turns out to miscreants “street boys” Products of the society. The popular Lagos weekend and Lagos life reported at least three to four cases of marital disruption weekly in Lagos and its environment. Also in Kwara State, Ministry of Information Youth, Sports and Social development recorded 53,697 marriages were registered for both the churches and registry from 2001 to 2013. Also given in Edo State the issue of divorce was recorded in child welfare centres.
A total of 97,505 marriages were recorded between 2000 to 2013 and 42,345 out of the total marriages were divorced. Further observation shows the negative effects on our wards. The local government needs to find practical solutions or to minimize the problems.
Ekpoma, Esan West local government area of Edo State shares cultural, religious and language values with her neighboring local government areas namely. Esan South, Esan North, Esan Central Local Government Area. What this implies, is that if divorce is a problem in Ekpoma West local government areas it, is likely to be a problem in those neighboring local government areas.
This study was set up to examine the effects of broken homes on academic performance in secondary schools and to find answers to important questions
Research Questions
The following are research question for the study
What do student in secondary schools in (Esan West local government areas) perceives to be the effects of broken homes?
Does the student perception of the effects of broken homes affect their academic performance?
What is the difference of students from broken homes with those from non-divorced homes?
What is the performance ratio of students from broken home with those from non broken homes?
A good understanding of what students perceive to be the effects of broken home will surely help secondary school teachers approach marital problems with more data facts and understanding.
Purpose of Study
The purpose of this study is to find out:
The perception of students in Esan West local government areas on the effects of broken homes
How the students’ perception of the effects of broken homes affect their academic performance.
The differences of students from broken homes with those from non-broken homes
The performance ratio of students from broken home with those from non-broken homes
Hypothesis
Based on the finding from this chapter, the following hypothesis will be tested to guide the conduct of the study.
There is no significant difference between the older married couples and the younger married couple.
There is no significant difference between male and female married couple in their perception of effects of broken homes.
There is no significant difference among married home of different villages in their perception of effects of broken homes
There is no significant difference among couples with different years of marital experience in their perception of effects of broken homes
Significance of the Study
The family is the basic unit of the society. Modem communities value the family for the contribution it adds to the social life, especially in the socialization of children and adults on the entire population. Earlier studies on marital instability, such as Olusanya (2009) have shown that educational status has positively associated with marital stability. The standard of educational status as a factor of marital stability needs do be clarified.
Danya (2006), observed that divorce rate is on the increase by the day, that many articles has littered the newspapers stand and other bookselling outfits.
This shows how concerned the public is with respect to divorce issues.
This study will thus provide relevant and valuable information to family members, marriage advisers and counselors on how to obtain appropriate solutions to marital problems. It will assist them to be able to render needed help to couples, parents of those children to adjust better in their respective homes for reconciliation. The student will be made aware of the importance of marital stability and factors that leads to marital instability.
This study is thus, reaching out to this school environment, to the family, unmarried males and females, to those intending couples, so as to be able to discover those social ills that are retarding to the achievements of the aims of education and the academic performance of the learners.
Scope of the Study
The study was limited to some selected secondary school students in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State. It covers the students in Ujoelen grammar school, Ihumudumu secondary school, Ujemen secondary school, Eguare secondary school and Emaudo Secondary School, all in Esan West local government area of Edo State. This study involves only student from divorced/broken homes in the five secondary schools. This is because they are the ones that have experienced with such and so could respond to the instrument appropriately.
Definition of Terms
The following terms are defined as they are to be used for the purpose of this study.
Marriage: It is the legal relationship between a husband and wife
Marital Instability: Strain and stress in marital relationship, constant quarrelling and fighting. Marital disruption or disharmony between married couples caused by interaction of the spouse.
Learning: A relatively pertinent to permanent change in the behaviour of an individual as a result of learning
Legal Divorce: This is a case where a marriage is totally broken by a court of low or religious order and the two parties (spouse) and free to remarry, if those documents and tendered for rectification.
Broken Home: A home is said to be broken when it lacks stability, fervency, Joy, Zest Excitement that characterized a happy relationship.
Separation: A situation in which a married couple lives apart and operate separately in marriage without being divorced, very often separation leads to divorce.
Married Couples: These are husband and wife who are legally in a marriage relationship legally contracted under the traditional, religious or court order.
Performance: This is the ability to successfully carry out a given task.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AS PREDICTOR OF STUDENTS’ POOR PERFORMANCE
ABSTRACT
The study focused on the domestic violence as predictions of secondary students poor performance in Obafemi Owode Local Government, identify the negative influence of domestic violence as predictions of society. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The population of the study consists of male and female students in public Senior Secondary School classes (SS1-SS3) in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. The study sample size is 120 public Senior Secondary School students’ (SS1-SS3) in Obafemi Owode Local Government, of Ogun State. Stratified random sampling technique was used in selection of the sample size in order to ensure equal representation based on gender and school types. The study used researcher’s developed questionnaire; tagged: ‘Impact of Domestic Violence on Student Academic Questionnaire (IDVSAAQ)’.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
Pupil school participation as seen in attendance, performance and class participation is related to their psychological and physical state which in turn could be influenced by family relations including domestic violence. Domestic violence is almost always accompanied by psychological abuse and in many cases by forced sex as well. Although the family Is a place where people are expected to maintain intimacy and experience greater emotional support in their relationship, domestic violence presents itself as a paradox. It is ironical that this very supportive social unit is also the arena where intimate partner violence (IPV) is more often experienced. Children from slum areas, who witness violence between their parents on top of other social challenges, are exposed to the aftermath of domestic violence such as anxiety, depression, poor academic performance, low self–esteem, disobedience, nightmares and physical health deterioration all of which may negatively impinge on their academic performance and school participation. The extent and magnitude of domestic violence cannot be precisely measured because there are many cases whereby victims fail to report thus making this vice an inter-personal and family secret. Violence between spouses or intimate partner violence (IPV) usually has far reaching consequences on children. Besides the scenes of violence being traumatic, the children may suffer short-term as well as long-term emotional imbalances, which not only affect their behaviour and performance in schools, but also may adversely affect their social and inter-personal relationships. These children may then end up being abusers themselves in what can be seen as continuity hypothesis. Children who witness violence between their parents often develop many of the same behavioural and psychological problems as children who are themselves abused.
Academic performance is an important parameter in measuring success in student. The concept of academic performance is inevitable in any formal educational institution. It expresses the learning achievement of an individual or a group at the end of an academic programme. It is a criterion for ascertaining the capabilities of student from which his potentials could be assimilate, retain, recall and communicate his knowledge of what has been learnt (joe, Kpolovie, Osonwa and iderima 2014). This concept has close relationship in meaning with academic achievement and academic attainment. Academic performance is demonstrated achievement as knowledge attained or skills developed in school subject usually designed by test scores or marks assigned by the teacher or both. These definitions imply that academic performance is observed and measured aspect of a student’s mastery of skill(s) or subject content(s). It suggests that academic performance is one of the three required aspects of a properly composed learning objective as noted in Singh(2010) and it denotes an expression of a learner’s attainment in properly stated behavioural objectives. Meanwhile, poor academic performances of secondary school students’ have been affected by many factors which domestic violence is among.
The domestic violence is such a factor which is the foundation for children’s development, as such in terms of family problems, family’s socio-economic status plays a vital role in educational achievements of the students. The home has a great influence on the child’s psychological, emotional, social and economic state. This is because the domestic violence in context to the child’s performance affects his reaction to life situations and his level of performance. The success at school is associated with domestic violence factors, as these factors can greatly affect young children’s cognitive skills. Disadvantaged children (children with poor social background and facing more number of domestic violence factors) start schooling with significantly lower cognitive skills than their more advantaged peers (Sharma, Basad and Gupta 2015). Dutton (2012) defines physical abuse as any behaviour that involves the intentional use of force against the body of another person that risks physical injury, harm and or pain. It includes pushing, hitting, slapping, choking, using an object to hit, twisting of a body, forcing the ingestion of an unwanted substance and use of a weapon. He further sees sexual abuse as form of domestic violence defines it as any unwanted sexual intimacy forced on an individual by another. It may include oral anal or vaginal stimulation or penetration, forced nudity, forced exposure to sexual explicit material or activity. Compliance may be obtained through actual or threatened physical force or through some other form of coercion.
Domestic violence is threatening many Nigerian families and is unfortunately increasing in our society. Many people, the vast majority of them children have been injured, disabled and killed as a result of domestic violence. Following the recent happenings where domestic violence, it has become a great priority that domestic violence is a menace that needs to be addressed as soon as possible and accorded with all seriousness that it deserve. It was further notes that domestic violence does not recognize social classes or educational standards (Wopadovi,2014). Domestic violence is assuming national and international attention and it is a type of violence that is prevalent in many homes, and the world over. It is a form of defilement, assault, sexual harassment, and rape or battering, child abuse, for example denial of right, necessities and opportunities, threatening patterns of communication such as insults, harassment, neglectful lack of action. Domestic violence has been outlined by Amnesty international as most violent attacks on an individual or group of people or women. It involves physical, sexual and psychological violence in the family including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to any member of the household. Domestic violence may be exhibited by any member of the household (Sharma, Basad and Gupta 2015).
Adejobi, Osonwa, Iyam, Udonwa and Osonwa (2013) asserted that one negative aspect of family’s life is the effect of domestic violence on children, either as witness to, or victims of conflict which is determined by inter-parental relationship child could be severely traumatized by witnessing domestic violence or themselves being victims of this violence. According to them, domestic violence is a pattern of assaultive and coercion, the adults or adolescents use against their intimate partners. Toda domestic violence is not recognized as a serious societal problem in Nigeria (Imtionde, Aluede and Oboite, 2012). Yet, children in families in which such violence occurs have remained largely invisible as victims. Children who live in households with domestic violence are said to be at higher risk for maladjustment than children who do not live with such violence.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Literatures have revealed a growing trend towards violence and brutality towards pupils from their parents and homes. Often this violence plays out in other forms towards fellow pupils. Further investigation revealed that the perpetrator of this crime had suffered domestic violence. This has resulted in a trend where many families are pre-occupied with the pressure of daily living to the extent that some hoes are witnessing indiscipline among pupils. The propensity for pupils to be violent is also in part influenced by domestic ecology. While domestic violence has been recognized as one of the most entrenched and pervasive forms of violence in Nigeria today, its influence on school going children have yet to receive the same degree of attention (Tony,2012). Children who are victims or witnesses of domestic violence may develop physical, psychological and behavioural problem as a result of physical, verbal, psychological and other forms of violence. This may affect their participation in school as they may go to school when they are too scared to learn and a good number of them may lag behind in class as well as in life due to exposure to domestic violence. The short-term and long-term emotional and physical aftermath of domestic violence may affect pupil’s school attendance, academic performance, and behavioural patterns in school and class participation. It’s unclear how types extent of domestic violence cause student’s poor academic performance, but this study seeks to investigate this scenario.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The broad objective of this study is to examine domestic violence as predictors of secondary school students’ poor performance in Obafemi Owode Local government.
The specific objectives of the study include, examining:
The influence of domestic violence on students’ school attendance in secondary schools in Nigeria;
The influence of domestic violence on academic achievement of students’ in secondary schools in Nigeria;
The influence of domestic violence on school behavioural patterns of students’ in secondary schools in Nigeria;
The influence of domestic violence on students’ class participation in secondary schools in Nigeria.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Based on above study objectives, the following questions were raised:
What is the influence of domestic violence on students’ school attendance in secondary schools in Nigeria?
Would there be significant influence of domestic violence on school behaviour patterns of students’ in secondary schools in Nigeria?
What is the influence of domestic violence on school behavioral patterns of students’ in secondary schools in Nigeria?
What is the influence of domestic violence on students’ class participation in secondary schools in Nigeria?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
The following null-hypothesis were postulated in line with above objectives:
H01 : there is no significant influence of domestic violence on students’ school, attendance in secondary schools in Nigeria.
H02 : there is no significant influence of domestic violence on academic achievement of students’ in secondary schools in Nigeria.
H03 : there is no significant influence of domestic violence on school behavioural patterns of students’ in secondary schools in Nigeria.
H04 : there is no significant influence of domestic violence on students’ class participation in secondary schools in Nigeria.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study may assist different education sector stakeholders in addressing domestic violence as a social vice and to improve the academic achievement and school participation of student coming from the low socio-economic levels. Education sector policy makers, school administrators and teachers may use the findings of this study to formulate strategies for implementing and promoting participation of student coming from families vulnerable to domestic violence.
The local administration and social workers as well as non-governmental organization(NGOs) may use these findings in identifying such families, abused children and in formulating strategies for addressing the ills of domestic violence and encourage socially inclusive interventions mechanisms within slum areas. The study may also benefit the legal legislative framework by providing information needed to incorporate protective las against domestic violence and school participation, basic education rights and regulations.
The results may also contribute to the national debate on domestic violence and its control as well as insights into more research on the causes, impacts and relationships of domestic violence with other element of economic and social well-being of society
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study examined domestic violence as predictors of secondary school students’ poor performance in Obafemi Owode Local Government. In terms of contents coverage, the study further examined influence of domestic violence on the students’ school attendance, academic achievement, school behavioural patterns and class participation in secondary schools in Nigeria.
1.8 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
The following terms were defined for the purpose of this study:
Academic performance: this refers to the level of performance in school, accomplishment or success in school in terms of general average scores in examination.
Domestic Violence: this refers to physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse and abuse to property and pets.
Physical Abuse: this refers as ay behaviour that involves the intentional use of force against the body of another person that risks physical injury, harm and or pain. It includes pushing, hitting, slapping, choking, using an object to hit, twisting of a body part, forcing the ingestion of an unwanted substance and use weapon.
Sexual Abuse: this refers to form of domestic violence which is defined as any unwanted sexual intimacy forced on an individual by another. It may include oral anal or vaginal stimulation or penetration, forced nudity, forced exposure to sexual explicit material or activity.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND SECONCARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN CHIKUN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KADUNA STATE
ABSTRACT
This project work is design to investigate the “Relationship between Learning Environment and Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State”. On the basis of this, four research hypotheses were formulated and tested. A total of one hundred (100) copies of questionnaire were distributed to one hundred (100) sampled students from five (5) different schools to elicit their responses. The instrument used in the study was questionnaire, the Chi-Square statistics was used to analyze the data collected from respondents. The findings include the following; that there is a significant relationship between facilities in the learning environment and students’ academic performance in secondary school; That there is a significant relationship between teachers’ attitude to work and students’ academic performance in secondary schools; That there is a significant relationship between students’ attitude to learning and their academic performance in secondary schools; That there is a significant relationship between principals’ leadership styles and students’ academic performance in secondary schools. Moreover, in all findings; the table shows that there are relationships in all. Based on these, findings recommendations were made that the government should inject more funds into the educational system; parents should show active interest in their children’s education by providing them with rich instructional materials and also make the home environment conducive for learning by ensuring home work habit, parental support and guidance, intellectual stimulations etc
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Education is the bedrock of the development of any nation. This is the reason that a government invest heavily in the education of her citizens. Secondary education, a sub set of the educational level, is very necessary in human capital formation. It is the very supply base from which tertiary institutions draw their major (Clientele) students for admission into their different programmes. It therefore presupposes that the provision of qualitative education is the sine qua non for the attainment of the goals of secondary education. Nevertheless, to attain this goals the learning environment must take a proper outlook for the furtherance of the overall educational objectives.
Learning environment is one of the easiest to understand. The influence are obvious in nature and comprise such things as the lighting , flooring, furniture, architecture and can also encompass space accessibility and cleanliness, as well as interior colour schemes. The school physical learning environment can convey non-verbal, by either welcoming or discouraging and valuing or disrespecting. (strange and Banning, 2001) Graetz and Goliber (2003), summarized research that links lighting to psychological arousal, overheated space to hostility, and density with low student achievement. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate the usage of space to eliminate negative factor. The school learning environment should be well structured, organized, studied and well managed for the attainment of the secondary school education goals and to enhance students academic performance.
The issue of poor academic performance of students in Nigeria has been of much concern to the government, ministry of education, parents, teachers and even student themselves the quality of education not only depends on the teachers as reflected in the performance of their duties, but also in the effective co-ordination of the school learning environment. The physical characteristics of the school have a variety of effects on teachers, students and the learning process, poor highlight, noise, high level of carbondioxide in classroom, and inconsistent temperatures make teaching and learning difficult. It has been observed that poor maintenance and ineffective ventilation systems leads to poor health among students as well as teachers, which lead to poor performance and higher absentee.
These factors can adversely affect students behavior and lead to higher levels of frustration among teachers and poor learning attitude among student. For education in the secondary school to be effective the environment needs to be conducive for learning, allowing the student space and time to interact within the learning and teaching process. Creating and maintaining stimulating learning environment can be achieved through effective classroom organization, interactive and a whole display of climate of innovation.
The school learning environment is a well structured, organized and planned place or setting where teaching and learning occur. The place or setting can be in the classroom situation, library (school library and classroom library), school laboratory where experiment and practical works are carried out by students, technical workshop etc.
Thus, the school or learning environment remains an important area that should be studied and well managed. Consequently, Joseph (1998) outlines four (4) components that constitute meaningful learning in learning environment.
i. Curriculum that is Relevant:
Students must find relevance in the curriculum so that they can see how it connects with their lives. The relevance of the curriculum to student will help to stimulate their interest in the learning environment
ii. Instructional Strategies:
Students in the learning environment learn best when they have to think deeply about the subject under study
iii. Teacher Motivation:
A teacher’s attitude toward the learning greatly influence the student’s attitude towards the subject and learning.
iv. Class / Hall:
Setting up a classroom/Hall in environment that is pleasant, friendly and conducive to learning will certainly help promote learning.
In the view of Akpojivi (2008), Academic performance mean the level of degree of statement, a student may perform poorly or excellently according to his ability, potential and interest. Academic performance is the outcome of education, the extent institution has achieved their educational goals.
Consequently, there are factors affecting student’s academic performance in learning environment. Danesy and Okediran (2002), learning environment that is not free of barriers or noise, gas, smoke, pollution and so on can constitute health hazard, which in turn affect or reduce student’s concentration in learning environment where by affecting their academic performance . Markets and garages located near schools have always posed a threat to student’s academic performance. Noise and pollution from these sources have always endangered student life and concentration.
Other factors according to Danesy (2002), complementing environment and socio-economic factors to produce high academic achievement and performance include good teaching, counseling, good administration, good building. Dilapidating buildings, lack of mental stimulating facilities that is characterized with low or no sitting arrangement will also be destructive. Danesy, however, lamented that the innovation environment do stimulate head start learning and mental perception, not only that, it has also been proved that students that comes from stimulative environment with laboratory equipment or those that are taught with rich instructional aids, pictures and allowed to demonstrate using their functional peripheral nerves like eyes, hands and sense of taste performed better than those trained under theoretical and canopy of abstraction.
1.2 Statement of Problem
It has been observed by most undergraduate students during their teaching practice and practicum exercise that the learning environment in secondary schools are characterized with dilapidated classrooms, equipment and facilities which have effect on students’ academic performance. Some of the classrooms are over populated with students beyond the normal capacity of the classroom, in this case, the teachers find it difficult to communicate to large population of students and move freely due to lack of space in the classroom.
Students have poor sitting arrangement due to over congested students in the sitting chair in the classroom. Moreover, the attitude, motivate, and interest exhibited by learners in learning environment has constituted a lot of problem, such as his readiness to learn, his entry behavior, is he/she interested in what he/she is expected to learn, motivation, general intelligence could have effect on students’ academic performance in the learning environment.
What then is the relationship between learning environment and secondary school students’ academic performance in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State
1.3 Research Questions
The following research questions have been raised to guide the study;
Is there any relationship between facilities in the learning environment and students’ academic performance in secondary school?
Is there any relationship between teachers’ attitude to work and student academic performance in secondary school?
What is the relationship between students’ attitude to learning and their academic performance in secondary school?
Is there any relationship between principals’ leadership styles and students academic performance in secondary schools?
1.4 Research Hypotheses
There is no significant relationship between facilities in the learning environment and students’ academic performance in secondary schools.
There is no significant relationship between teachers’ attitude to work and students’ academic performance in secondary schools
There is no significant relationship between students’ attitude to learning and their academic performance in secondary schools.
There is no significant relationship between principals’ leadership styles and students’ academic performance in secondary schools.
1.5 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to find out the relationship between learning environment of secondary school students’ academic performance in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State. However, the specific purpose of this study is stated as follows;
To investigate the relationship between facilities in the learning environment has affected students’ academic performance.
To find out how teachers’ attitude to work in the learning environment have affected students academic performance.
To ascertain the relationship between the students’ attitude in the learning environment and their academic performance
To what extent principals’ leadership styles in the learning environment have on students’ academic performance.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The result of this research will be beneficial to the following; parents, teachers, students, various tiers of government, curriculum planners and examination bodies.
To the parents who will see vividly the need to motivate the students by providing them with rich instructional materials and also make the home environment conducive for learning by ensuring home work habit, parental support and guidance, intellectual stimulations. Parents motivation has the highest assessment while facilities provided has the least.
However, the teacher in education will see the need to change their attitude, mentality and instructional method used in teaching students, so as to enhance their academic performance. In the same vein, students will change their attitude, motive, and interest in the learning environment to a more positive and constructive attitude such as their entry behavior, readiness to learn, interest in what they are expected to learn, motivation, general intelligence which will in turn have effect in their academic performance.
Again, various tiers of governments which include the federal, state and Local government will be more motivated to create an enabling and conducive learning environment in the secondary institution by building new classrooms, halls, laboratories as well as rehabilitation of the old dilapidated ones. Also by motivating the teachers by prompt payment of their salaries, giving of incentives, remunerations, award scholarship to students so as to tackle the problem of socio-economic factor.
Lastly, the secondary school curriculum planner and examination bodies will see the need to reconstruct most subjects of study in the secondary school programme or curriculum so that it will be relevant to the students.
1.7 Scope/Delimitation
The scope of this study focuses on the relationship between learning environment and secondary school students’ academic performance in some selected schools in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The study is limited to five (5) secondary schools in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
1.8 Operational Definition of Terms
Relationship: The way in which two or more people or things are connected or state of being connected
Learning Environment: It refers to the diverse physical locations, context, and cultures in which physical locations, context and cultures in which students learn. In this context, is the school environment where teaching and learning occurs.
Secondary School Students: It refers to the learner’s in the secondary schools usually between the age s of 12 and 18 years.
Academic Performance: The level of attainment of a student in his subject of study. The grade or score in their respective subject of study.
Local Government Area: It is the third tier of government, Created to make the people feel the impact of the government.
PROBLEMS OF INDISCIPLINE ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KOSOFE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF LAGOS STATE
ABSTRACT
This study investigated the problems of indiscipline on the academic performance of secondary school students in Kosofe local government area of Lagos state. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. 196 secondary school students formed the sample while simple random sampling technique was used to select secondary school students from four Senior Secondary schools in Kosofe Local Government in Lagos State. Thirty Senior Secondary school students were randomly sampled from each school. A self-developed questionnaire of 21 items was used to collect information from the students after its validity was determined. Four hypotheses were tested in the study while Inferential Statistics of Pearson product moment correlation statistical tool was used for hypothesis testing at 0.05 levels of significance. The study revealed the following results: there is no significant influence of truancy on students’ academic performance, there is no significant influence of cheating in examinations on students’ academic performance, there is no significant influence of alcohol and substance abuse on students’ academic performance, there is no significant influence of sexual related problems on academic performance and there is a significant gender difference on students’ academic performance. It is recommended that; parents should be watchful of the types of friends kept by their adolescent children. The parent-child relationship should be cordial enough to permit adolescents to discuss their problems with their parents. The management of adolescents (secondary school students) should be the joint responsibility of parents, teachers, school administrators and the society at large. School counsellors should also provide usable and adequate information both to the students and their parents about forms of indiscipline in secondary schools and consequent punishment associated to each.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
The children of today are the leaders of tomorrow and children are always described as the pride and wealth of any nation. Due to these reasons, the future of any nation depends largely on the young ones who constitute the human and potential resources needed for the continued existence of the society. In order for any nation to achieve a sustainable development, the younger population must not only be preserved but also be disciplined. Over the last decade there has been an increasing concern among educators in Nigeria regarding students’ indiscipline and disrespect to school authorities. This Indiscipline has been over time an issue of concern for educators, Policy makers, public opinion and the society in general.
Research consistently documents that school indiscipline reduces teaching hours as more time is devoted to managing student’s misbehaviors rather than on teaching. School Indiscipline owing to outbreak of aggressiveness among peers, violence within teachers to student’s relationship and vandalism, truancy bullying, alcohol and substance abuse, inability and unwillingness to do assigned class work or homework, refusal to take given orders, teasing of other learners, disrespecting educators, swearing at educators or other learners, carrying dangerous weapons to school, threatening other learners with dangerous weapons, assaulting other learners, thus leading to perpetual existence of problem of drop outs, deviant behaviours, examination malpractices, lateness and above all poor academic performance among students. Idu and Ojedapo (2011) and Tunor (2011).
Discipline is probably one of the most difficult and unpleasant part of teaching profession because the teacher is faced with the challenges of educating, socializing, empowering and certifying students, but this is only possible with the help of good teaching atmosphere (Fafunwa, 2009; Farrant, 2004).
Indiscipline is a multifaceted phenomenon regarding its did plays and causes as well as its meanings and functions in the social, psychological and pedagogical fields. The problem of indiscipline permeates all facets of the life of man and has brought man down to the knees. According to the Bible (Christian’s holy book) it was the sin of Disobedience that sent the first man and woman Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. The sin of disobedience is actually a case of indiscipline to laid down rules and regulations by the constituted authority (God) in which he instructed them not to do something, which they later did and had to face the consequences.
School indiscipline according to Gaustard (2005) has two main objectives. The first is to ensure the safety of staff and students while the second is to create an environment conducive for learning. Acts of indiscipline occasioned by students’ misconduct involving violent and criminal behavior defeats the goals of education.
Acts of indiscipline if allowed to incubate under current favourable conditions by education providers and consumers could hatch a monster that will be difficult to exterminate. Idu and Ojedapo (2011) and Tunor (2011). Minor samples of the envisioned problems are being encountered in the nation’s economic front. Many indeed believe that the current economic woes arising from corruption, robbery, assassination, kidnapping, smuggling and pipeline vandalisation are progenies of school indiscipline. Court injunctions and orders are indiscriminately flouted not only by those who make or interpret the law, but also by those who took the oath to defend the laws of the land. These acts of indiscipline in our national life most likely began as a mustard seed of disobedience in the school.
School indiscipline is a very important and crucial issue hindering the normal development of youths in the society especially students in post primary schools. Indiscipline as it concerns achievement of educational goals has received a lot of attention. According to Edem (1982), Indiscipline as the violation of school rules and regulations which is capable of obstructing the smooth and orderly functioning of the school system should be consequently avoided through perfect orientation of students and imposition of positive sanctions in the case of obvious violation of order.
Indiscipline is the ability of students to respect authority, observe and obey school rules and regulations which in turn affect their academic performance. When a student misses or skips classes continuously no doubt that will lead to poor performance in his academics. Same goes for truancy, absteenism, late coming to mention a few.
The purpose of this study is to explore the Problems of indiscipline and its influence on the Academic Performance of Senior Secondary Schools in Lagos State.
The problem of indiscipline affects all schools irrespective of gender and school type though the degree and magnitude vary from school to school. Cases of violence though common, occur more often outside than on the school premises. The measures taken to deal with indiscipline are barely adequate given the fact that there exist no administrative or legal guidelines which one could refer to in the case such issues or situation arises. Actions taken are often ad-hoc and uncoordinated both within and across schools of the same type. Teachers most predominately feel disempowered to deal with cases of indiscipline because of lack of support from relevant authorities, political interference and incapacitated school administration.
In this study, we would be looking at the term discipline, Indiscipline and its influence on academic performance. Discipline globally views could be termed to mean training that enables an individual to develop an orderly conduct and self –control as well as self direction Egwunyenga (2000). Therefore Discipline defines the limitations of an individual or group of people. It is the practice of restraint, which may be self- imposed. Relating it to our schools, Adeshina (1980) described it as a situation whereby students are taught to respect the school authorities, to observe the school laws and regulations and to maintain established standard of behavior. In other words, respect for self and others.
Boakye (2006) defines discipline as the obedience of rules and orders and a manifestation of an outward mark of respect in accordance with standing agreements. School discipline is an essential element in school administration. This is because discipline is a mode of life in accordance with laid down rules of the society to which all members must conform and the violation of which are questionable . Indiscipline is seen as a process of training and learning that fosters growth and development. Imaguezor (1997). The aim of discipline is therefore to help the individual to be well adjusted, happy and useful in school and also in the society. The doctrine of school discipline according to Nolte (1980) and Barrell (1978) is based on the concept of “loco parentis” which allows school authority full responsibility for children’s upbringing, the right of discipline and control. In other words, teachers have the right to punish students who contravene school rules/laws. This discipline refers to a systematic instruction given to a student. To discipline means to instruct a person to follow a particular code of conduct. According to Adesina (1990), discipline is the readiness or ability to respect authority and observe conventional or established laws of the society or of any other organization. Discipline implies self-control, restraint, and respect for oneself and others. In a nutshell, school discipline refers to regulation of children and maintenance of school rules or order. These rules may for example define the expected standards of clothing (school uniform), timekeeping, social behavior among classmates and general school ethics. Discipline therefore calls for sacrifice, perseverance, and tolerance in our schools in order to achieve academic excellence.
Indiscipline, on the other hand, is misbehaviour in any or all of the following areas: respect for school authority, obedience of rules, laws and regulation and maintenance of established standards of behaviour.
Adesina (1990), also argues that discipline is coined from a Latin word “Discipulus” meaning to learn. It therefore calls for the submission of one’s impulses and powers to a regulation, which prevents chaos and brings efficiency without which there would otherwise be ineffectiveness and waste.
Indiscipline, on the other hand, is a breach of social order, good moral, behaviour, self-accepted and self-maintained social values of life.
Furthermore, indiscipline can be said to be problem facing the effectiveness of work in the public and private secondary schools today. This has led to nepotism, hooliganism, absenteeism, truancy, unwanted destruction of properties, cheating and examination mal-practice in the society.
Indiscipline can be said to be the absence of discipline. Therefore, anywhere indiscipline reigns, discipline is absent. The stability and continued existence of that society is in question because where discipline is not instilled, life and property become insecure and the continued existence of that society become precarious.
Edem (1982), states that indiscipline as a violation of school rules and regulations is capable of obstructing the smooth and orderly functioning of schools system and should be consequently avoided through perfect orientation of students and imposition of positive sanction incase of obvious violation of the order.
Dittiniya (1996), states that indiscipline could be regarded as any act that does not conform to societal values and norms. Indiscipline could take up many forms and shapes depending on how it is being carried out in its assorted forms. Indiscipline is also a distinctive and undeserving element to progress, training and mode of life in accordance with rules. Consequently, lack of discipline relates to misbehavior in any form. Indiscipline in this situation is any act that is inconsistent with the set down rules and regulations governing a learning situation.
It is important to state that indiscipline in our secondary schools is one of the major problems facing our society today. Indiscipline according to (Timothy, 2008: 110) is the direct opposite of discipline i.e. lack of discipline. He further quoted Dittinuiya (1995) who defined it as any act that does not conform to the societal value and norms.
However, indiscipline is as old creation itself. That was what accounted for the ejection of the first male and female (Adam and Eve) from the garden of Eden, out of disobedience and extreme curiosity to be like their creator, they tasted the forbidden fruit and faced the consequences. Furthermore, for some time now, indiscipline in our school has attracted the attention of the media and the general public. Schools which are fundamentally expected to assist in building up people for good of the society are now regarded as by some as the breeding ground for indiscipline.
On the whole, these authors agree on one common thing about discipline and indiscipline. That is, whereas discipline means obedience to authority, respect for self and others, indiscipline means the opposite (i.e. disobedience to authority, lack of respect for self and others). This common view is undisputable because it underscores the fact that discipline is an indispensable aspect of school effectiveness. In this study indiscipline is conceptualized as behaviour from a student that breaches rules and regulations and undermines school effectiveness. Academic Performance is what you have shown you can do in a certain subject(s). Ability is what you can do given an ideal circumstance. You can think of it as being internal until you show what you can do with your performance. Performance is external and what people can see. For instance, someone freaks out when they have to take a test and is uncoordinated; this will or may lead to poor performance in that test. If that same person takes that same test without being nervous, he would have performed better.
There is much indiscipline in schools. There is also various school offence or indiscipline today and the major ones are listed below. E.g. assault and insult, drug abuse, charms, truancy, fighting, mass demonstration, dishonesty, wickedness, drug trafficking, keeping firearms, sexual harassment, rape, Robbery, in-decency etc.
Assault and insult: Student or youth speak rudely to their teachers and also fight with members of staff as well as members of non-teaching staff and beat up their younger ones.
Drug abuse: This is the habit of taking in destructive substances. They arch the habit of keeping and using drug for regular diseases, which are not prescribed by qualified doctors. They also indulge in drinking and smoking.
Charms: worse still act or things are supposed to have magic power to help or harm people. A lot of students use charms to pass their examination as to win the favour of the teacher and also to cause harm to fellow students and teacher who are against them.
Truancy: This is the act of habit staying away from school without permission. Most of the students leave their home every morning but do not get to school.
Fighting: Indiscipline arises from fighting. It brings about physical defeat of students in secondary school.
Mass demonstration: They engaged in demonstration or strikes over the quality of food, poor staffing.
Dishonesty: Lying cheating and stealing are dishonest acts of Behaviour. Some of them are guilty of fighting and cheating at examination.
Wickedness: They oppress the junior students and carryout the destructive of the school property. They engage in strikes and mass demonstration.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
There has been continued decline in the academic performance of students in our secondary schools and these are triggered by the escalation in the number of students who fail or perform woefully in continuous assessment test and promotional examination. This problems also surface in external examinations. That is the performance of students who write the Junior Secondary Certificate examinations (JSCE) and the Senior Secondary Examinations (SSCE), most of the students do not pass the mathematics and English language which is a compulsory prerequisite to be able to gain admission into any higher Institution.
Due to these problems, most of the students have had to repeat a class and as in the case of the external examinations, they have to seat at home to wait for another year in order to re-sit for another examination. It is also a concern because the external examinations fees have to be paid again before such the student can be allowed to sit for the exams. Many parents would actually search for jobs for their wards but in our society where even the graduates are still unemployed, what would become of their fate. When nothing seems to be coming forth in terms of employment, these children will have no other choice but to remain at home hoping that and believing that they might be called up for a job some day. Remember the adage that says an “An idle hand is the devils workshop”. It’s always during the time of waiting that they join bad gangs, engage in the abuse of drugs, drinking alcohol, partying, night crawling, even some others are used by evil politicians to realize their ambition of rigging and ballot box snatching by giving them cash in exchange for arms and ammunition to the detriment of their soul, thereby jeopardizing their future. Some others join armed robbery gangs, engage in prostitution and if they caught in the any of this dastardly act. They would be arrested and charged to court. If they convicted and found guilty, they risk the chance of going to jail.
This issue has become a source of concern even to school administrators, parents, guardians, teachers, principals, district board of education, ministry of education, students themselves, stakeholders and the society in general. Therefore, this study sets to investigate the problems of indiscipline on the academic performance of secondary school students in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State. There is no doubt that teachers, parents, guardians, peer groups and the society itself have both individual and collective roles.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
To determine the influence of truancy on students’ academic performance.
To ascertain the influence of cheating on students’ academic performance.
To determine the influence of alcohol and substance abuse on academic performance.
To ascertain the influence of sexual related problems on academic performance.
1.4 Research Questions
Will truancy have influence academic performance of secondary school students in Kosofe Local Government area of Lagos state?
Will cheating in examination have influence students’ academic performance in Kosofe Local Government area of Lagos state?
Will Alcohol and substance abuse have influence students’ academic performance in Kosofe Local Government area of Lagos state?
Will sexual related problems have influence on academic performance of students in Kosofe Local Government area of Lagos state?
Will gender difference have influence academic performance of students in Kosofe Local Government area of Lagos state?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
Truancy will not have significant influence on academic performance of secondary school students in Kosofe Local Government area of Lagos state.
Cheating in examinations will not have significant influence on academic performance of students in Kosofe Local Government area of Lagos state.
Alcohol and substance abuse will not have significant influence on academic performance of secondary school students in Kosofe Local Government area of Lagos state.
Sexual related problems will not have significant influence on academic performance of secondary school students in Kosofe Local Government area of Lagos state.
Gender difference will not have significant influence on students’ academic performance in Kosofe Local Government area of Lagos state.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The finding of this study will equally be relevant to government through the ministry of education, policy makers, education reformers and school administrators in providing a lasting solution to the social menace. This study will be useful to educational administrators and teachers as well as parents as it will suggest other strategies that can be used to reduce indiscipline among pupils in schools. This study will also contribute to the existing body of knowledge and literature on ways of reducing indiscipline in schools.
1.7 Delimitation of the Study
This study is delimited to public secondary schools in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State. Also Principals and teachers in Kosofe Local Government area of Lagos state.
1.8 Limitation of the Study
One of the limitations was time factor; another was transportation and attitude of respondent which created problem to the researcher.
1.9 Operational Definition of Terms
Truancy: This is the act of habit staying away from school without permission. Most of the students leave their home every morning but do not get to school.
Discipline: refers to training, especially of the mind and character, to produce self-control habits of obedience, the results of which sets rules f r conduct and methods by which training may be given:
Indiscipline: refers to misbehaviour or deviance or any form of behaviour that displays disobedience to authority and failure to follow set rules of conduct.
Academic performance: is defined as the achievement of performance in the teacher made terminal examination for the senior secondary school students. Achievements in Mathematics were chosen because in practice, mathematics is among the subject in the comprehensive/core curriculum which must be taken by students at all level (National Policy on Education 2004).
EFFECT OF PEER TUTORING TEACHING STRATEGY ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN MATHEMATICS
ABSTRACT
This research work is carried out to investigate the effect of peer-tutoring teaching strategy on secondary school student academic achievement in Mathematics. Three research questions and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The design adopted was a Quasi-Experimental. Two hundred (200) students from four selected schools in Edu Local Government Area were used as research sample. The simple random sampling technique was used to select the sampled schools. The experimental group was exposed to peer-tutoring, while the control group was taught with conventional method. Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) was used to collect data from both pretest and posttests. A reliability coefficient of 0.71 was obtained. The data were analyzed using t-test. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study are student taught with peer-tutoring strategy performed better than those taught with conventional teaching method and gender has no effect on their mathematics achievement scores. It was recommended that Government agencies whose responsibility is to design and revise the curriculum for secondary schools should incorporate the use of peer tutoring in teaching.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The field of education has undergone a significant shift in thinking about the nature of human learning and the conditions that best promote the varied dimension of human learning (Applefield, Huber & Moallem, 2001 as cited in Gan, 2008). Several researchers had suggested that human learn best if they repeat same behaviour several times, and the theory behind this type of learning in most western schools is viewed through the viewpoints constructivist. (Gan, 2008).
According to Facey-Shaw & Golding (2005) cognitive theories of learning attempt to explain how instructors can use information to improve students’ learning. However, constructivist theory suggests that human learn better if there is an interaction between previous knowledge and new knowledge. Thus, there has been a paradigm shift in the designing of instruction from behaviourists to cognitivists and now to constructivists (Cooper, 2008).
According to Gan, (2008) the conventional teaching approach usually involve teacher starting the lesson by introducing the topic or concept, explaining it and then give some works examples. Lastly, the teacher gives home work to the students. In this kind of learning situation, students are not able to construct their own understanding since they are not actively participating in the teaching and learning process. Students are not able to think creatively, innovatively and critically since they perceivably received what have been taught to them.
In addition some students are not able to keep with the teaching pace. Hence, in order to promote active participation of student’s teachers should adjust their teaching style to a more learner-centred once. One possible teaching approach is the peer-tutoring teaching approach. On the other hand, peer-tutoring are systematic, peer/mediated teaching strategies (Rohrbeck, Ginsburg-Block, Fantuzzo & Miller, 2003).
To further buttress on the above statement, Ezengwu (2007) stated that majority of teachers in the field still employ conventional methods in the classroom teaching, these methods though not without some advantages are found to be didactic, stereotype, ineffective and non-result oriented. The National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008) as cited in Anselm (2010) argued that to continue to progress in mathematics achievement, we must improve the quality of mathematics instruction received by all secondary students. Although many factors affect a student’s mathematics learning, one factor over which schools have the most immediate control is the choice of mathematics program to be implemented by teachers, administrators and curriculum developers.
Peer tutoring is not a new idea, it is possibly as old as any form of collaborative or community action and has probably always taken place implicitly or vicariously (Topping 2005). But in a changing Higher Education landscape, more formalised and even assessed forms of peer teaching are becoming ever more popular. Indeed Peer tutoring schemes appear to becoming strategized; developing to meet calls for accountability, better assessment, and improved outcomes for students. (Anselm, 2010).
Peer tutoring is a very old practice traceable back at least as far as the ancient Greeks. Archaic Definitions of peer tutoring perceived the peer tutor as a surrogate teacher in a linear model of the transmission of knowledge from teacher to tutor to tutee. Later it was realised that the peer tutoring interaction was qualitatively different from that between a teacher and a student, and involved different advantage and disadvantages (Razia, 2012).
Peer tutoring is an instructional strategy that consists of pairing students together to learn or practice an academic task. The pairs of students can be of the same or differing ability and/or age range. Peer tutoring encompasses a variety of instructional approaches including Cross-Age Tutoring, Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS), and Reciprocal Peer Tutoring (RPT). Variations exist among instructional approaches. However, the underlying theory is consistent: peer interaction can have a powerful influence on academic motivation and achievement (Light & Littleton, 2000; Steinburg, Dornbusch, & Brown, 2004; Wentzel, 2006). The research base also suggests that socialization experiences that occur during peer tutoring can benefit both the tutor and tutee by motivating students to learn and increasing their social standing among peers (Fuchs, D., Fuchs, L.S., Mathes & Martiniez, 2002; Rohrbeck et. al, 2003; Miller & Miller, 2008). When students understand the benefits of peer tutoring and have the tools to become effective tutors and tutees, they make greater progress than those who are not given any instruction on how to work together (Fuchs, Fuchs, Hamlett, Phillips, Karns, & Dutka, 2007).
Peer-tutoring consists of students partnership, linking high achieving students with lower achieving students or those with comparable achievement for structure reading and mathematics study seasons. Peer-tutoring refer to situation where one child provides instructional assistance and guidance to another child (Tan, Cheah & Choug, 2005).
Furthermore, Nathern and Liz (2007) as cited in Ezenwosu, and Loretta (2013) noted that peer tutoring gives teachers the capability to accommodate a classroom with diverse learners to improve academic achievement across ability levels and content areas. According to Vygotsky (1987) as cited in Razia (2012) peers play a special role in children’s development. Although children’s relationship with their parents is more intense and enduring than relations with peers, interactions among age-mates are more free and egalitarian. The greater fluidity of peer relationships offers children the opportunity for a new kind of interpersonal experimentation and exploration.
Schools across the country are adopting and using student centered instruction rather than the conventional teaching method of instruction. This method of teaching has increased student achievement in all subjects of the elementary classroom, as well as the use of mathematics in everyday life (Topping, Campbell, Douglas & Smith, 2003).
Motivation was an additional benefit of using peer assisted learning to promote student learning in the mathematics classroom. Results have also indicated that learners were motivated in achieving their own success in mathematics (McMaster, Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006). Research on peer-assisted learning and its effects on students in mathematics, has proven to be a beneficial way in achieving success (McMaster et al., (2006); Nesselrodt & Alger, (2005); Robinson, (2005); Spencer, (2006).
According to research on same-age and cross-age peer tutoring, significant gains were made in learners of all backgrounds (Cairo & Craig, 2005). Nebo (2012) stated that this conventional method of teaching has failed to recognize the uniqueness of the inquiry base nature of Mathematics and the learner’s individuality thus failed to encourage creative thinking in the learner leading to poor achievement of students. Based on this educators and scholars are challenged to seek for an intervention or innovative methods that would enhance academic achievement of students in Mathematics some of these methods includes concept mapping, discovering method, co-operative learning, target task approach, peer tutoring e.t.c. (Okoye, 2013).
According to Benjamin 2010 the benefits of peer-tutoring is that a struggling student can benefit greatly from having to prepare and teach the topic that they are studying to a tutor from the same age group as them. The formal lines that exist between a teacher and a student aren’t as defined with someone who is the same age as the person learning, and are therefore easier to cross and find common ground with that said student.
Therefore, students need to be able to master problem-solving skills. One way to achieve this goal is through peer-assisted learning (also known as peer tutoring), which, according to Calhoon (2003), is defined as students working together to teach one another. According to Summers (2006), this style of learning is correlated to social constructivism because students use their own knowledge to assist each other with assignments and class assessments.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The low level of attainment of students in mathematics at every segment of educational system have given mathematics and even mathematics educators a high level of concern which is so because of the universally held assumption of the growth and development of mankind. A lot of research efforts have been focused on identifying factors that inhibit the learning of mathematics. According to Anselm (2010) Poor motivation, and lecture method have been highlighted as problems. The approached used by many mathematics teachers is one which does not give room for students to develop their intuition, imagination and creative abilities. As a results of this, mathematics educators are constantly interested on how and when to optimally adopt different mathematics instructional strategies in order to achieve the stated mathematics educational objectives. Obviously, the traditional mathematics teacher as information giver or textbook guided classroom has failed to bring the desired outcome of producing well thinking mathematics students to meet the present global challenges. (Anselm, 2010)
Therefore, there is need to search for more effective instructional strategies that are likely to improve students’ academic achievement in secondary school mathematics. Hence, this study seeks to make a comparative analysis on peer tutoring type of co-operative based learning instructional strategy and the traditional teaching strategy in relation to mathematics achievement among senior secondary school students in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The general objective of this research is to investigate the effect of peer tutoring and conventional teaching strategies on the Mathematics achievement of Senior Secondary School Students in Tsaragi Emirate of Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Specifically, the research objectives include the following:
To compare academic achievement of students using peer-tutoring method and conventional method of instruction.
To compare male and female students academic achievement using peer tutoring method.
To compare the effect of peer-tutoring and conventional method of instruction in student’s retention level in mathematics.
1.4 Research Questions
The study was guided by the following research questions:
What impact does Peer-tutoring and Conventional Teaching Strategies have on Student Academic Achievement in Mathematics?
Does Gender have any influence on the Academic Achievement of Students in Mathematics using Peer-tutoring?
What are the effects of peer-tutoring and conventional teaching strategies in student’s retention level in Mathematics?
1.5 Research Hypothesis
H01: There is no significance difference in academic achievement of students taught Mathematics using peer tutoring method and those taught using conventional teaching Strategies
H02: There is no significance difference between male and female performance in Mathematics when taught using peer tutoring.
H03: There is no significance difference between students retention when taught Mathematics using Peer tutoring and Conventional teaching Strategy.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The quest to find an acceptable, relevant functional and conclusive method for teaching and learning of mathematics has been of great concern to mathematics educators. As a result, mathematics educators are constantly interested on how to optimally adopt different mathematics instructional strategies in order to achieve the stated mathematics educational objectives. Peer tutoring as learning aid may improve students’ feeling of success and help them develop confidence in mathematics through their direct involvement. This innovation when use helps in solving the problem of mere teaching-learning of mathematics syndrome by domination. Since the teacher-centered measures have not eradicated poor achievement from mathematics students, it is time to adopt alternative ways of arresting it. Hence, this study will provide the basis for mathematics educators towards the adoption of Class-wide peer tutoring as a measure against poor academic achievement.
The study also significant, as the findings can improve on mathematics teachers’ ways of presenting their lesson appropriately, thereby making students’ to become interested, participate actively with mathematics concept. This will help to inculcate good cooperative learning habits on mathematics students to enhance good academic achievement through involvement in peer tutoring.
The curriculum experts at large would benefit a lot from the outcome of this study.
1.7 Scope and Delimitation of the study
The scope of the study is based on the comparative analysis of peer tutoring and teaching strategy on academic performance of Senior Secondary School Students in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The research work will be limited to the analysis based on the achievement test, and relevant text (literature). The topics to be covered are Differentiation and Integration. Other limitation of the study is: inability of the researcher to cover the entire population of the study.
1.7 Operational Terms Used
Peer: Students of the same age/ability.
Tutoring: A person charged with the instruction and guidance of another
Comparative: A systematic observation of the similarities or dissimilarities between two or more subjects or variables of study.
Academic Performance: Evaluation of students’ expected performance on academic activities in the classroom.
EFFECT OF DRUG ABUSE ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KADUNA METROPOLIS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background of the study
Regardless of every human being’s retardation, they always have the capacity to do something, whether negative or positive, which brings about increase or decrease in a society’s rate of productivity in all aspects of life.
Many years back, agriculture was the main means of production, but today, education have exposed us to divers’ ways of other creative activities, agriculture inclusive. As the society continue to modernize, vices that will hinder consistent and progressive education are looked out for either removed or reduced to the barest minimum. One of such vices is drug abuse. Drug abuse in our modern society is rampant among the adolescents’ i.e. people of school going age, normally from the ages of 10-19 years.
According to Nwodo (1996), “Adolescents by the nature are characteristically regarded as prime factors in sustainable nation building and leader of tomorrow in all facets of life’. Indeed no nation which aspires to greatness can afford to ignore its adolescents.
When we talk of drug, we mean those man-made or natural curing substances which can be used by a person to change the way he thinks, Behave and feels. Drug abuse itself means the use of drugs by those individuals that use them, and the extent of the abuse depend on the individuals too. Such abused drugs include Cannabis (Marijuana), alcohol, heroin, cocaine, Indian hemp, coolcine e.t.c.
1.1 Statement of the problem
Drug abuse among adolescents is something of great concern. Even the Federal and State Government decried the rate of examination failure in secondary schools. This is attributed to several factors, mainly the issue of delinquency and drugs. This is usually mentioned in several places for like seminars, workshops and conferences.
One of the problems is poor up bringing; some of these adolescents are hardly monitored by their parents. So, their habits and interactions within the peer group is mostly not a matter of concern to most of the parents. This is as a result of the habit of some of the parents, who do not stop their children from doing anything they want, as seen in my neighbourhood. Another problem is that the adolescent’s period happens to fall into the secondary school going age. In this respect, adolescents are suppose to be well guided, disciplined and be purposed. This period is the preparatory period for the future in terms of professional careers and personal management. The treatment of adolescents who abuse drugs seem not to be effective and is growing everyday and thus leading to poor academic performance. Another problem is that studies have not been focused on drug abuse and how it affects academic performance of adolescents in secondary schools in Nasarawa.
In view of existing literature, studies so far carried out have not been specific as it covers generally the whole of Kaduna Metropolis and in some case the whole of Kaduna State. The researcher is out to:
Enquire of the types of drugs that these adolescents take and what the effects on academic performance are.
Find out the rampancy of schools involved.
The commonly abused drugs
Find out the gender that mostly abused drugs
1.2 Purpose of the study
The study has specifically, the following purposes;
To find out the types of drugs usually abused by adolescents
To determine the abuse among females
To determine the causes of drug abuse among adolescents
To determine the group that is mostly affected by drug in terms of age.
1.3 Significant of the Study
The knowledge of the relationship between the drug takers and academic performance will help stakeholders to curb the act and improve its impact on learning. Such stakeholders include; social welfare centres, schools law enforcement agencies, parents and schools administrators. They will be able to understand certain behaviour in youths and the rationale behind such actions. Strategies can be made by such stakeholders to help abusers out of their problems.
1.4 Research Questions
The study would be aimed at proposing and answering research questions as follow;
What are the types of drugs that are abused?
What are the effects of drug abuse on academic performance on students?
What are the causes of drug abuse among adolescents?
Which are the group of adolescents mostly affected by drug abuse?
1.5 Scope of the Study
The study was restricted only to the effects of drug abuse on adolescents in post primary schools in terms of academic performance. The research was conducted in Sabon Tasha Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State. It was done in eight selected schools namely: government Secondary School, Zikas Secondary School, Christ Ambassador, Damtek School, Filkom School, Fredapal School, Our Lady of Fatima, Bright School – all in Sabon Tasha.
1.6 Hypothesis
There is no significant difference in academic performance between those who abuse drugs and those who do not.
There is significant difference in academic performance between male and female abusers of drugs.
There is no significant difference in academic performance between abusers at early adolescent and late adolescent.
1.7 Definition of terms
Drug addiction: according to the World Health Organization, drug addiction is defined as “a periodic or chronic intoxication detrimental to the individual and to the society produced by repeated consumption of drugs.
Hard Drugs: they are prohibitive chemical formula which is injurious to ones system except when recommended by a physician in crucial circumstances’.
Soft Drugs: they are common and simple tablet, Syrup and Capsules which are easily accessible to people upon recommendation by a doctor.
Adolescent: person of moderate and productive age ranging from 11-35 years.
Dooze: amount of drug administered at a particular time.
Delinquent: Webster dictionary defines it as actually wanted to commit a fault or neglect to do what duty or law requires.
Drug Trafficking: carrying out trade in drugs especially illegally or improper kinds of drugs.
This study examined the social factors predisposing deviant behaviour as perceived by secondary school students in Edo Central Senatorial district. The study was especially undertaken to examine students’ perception of peer influence, parental influence and home influence as a social factors responsible for deviant behaviour in Edo Central Senatorial district. The study also investigated the influence of gender and school location on their perception of factors predisposing deviant behaviour. The descriptive design based on survey method was adopted for the study. A questionnaire titled: Social Deviant Questionnaire (SDQ) were administer to 319 students drawn from a population of 15,931 Senior Secondary School (SSS) students in the 70 secondary schools in Edo Central Senatorial District. The test-rested reliability was used to determine the reliability of the instrument which produced an r-value of 0.74. Mean ( ) and standard deviation (S.D) was used to analyse the research questions while the t-test statistical analysis was used to test the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. Result from the analyses showed that the students have positive perception towards peer influence, parental influence and home influence as a social factor predisposing deviant behaviour in secondary school in Edo Central Senatorial district. The test of hypotheses showed that gender and school location have a significant influence on the students’ perception of social factors predisposing deviant behaviour in the study area. It was recommended that principals in secondary schools should introduce some kind of reward system for students that portray exemplary behaviour to reward and reinforce discipline behaviour among learners.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Social factors are factors interacting with a person’s social environment that could influence or induce positive or negative behaviour in a person at school, at home or in a society. Douglas & Strauss (2007) noted that social factors relates to factors influencing ones psycho-social development and how interaction with one’s social environment influence how a person behaves. It was first commonly used by psychologist Erik Erikson in his stages of social development in the school and home to include: lack of proper interaction with teachers and students; inefficient school administration; unqualified teachers; large and oversized schools; overcrowded classrooms; disjointed family (of students); peer pressure, domestic violence and parental influence or inadequacies among others.
Peer pressure, domestic violence and family/parental, influence been identified as social factors by Erikson (1964). Therefore, the perception of students about them will be the focus of this study. Peer, directly or indirectly influence adolescents to indulge in risky behaviour. Direct peer pressure may occur in the form of encouragement in anti-social or deviant activities like rape, theft, substance abuse, among others. On the other hand, “indirect peer influences can occur when youth associate with peers who drink or smoke, take harmful drugs (Douglas &Strauss, 2007). Therefore, it perhaps becomes problematic as children grow seeing their peers as role model.
Family or parental influences, has also been identified as a social factors. The place of the family or parents as the first agent of a child’s socialization holds a significant place in character formation of a child. From birth, a parent will mold and shape behaviours suitable to the norms of society through childrearing. If parents act in a negative way, the child is more likely to follow their parent’s negative attitude. They are also more likely to generalize this attitude to the rest of the society. Thus, parents could have much influence over their child’s behaviour.
Learning acceptable behaviour is a part of socialization process of a child at home. Osarenren, Nwadinigwe and Anyama (2013) noted that the negative aspect of family life is the effect of home conflict or domestic violence on children. From in frequent slaps, pushes, grabs, or shoves to frequent and severe life-threatening assaults, domestic violence in its various forms could affect a child’s upbringing and social consequences. Domestic violence between parents and children, children and their siblings, children and their loved ones at home could influence how they behave to others and their perception about things. Hence, children could be severely traumatized by witnessing domestic violence or being victims of the conflict themselves.
Children and youths are very valuable human resource because they ensure the continuity of any society. Deviant behaviour is also common among them (youths) especially in their formative years when character is formed to suit the expectation of the family and the society. Deviance is behaving contrary to acceptable norms and expectation of a society. Every society has specific behaviour standards and ways in which people are supposed to act. Sometimes these are the paradigms for predictable behaviour in the society. It can be described as a violation of culturally acceptable norm or a failure to conform to set rules and ways of doing something that is traditionally prescribed.
A behaviour considered as deviant in one society may be seen as non-deviant in another society. For example, the traditional African social custom appreciates chastity, modest dressing, good morals, decent behaviour, and respect for elders, handwork and integrity and frowns at premarital and extra marital sexual relationship. It also prohibits marriage between same sex such as homosexuality and consanguine sexual relationship. The Nigerian society frowns at alternative marriage styles and parenthood, for example, single parenthood and cohabitation. In some other societies, these unacceptable behaviours may be acceptable. That is why; deviance is relative to time and place.
Deviant behaviour in a society are not limited to what goes on within the school system alone. Factors beyond the fence of the schools such as family background, socio-economic status of the child, imported culture, role models in the community, peer influence are some of the causes (Dalhatua & Yunusa, 2013). Teachers are sometimes blamed for being incompetent in teaching children the right morals in class. This could be wrong since teachers are not the only influencing factors inside the school and therefore cannot be blamed wholly. Also, inclining educational problem on educators could be incorrect as no general agreement has been reached as to one single cause of deviance in today’s society.
Deviant behaviours include but are not limited to: truancy, anti–social behaviour, disrespect for constituted authority, sexual harassment, rape, arson, destruction, delinquency that are portrayed by children and adolescent. Adesoji (2010) attributed this menace to peer pressure. He noted that youths break away from their families and try out different roles and situations to figure out who they are and where they fit into the world. Hence, they spend more time with their friends and less time with their families. This is a normal, healthy stage of development, but the growing distance between parents and their children and the increasing importance of friends can be a source of conflict and anger within the family.
The desire to impress friends and be accepted by peers is one of the strongest forces in adolescents that leads teenagers to do things that they know are wrong, dangerous, or risky. This is what Adesoji (2010) described as “peer pressure”. According to Him, peer pressure is the influence exerted by a peer group in encouraging a person to change his or her attitudes, values, or behaviours to conform to the group. On the positive side, the pressure to keep up with the peer group can also inspire teens to achieve goals that they might never aim for on their own. This explains why most young people prefer to be in the company of their peers, who offer mutual support in contrast to their parents, who they perceive as authoritarian.
It is the zeal of every reasonable parent to address the changing behaviour of their children. However, high increase in juvenile delinquencies, high rate of early school dropouts, increase in street children and high rate of crime, both in towns and communities, could be linked to poor parental guidance in the early child development (Melgosa, 2002). He asserted that majority of the children involved in deviant behaviour, are either staying alone, staying far from their parents, with their peers or were brought up in a violence environment. Most of them also opt to engage in detrimental lifestyles of drugs, alcoholism, and sexual crimes. This explains why alcoholic parents, parents with criminal behaviour and parents with discipline systems which are strict, too lax or inconsistent, broken homes or those with problematic relationships; also tend to influence delinquent behaviour in children.
The home or family also may contribute to deviant behaviour both at childhood and adulthood (Hagan & Foster, 2001). An intact family can be said to be a functioning union between a mother and a father, so when a break up exist, the turmoil may affect a child to a greater extent. A functioning family is beneficial to a child than a dysfunctional one. Family separation could result in child neglect which generally could lead to a child’s deviant behaviour like leaving home, hooliganisms, stealing, drug addiction and alcoholism among others. If a person is brought up in a violence prone environment, his/her emotions could be influenced negatively to engage in deviant activities or indiscipline behaviour.
Statement of the Problem
The issue of deviant behaviour among students in Nigeria has become worrisome in recent times. It is observed that many students are found to disobey school rules and regulations, engage in drug abuse, truancy, raping, pilfering, abortion and having unlawful association. Some of these students are sexually precocious, indolent and disobedient to parents, destroys public properties in a protest. In the process of being deviant, many children of school age dropped out of the school only to become hoodlums and miscreants in the society. Another worrisome situation is the neglect of parents’ roles by so called ‘working parents’.
Many parents nowadays have left their responsibilities to school teachers. Observation has shown that one of the reasons usually given for the neglect of parental roles is that many parents give much priority to their occupation at the expense of their children; hence, they are left to the care of teachers. Since students often experience different people with different types of behaviour in their daily lives; they therefore tend to display different characters in different situations. Sometimes they are excited, happy, aggressive, sad or in a deviant mood. Consequently, there are alleged cases of teachers being threatened by students in the course of discharging their lawful duties in secondary schools around Edo State. In some cases, the attacks have been violent. In the midst of these problems, Nakpodia (2010) noted that there is a growing debate over the declining standard of education due to incessant student unrest and the attendant blame on teachers.
Furthermore, there are instances whereby students assault their teachers with weapons, use abusive and offensive language on their teachers, threaten or intimidate their teachers with positions of their ‘highly placed’ parents. The problem now is rather alarming and jeopardizing the administration of most schools. Adesoji (2010) tried to identify factors predisposing deviance when he argued that affiliation with deviant peers predicts deviant behaviour more strongly than community, school, or family characteristics. Hagan & Foster, (2001) asserted that parental influence or the family contributes to deviant behaviour both at childhood and adulthood while Osarenren et al (2013) found that deviant behaviour is traceable to domestic violence.
In Edo State, a knowledge gap exists on the social factors responsible for deviant behaviour from students’ perspective. Hence, the problem of this study is to determine the social factors predisposing deviant behaviour as perceived by secondary school students in Edo Central Senatorial district.
Purpose of the Study
This study examines the social factors predisposing deviant behaviour as perceived by secondary school students in Central Senatorial district of Edo State. Specifically, the study
examine students’ perception of peer influence as a social factor responsible for deviant behaviour in Edo Central Senatorial district .
find out students’ perception of family/parental influence as a social factor responsible for deviant behaviour in Edo Central Senatorial district .
determine students’ perception of home/domestic violence as a social factor responsible for deviant behaviour in Edo Central Senatorial district.
determine whether male and female secondary school students’ perception differ on the social factor responsible for deviant behaviour in Edo Central Senatorial district.
determine whether students’ perception of the social factors responsible for deviant behaviour differ by school location in Edo Central Senatorial district.
Research Questions
The following research questions were raised to guide the study:
What are students’ perceptions of peer influence as a social factor responsible for deviant behaviour in Edo Central Senatorial district?
What are students’ perceptions of parental influence as a social factor responsible for deviant behaviour in Edo Central Senatorial district?
What are students’ perceptions of home influence as a social factor responsible for deviant behaviour in Edo Central Senatorial district?
Do male and female secondary school students differ of their perception on social factors responsible for deviant behaviour in Edo Central Senatorial district?
Do urban and rural secondary school students differ of their perception on social factors responsible for deviant behaviour in Edo Central Senatorial districts?
Research Hypotheses
The research hypotheses were formulated for the study:
There is no significant difference between male and female secondary school students on their perception of the social factors responsible for deviant behaviour in Edo Central Senatorial district.
There is no significant difference between urban and rural secondary school students on their perception of the social factors responsible for deviant behaviour in Edo Central Senatorial district.
Significance of the Study
This study helps to unveil to parents, school administrators, school counsellors, teachers, and prospective researchers the social factors for deviant behaviour among secondary school students’ perspective in Edo Central Senatorial District. The study was of benefit in the following ways:
To parents, the findings will help parents to know the influence of domestic violence in contributing towards deviant behaviour among students. Findings will also help parents to determine the influence of domestic violence on deviant behaviour among students.
The study helps school administrators to know the social factors responsible for deviance behaviour among students in the school system. Therefore, findings will help them to determine whether peer pressure is a factor predisposing deviant behaviour among students in secondary schools.
Findings would help school counsellors to determine the social factors responsible for deviance behaviour among students in Esan Central Senatorial District as perceived by students themselves. Therefore, finding out the social factors responsible for deviance behaviour among students would help school counsellors to ascertain whether referral, counselling, orientation, or consultancy among others is what will be appropriate for addressing deviance among youths in the area of study.
Findings would be of benefit to teachers in that result would show them the influence of parental and home influence on students’ deviance behaviour at school. Specifically, recommendations from this study would help teachers to ascertain their roles as ‘loco parents’ in resolving such influences on students’ deviance behaviour.
Lastly, the findings from the study contribute to knowledge and provoke further researches on this area that will lead to the production of more empirical data. Thus, this would be of benefit to prospective researchers who could consider undertaking further studies on the topic the future.
Scope of the Study
This study examined the social factors predisposing deviant behaviour as perceived by secondary school students in Edo Central Senatorial district. The study covered all the senior secondary schools students (SSS) in public schools in the area of study. The social factors of focus in this study include: peer, parental and home influence. The study also investigated the influence of gender and school location on students’ perception of the aforementioned social factors that could be responsible for deviant behaviour in the area of study.
Definition of Terms
The following terms were operationally defined for the study:
Social factors: This refers to those factors interacting with a person’s social environment that could influence or induce positive or negative behaviour among students at school, home or in the society. In this study this factors include: peer influence, parental influence and home/domestic violence
Deviance: Deviance is behaving contrary to acceptable norms and expectation of a society.
Peer pressure: This describes the influence exerted by a peer group to make individuals to change their attitudes, values, behaviour in order to conform to group norms.
Home influence: This refers to all forms of frequent slaps, pushes, grabs, or shoves and severe life-threatening assaults witnessed by children (or the ones they are directly involved in), in a domestic environment that could affect a child’s upbringing and emotions.
School location: This refers to the area a school is built.
Rural schools: This refers to secondary schools located in the outskirt or outside the local government headquarters.
Urban schools: This refers to secondary schools located in the local government headquarters.
This research work examined the effect of Broken Home on Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State. Four hundred students were randomly selected from eight Senior Secondary Schools in Ohimini Local Government to form the sample for this study. Eighteen item opinion questionnaires was developed and administered. The questionnaire was validated by seasoned experts drawn from measurement and evaluation section of the Department of Educational Foundations and Department of Psychology, Benue State University, Makurdi. Apart from the primary data collected via questionnaire, secondary data was also used in this research. Economics results of the sampled schools terminal examination as kept by the schools were collected and used. The means and simple percentage were used to answer the research questions while the t-test and chi-square statistic were used to test the hypotheses. The result revealed that Broken Home exerts a lot of Effect on Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State. It was among others recommended that; the government and school proprietors should employ school counselors in all secondary schools to provide the necessary assistance to children from broken homes, Parents especially single and foster parents should adequately supervise children to boost their self-esteem.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Education has always been an important institution in most cultures and at all times Agogo (2006), quoted Aliu (2001) as defining education as the method by which a society transmits from one generation to the next its knowledge, culture and values. It was further stressed that education is the eye of an individual, is the process by which a person learns facts, acquires skills and develops abilities and attitudes necessary for work place survival. In fact education has become a huge government venture that has witnessed a progressive evolution of government dynamic intervention and active participation (FGN 2004).
With the present system of education, people now see education as a right and not a privilege. This makes everyone to have a sense of belonging in the society because everyone sees him/herself as having a duty to perform. Therefore, it is believed by many people that education is the key to success hence against same background education is rated as the eye of an individual (Agogo 2006).
According to Hornby (2000), a home is conceived as a family living together and the way it behaves, while a family is referred to as a group consisting of one or two parents and their children (Ibid). Broken home is a term used to describe a household usually in reference to parenting in which the family unity does not properly function according to accepted social norms (Wikipedia online).
This research work is therefore aimed at researching into the influence of family units which does not function according to accepted social norms on academic performance of secondary school students in Ohimini Local Government Area.
It is opined that in any class of learner, there must be differences in individual performance. In a class of 40 children, the teacher may discover that children do not equally learn at the same rate even though he has used the same contents and methodology for the class (Mallum & Haggai 2004), therefore; there exist differences in students’ academic performance. However, several factors have been advanced for the causes of such differences in performance, personal intelligence, environment, meaningless of learning materials; learning style among others could affect the rate of learning (Ibid).
The choice of broken home as a factor affecting academic performance is not far from the fact the family is the basic unit of the society (Abah 2006), and the home has a great influence on the student’s psychological, emotional, social and economic state (Ajila and Olutola 2007). The state of the home affects the individual because the parents are the first socializing agents in an individual’s life (Ibid). The number one ingredient that lays the psychosocial, moral and spiritual foundation in the overall development of the child is his family (Uwaifo 2008).
It is ideal that the school is responsible for experiences that equip and make up the individuals life during school periods but however, the parents and the individuals’ experiences at home play tremendous roles in building the personality of the child and determining the child school life. Thus Ichado (1998) concluded that the environment in which the student comes from can greatly influence his personality and performance of secondary school students and hence the importance of education warrants the desire for this study so as to research the effect of broken home on academic performance of secondary school students and recommend possible remedies to such influence. The place of secondary education in the entire educational process is highly essential and need not to be neglected hence the quality of primary and secondary education play great role in determining the quality and sometimes the quantity of higher institutions for people (Agogo 2006). These whole facts equate this study to necessity. This study will principally examine the various aspects of broken home and how each influence children’s academic performance. It will examine issues like: to what extent do children living with their own married parents perform academically better than children living with foster parents? To what extent do children who live with single parents perform academically better than children who live with both father and mother? It will also analyze the extent to which broken home has affected the level of attention given to students by their parents, the degree to which broken homes has affected the level of academic motivation given by parents to their children. It is also intended that this work will discuss the degree of effect broken homes exert on the emotional atmosphere at homes, socio-economic status of parents and the general emotional stability of children.
1.2 Statement of the Study
Over the years, the investigations of the factors that influence academic performance of students have attracted the interest of teachers, counselors, psychologist, researchers and school administrators in Nigeria (Wiseman 1998). This is because of the public outcries concerning the low standard of education in the country (Imoge 2002). The declining quality of education in the country in general and Ohimini Local Government area of Benue State in particular as characterized by poor academic performance and the breeding of graduates with little technical know-how has resulted into serious set-back in the industrial development of the nation in general and poor turn-out of qualified students in Ohimini Local Government for admission into the various tertiary institutions in the country.
Factors such as students internal state namely intelligence, state of health, motivation, anxiety among others as well as their environment which includes availability of suitable learning environment, adequacy of educational infrastructure have been identified as possible courses of poor academic performance. For example, a daily sketch publications on “causes and curses of poor performance at West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE)” in 2006 identified and categorized problems responsible for students poor performance to problems of teachers, problems of inadequate facilities in schools, problems traceable to students, problems caused by parents and society at large and problems caused by government policies and low funding of educational sector (Ajila and Olutola, 2007).
With regards to problems caused by parent, Ichado (1998) said that parents constant disagreement affects children emotionally and could lead to poor academic performance while Bichlery 1996, and Agbo (1997) revealed that children from broken home exhibit lower self-esteem, lower achievement motivation and lover tolerance for delay of gratification and lower academic achievement than those from intact homes where both parents are present.
It is on the basis of the above that the researcher intends to carry-out this study on the effects of Broken Homes on Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State. The researcher intends to find out the magnitude of adverse effect the broken homes has on the academic performance of secondary school students.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
This study is primarily focused on achieving certain objectives which are as follows:
To determine the extent to which children living with their own married parents perform academically better than children living with foster parents.
To determine the extent to which children who live with both parents perform academically better than children who live with single parent(s).
III. To determine the extent to which broken home influence the level of parental attention given to children.
To determine the degree of effect broken home exert on the level of academic motivation given by parents to their children.
To determine the influence of broken home on the emotional atmosphere in homes.
To assess the degree in which broken home affect the socio-economic status of parents.
VII. To assess the effect of broken home on the emotional stability of children.
1.4 Research Questions
The problem of this study centers on determination of the effects broken home has on academic performance of secondary school students with reference to some selected secondary schools in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State. This problem has given rise to the following research questions and assumptions which this investigation is meant to address:
To what extent do children living with their own married parents perform academically better than children living with foster parents?
To what extent do children who live with single parent perform academically better than children who live with both father and mother?
To what extent have broken homes affected the level of attention given to students by their parents?
To what degree have broken homes affected the level of academic motivation given by parents to their children?
To what degree have broken homes affected the emotional atmosphere in homes?
To what degree do broken homes affect the socio-economic status of parents?
To what degree do broken homes affect the emotional stability of children?
1.5 Research Hypothesis
The following null hypothesis has been formulated to guide the study:
Hypothesis I
There is no significant difference between the academic performance of children living with their own married parents and children living with foster parents.
Hypothesis II
There is no significant difference between the academic performance of children living with their father and mother and their counter-part living with single parent.
Hypothesis III
There is no significant difference between the level of parental attention received by children from broken homes and their counter-part from intact homes.
Hypothesis IV
There is no significant difference between the level of academic motivation given by broken homes to their children and that given by intact homes.
Hypothesis V
There is no significant difference between the level of emotional stability of children from broken homes and their counter-part from intact homes.
1.6 Significance of the Study
It is hoped that at the end of this study, many stakeholders in education will benefit from the findings. Teachers, curriculum planners, educational administrators, students and even the government will find this study useful. The findings of this study may form the frame work for organizing seminars aiming at correcting deficiencies especially in homes and the marriage process and also improve teacher’s performance in the schools. This study will also be useful to the government in formulating educational policies. Curriculum planners and educational guidance and counselors will also use this study as a guide to their actions.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The study is specifically limited to the investigation into the effects of broken homes on the academic performance of secondary school students in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State with emphasis on eight selected senior secondary schools from the area. This study is particularly concerned with student’s performance in Economics as a subject studied at the Senior Secondary School level. The researcher’s choice of Economics as a subject is not just because the subject is within his discipline but based on the fact that Economics is a social science that has element of both science and arts and whatever affects the learning of Economics can also be said to have effect on every other science and arts subjects. The work is limited to aspect of broken home influences such as disparity in academic performance of children from intact homes and their counter-part from foster homes, intact homes and their counter-parts from single parents. It also examine specific aspects like the influence of broken home on the level of parental attention to their children, influence of broken home on the degree of emotional atmosphere at homes, effect of broken homes on the parents socio-economic status and the effect of same on the children’s level of emotional stability.
1.8 Operational Definition of terms
Academic Performance: This is defined as an objective score of attainment after a specified instructional programme.
Secondary School: Learning institution which comes after the primary school for children over eleven years where systematic training and instructions takes place.
Senior Secondary School: The last three years in the secondary school that comes after the first three years. That is the last three years in secondary school that comes after junior secondary or basic education. It is usually for children over 14 years.
School Drop-out: To discontinue schooling or stop going to school as a result of hindering factors such as inadequate finance, emotional problem, inadequate motivation and intellectual decline.
Achievement Motivation Training: A training that is given to a student to enhance greater rate of progress or improve academic performance.
Foster Home: Living with persons that are not one’s own biological parents.
Intact Home: Living with one’s own married mother and father. An intact home is a home with both parents present.
Single-Parent Family: A family that comprises either only the father or the mother caring and showing parental responsibilities to children or child.
Parental Attention: Parents ability to listen to children’s needs and problems and provide adequate solutions. That is parent’s ability to have enough time for children’s affair.
Academically Motivated Homes: Homes that provides the child with all his/her necessary needs such as school fee, textbooks, writing materials, school uniform, pocket money, food, shelter among others.
Emotional Stability: One’s ability to feel happy loved and act freely without fear or anger.
Causes of Truancy among Government Secondary Schools Students in Kuje Area Council of FCT Abuja
Causes of Truancy among Government Secondary Schools Students in Kuje Area Council of FCT Abuja
