THE PROBLEMS OF INDISCIPLINE ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OREDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, EDO STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Indiscipline is an act of not conforming to order, policies procedures, rules and regulations of a society. The issue of indiscipline is one of the social problems among the Nigerian you, the whether in post secondary school, higher learning. The effects of indiscipline are manifested in all works of life including the smooth running of schools.

In any civilized society, the fostering of discipline is a necessary condition on the maintenance of law and order. It is a pre-requisite for the promotion of political, social and economic development of a society or nation achieves is to a large extent a function by its various organs and what they are able to inculcate on the youth is very essential in order to ensure loyalty of the citizens and to the social and economic development of the country. The national policy of education (1981) stated the purpose of education as follows:

“To create a good society where all its members can use their disposal to develop all the natural resources within the environment in pursuit of the self goal and objective? There are been a considerable exhibition of indiscipline in school of which a lot of bad behaviour such as smoking, drunkenness, stealing, gambling. Bribery, corruption and drug addiction flourished. In fact, it was in realization of these problems that led to the launching of the ethical war against indiscipline (W.A.I.) by the Buhari military regime in 1984.

The family as agent of socialization could have significant impact on the child. This is evident from the fact that is the first place, which the child learns about the environment and the world at large. Parents inculcate in the child their acquired behavioural patterns. The school as agent of socialization and training is responsible for molding our future leader and improving manpower needed in our society. Indiscipline rears its ugly head through the form of lack of local commitment and dedication to work, lateness to work. Absenteeism, neglect of duty and parents who feels less concern about their children by going out to work very early and coming late when the children are already asleep. All these have a way of retarding progress of work and also limit out effectiveness and efficiency.

The school as an organization should be able to delivers humanitarian services, which is geared towards the betterment to the government and the society. Such as the ability to inculcate moral, punctuality, regularity, honesty and dedication of work. This means the school should be able to produce disciplined Pupils who will later become good citizens are free from any indiscipline act be it drug addiction, gambling, truancy school or other vices. Indiscipline, which serves as a major source of some social vices in Nigeria is of great concern to the parents, government and teachers such vices include stealing, pocket picking, drug abuse among youth also constitute nuisance to the government and society.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

This study is concerned with the investigation of the causes of indiscipline among students in secondary schools and how it affects the academic performance of the child; the danger of indiscipline in school as well as its influence on the child cannot be over emphasized. The school environment, teachers, parents, society, peer groups have their individual and collective role.

In order to understand this study, the following problems areas need to be investigated.

1. That indiscipline affects the academic performance of the students.

2. That indiscipline contributes to the poor performance of the child

3. That indiscipline can be attributed to parents’ inability to meet the child needs.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This study set out to achieve the following aims.

1. To investigate whether parents are in a way, either knowingly or unknowingly in school.

2. To determine whether the nature of the school administration has influenced the indiscipline exhibited by the students.

3. To investigate whether the socio economic factor in Oredo Area of Edo State has any influenced on indiscipline among secondary school students.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following shall from the basic research questions.

1. Is there any different between indiscipline and the academic performance of students in schools.

2. Does socio-economic background of parents encourage student’s indiscipline in school?

3. Does the nature of school administration encourage indiscipline among students in the school?

4. Do too many rules and regulations encourage indiscipline in school?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is significant because it reveals the degree of indiscipline among students in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. The observation so made help in arresting the problem. It is also significant and important to the development of children mostly in this our complex society where drug addiction, gambling, stealing, bribery and corruption not to mention but a few has become the order of the day. Some parents on the other hand have contributed to the major causes of indiscipline today in our society. Take for example a parent who has a child or children in school and refuse to carter for their needs or assist them in their academic is indirectly telling the child to look for solution elsewhere which may lead this child or children going of their peers or friends outside.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study has been limited to five secondary schools out of the entire ninety-six secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area in Edo State. they include;

1. Ogbe Secondary School;

2. Imaguero Secondary School;

3. Akenzuwa Secondary School;

4. Iyogbe Secondary School; and

5. Oredo Secondary School. all in Oredo Local Government Area in Edo State.  

DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following definition is important for the successful completion of this project.

Truancy – Act or habit of staying away from school without permission.

School administration – Is a formularized syustem which plans and co-ordinate organs of school (stating reporting and evaluating of all matter of the entire school affairs).