A CRITICAL ASSESSMENT  ON THE IMPACT OF INDISCIPLINE IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Pupils are valuable assets and the most important components of education. It is vitally important to direct students to demonstrate acceptable attitudes and behaviors both inside and outside of school. In order to produce an ordered and tranquil school environment while also maintaining law and order, school administration must have particular rules and regulations in place to regulate the activities of members of the educational organization. Pupil discipline is required for practically everything a school has to offer students, according to Seifert and Vornberg (2002). Siefert and Vornberg go on to relate discipline to the school's culture and environment, arguing that "in order for a suitable atmosphere to exist inside a school, a certain amount of discipline must exist." In schools where indiscipline is a severe problem, such as when students bully others, parents might move their children to 'better' schools, and because well-behaved students typically do well (Rigby, 2000), their transfer can have an impact on the overall performance of that school.

Consequently, acts of indiscipline appear to have become a common occurrence in our daily lives. For some, indiscipline is a symbol of modernism, fashion, and masculinity. In today's environment, indiscipline manifests itself not only in our clothing but also in our attitude toward life and our general methods of doing things. Indiscipline is a behavioral problem described as a delinquent conduct. Similarly, lying, stealing, playing truant, or fleeing from home. It is frequently the source of significant mental, emotional, and bodily harm. Such as property damage in both houses and schools. A youngster who is not disciplined will never be able to be controlled and will do almost anything if he or she does not receive what he or she wants.

Pupil indiscipline appears to be widespread in Nigerian primary schools in the twenty-first century. Disciplinary is an important aspect of a child's socialization; with the recent growth in school enrollment, students' discipline problems are certain to exacerbate and place more responsibilities on teachers and school administrators, leading to failure in primary schools. Inability of students to discriminate between acceptable and inappropriate behavior causes issues in integrating into more disciplined environments, resulting in resentment and subsequent escalation of the problem. Eventually, appropriate education may become hard to get, making it difficult to acquire or keep a job, or even integrate into society. The issue of indiscipline has been a big worry for parents and individuals in the school community who advocate for instructors to use disciplinary tactics and for rapport to be built between students and teachers as a systematic approach to problem management. Troubled students can often cause teachers to respond emotionally, even to the point of resorting to punishment. However, instead of reducing behavior, punishment might exacerbate it (Dreikurs et al 1998). According to McManus (1995), punishment does not deter misbehavior but rather strengthens students' perceptions of adults as deceitful.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 

            The standard of discipline has increasingly deteriorated, and society or community can be somewhat blamed for this deterioration, but citizens prefer to be blamed for failing to combat it. Moral and spiritual values have been abandoned by society in the name of progress and technology, and as a result, our cultures appear to have lost sight of the core of a disciplined life. Notably in lower basic classes, indiscipline is the most common challenge faced by teachers all over the world. Researchers have been studying various ways of managing discipline and the studies will continue for as long there will be schools. Maphosa (2011) assert that the issue of learners’ indiscipline has taken centre stage for a long time both internationally and nationally. Most common behavioral problems among undisciplined learners include truancy, fighting, shouting, snatching other learners’ property, bullying, cheating, viewing pornographic materials, threatening teachers among others (Zubaida, 2009). Bizzarely Teachers fail to control learners as their authority has been undermined by parent directives and school authority (Etesi, 2012). According to Ouma et al., (2013) effect of indiscipline on pupils includes lateness, noise making, absenteeism, fighting, defiance, bullying, drug abuse, failure to complete assignments, sexual harassment, use of abusive language, drug trafficking, drop out and social vices in the society.

            Although several studies has been carried out in relation to discipline, politeness, home influence (Duckworth & Seligman, 2006; Pasternak, 2013; Zhao & Kuo, 2015). The inconsistency of findings and the identified gaps suggested the need for more research the impact of indiscipline in primary school.

1.3 OBJECTIVES  OF THE STUDY 

The broad objective of this study is to present critical assessment on the impact of indiscipline in primary school. Specifically, the study seeks to:

1. To determine the level of discipline of primary school pupil.

2. To ascertain the causes of indiscipline among primary school pupils.

3. To determine the extent at which indiscipline impact pupil academic performance.

4. To outline other effect of indiscipline in primary school.

1.4       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The research is guided by the following research:

1.        What is the level of discipline of primary school pupil?

2.        What are the causes of indiscipline among primary school pupils.

3.        What is  the extent at which indiscipline impact pupil academic performance?

4.        What are the  other effect of indiscipline in primary school.

1.5             SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is significant, in a number of ways, firstly, the study is invaluable and would serve as eye opener for parents, who have the primary responsibilities of turning their children and wards into useful citizen of the society. Also, the study would spell out the causes and effects of indiscipline to guardians, teachers  and the general public who hold the responsibility of moulding the characters of children that will eventually take the society to a greater height. Non-Governmental Organizations, welfare homes and lost other will also benefit from the findings of this research work.  The research topic will be of future reference to all and  sundry  that want to acquire more knowledge on the effect of parents socio-economic status on pre-primary school pupils academic achievement.

1.6       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study borders on critical assessment on the impact of indiscipline in primary school. The study will discuss the extent of indiscipline among pupils and also verify the causes of indiscipline in primary school. The study is however delimited Bwari Areal Council in Abuja.

 1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Like in every human endeavour, the researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. The significant constraint was the scanty literature on the subject owing that it is a new discourse thus the researcher incurred more financial expenses and much time was required in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size covering only Nursery/Primary schools in  Bwari Areal Council in Abuja. Thus findings of this study cannot be generalized for other Nursery/ primary schools in other states within Nigeria. Additionally, the researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work will impede maximum devotion to the research. Howbeit, despite the constraint  encountered during the  research, all factors were downplayed in other to give the best and make the research successful.

1.8       DEFINITION OF TERMS

INDISCIPLINE: As it was used in the study, it simply means lack of control in the behaviour of a child or  group of pupils.

PRIMARY SCHOOL: Primary school is the fundamental formal training given to children of a prescribed age group in an institution.

EFFECT: Effect is the physical and behavioural state of a system that results, from an action. It is also a change to a conditioned behaviour.

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