AN ANALYSIS  OF THE EFFECT OF  INDISCIPLINE ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Today's children will be tomorrow's leaders, and children are often characterized as a nation's pride and riches. For these reasons, each nation's future is heavily reliant on its youth, who provide the human and potential resources required for the society's survival (Tunor, 2011). Any nation's younger population must not only be protected, but properly disciplined, in order to achieve long-term development. Over the past decade, educators in Nigeria have been more concerned about student indiscipline and disdain for school officials. This indiscipline has long been a source of worry for educators, policymakers, the general public, and society. School indiscipline diminishes teaching hours because more time is spent regulating students' misbehavior rather than teaching, according to research Tunor (2011). School 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, truancy bullying, alcohol and substance abuse, truancy bullying, alcohol and substance abuse, truancy bullying, alcohol and substance abuse, truancy bullying, alcohol and substance abuse, truancy bullying, alcohol and substance abuse, truancy bullying, alcohol (Tunor, 2011; Idu and Ojedapo, 2011).

Discipline is undoubtedly one of the most challenging and unpleasant aspects of teaching since the teacher is responsible for educating, socializing, empowering, and certifying pupils, all of which is only feasible with the support of a positive teaching environment (Fafunwa, 2009; Farrant, 2004). In terms of its origins and effects, as well as its meanings and roles in the social, psychological, and educational areas, indiscipline is a complicated issue. The issue of indiscipline pervades every aspect of man's existence and has driven him to his knees. According to the Bible (Christians' sacred book), the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, were expelled from the Garden of Eden because of their disobedience. The sin of disobedience is indiscipline to set down norms and regulations by the established authority (God), in which he directed people not to do something, which they subsequently did and had to face the consequences. According to Gaustard (2005), school indiscipline has two basic goals. The first is to guarantee that staff and children are safe, and the second is to provide a learning atmosphere. The ideals of education are undermined by acts of indiscipline caused by student misbehavior including aggressive and criminal activity. If education providers and customers allow acts of indiscipline to incubate under present favorable circumstances, they may produce a monster that will be difficult to eradicate (Tunor, 2011) and Idu and (Ojedapo, 2011). On the economic front of the country, little examples of the envisioned challenges are being experienced. Many people feel that educational indiscipline is to blame for the present economic troubles caused by corruption, robbery, assassination, abduction, smuggling, and pipeline vandalism. Not just by those who establish or interpret the law, but also by those who swore an oath to protect the laws of the state, court injunctions and decrees are routinely disobeyed. These acts of indiscipline in our country's existence are likely to have started as a mustard seed of disobedience in the classroom. School indiscipline is a major problem that obstructs the proper development of youngsters in society, particularly those in secondary schools. When it comes to achieving educational objectives, indiscipline has gotten a lot of attention. Indiscipline, defined as a violation of school rules and regulations capable of obstructing the smooth and orderly functioning of the school system, should be avoided as a result of proper student orientation and the imposition of positive sanctions in the case of obvious violations of order, according to Edem (1982). Students' capacity to respect authority, follow, and obey school rules and regulations, which affects their academic achievement, is referred to as indiscipline. Missing or skipping classes on a regular basis will almost certainly result in poor academic achievement. The same may be said for truancy, abstinence, and tardiness, to name a few. The goal of this research is to look at the issues of indiscipline and how they affect academic performance in Lagos State's Senior Secondary Schools. Indiscipline is an issue that affects all schools, regardless of gender or school type, yet the degree and size of the problem varies from one school to the next. Violence occurs more often outdoors than on school grounds, despite the fact that it is a routine occurrence. Because there are no administrative or legal norms to resort to in the event that such difficulties or situations emerge, the actions adopted to deal with indiscipline are barely enough. Both inside and between schools of the same kind, actions are often haphazard and unplanned. Because of a lack of support from relevant authorities, political interference, and an incapacitated school administration, most teachers feel powerless to deal with cases of indiscipline.

In this research, we'll look at the terms discipline and indiscipline, as well as their impact on academic success. Discipline, in a broad sense, may be defined as instruction that helps a person to achieve ordered behaviour, self-control, and self-direction (Egwunyenga, 2000). As a result, discipline identifies a person's or a group's limits. Restraint is a self-imposed technique of self-control. In terms of our schools, Adeshina (1980) defined it as a condition in which pupils are taught to respect school officials, follow school rules and regulations, and maintain a set of behavioral standards. Respect for oneself and others, in other terms. According to Boakye (2006), discipline is the following of rules and commands as well as the display of an outward sign of respect in accordance with existing agreements. Discipline in the classroom is an important aspect of school administration. This is because discipline is a way of life based on society's established norms, to which all members must adhere and whose breach is frowned upon. Indiscipline is seen as a learning and training process that promotes growth and development. The goal of discipline is to assist the person in being well adjusted, joyful, and valuable in both school and society (Imaguezor, 1997). According to Nolte (1980) and Barrell (1978), the idea of school discipline is founded on the notion of loco parentis, which gives school authorities entire responsibility for children's development, as well as the power to discipline and control. To put it another way, instructors have the authority to discipline pupils who break school regulations or laws. A structured teaching offered to a pupil is referred to as this discipline. Discipline refers to the act of instructing someone to obey a set of rules. Discipline, according to Adesina (1990), is the willingness or capacity to accept authority and follow the society's or any other organization's customary or established rules. Self-control, constraint, and respect for oneself and others are all characteristics of discipline. In a nutshell, school discipline refers to the management of pupils and the enforcement of school rules and regulations. These regulations may include the required standards of dress (school uniform), punctuality, social conduct among classmates, and overall school ethics, among other things. In order to attain academic greatness, discipline requires sacrifice, persistence, and tolerance in our institutions. Indiscipline, on the other hand, is misconduct in any or all of the following areas: respect for school authority, compliance with rules, laws, and regulations, and upholding established behavioral standards. According to Adesina (1990), discipline is derived from the Latin term Discipulus, which means "to learn." As a result, it necessitates the subordination of one's emotions and abilities to a regulation, which avoids anarchy and provides efficiency, without which ineffectiveness and waste would result. On the other side, indiscipline is a violation of social order, decent moral behavior, and self-accepted and self-maintained social standards of life. In addition, indiscipline is an issue that affects the efficacy of work in today's public and private secondary schools. Nepotism, hooliganism, absenteeism, truancy, unintentional property damage, cheating, and test malpractice have all resulted as a result of this. The lack of discipline is referred to as indiscipline. As a result, wherever indiscipline rules, discipline is missing, putting the society's stability and continuous existence in jeopardy, since when discipline is not imparted, life and property become insecure, and the society's prolonged existence becomes problematic. According to Edem (1982), indiscipline, as a violation of school rules and regulations, can obstruct the smooth and orderly functioning of the educational system and should be avoided as a result of proper student orientation and the imposition of positive sanctions in cases of obvious violations of the order. According to Dittiniya (1996), indiscipline may be defined as any conduct that violates society ideals and standards. Indiscipline may take on a variety of shapes and forms, depending on how it is carried out in its many forms. Indiscipline is a separate and deserved component of growth, training, and a rule-abiding way of life. As a result, a lack of discipline is linked to any kind of misconduct. In this context, indiscipline refers to any behavior that is contrary to the established norms and regulations controlling a learning environment. It is critical to emphasize that indiscipline in secondary schools is one of the most serious issues confronting our society today. According to (Timothy, 2008: 110), indiscipline is the polar opposite of discipline, i.e. a lack of discipline. He also cited Dittinuiya (1995), who defined it as any action that violates society values and standards. Indiscipline, on the other hand, is as ancient as creation itself. Because of their disobedience and desire to be like their creator, the first man and female (Adam and Eve) were expelled from the Garden of Eden. They sampled the forbidden fruit and suffered the consequences. Furthermore, indiscipline in our institution has drew the notice of the media and the general public for some time. Some individuals believe that schools, which are supposed to help develop people up for the welfare of society, are becoming breeding grounds for indiscipline.

These writers all agree on one point when it comes to discipline and indiscipline. That is, although discipline entails submission to authority and self- and other-respect, indiscipline entails the exact reverse (i.e. disobedience to authority, lack of respect for self and others). This widely held belief is unquestionable because it emphasizes the need of discipline in school efficiency. In this research, indiscipline is defined as a student's behavior that violates rules and regulations and impairs the functioning of the school. Academic performance refers to what you've shown you can achieve in a certain topic (s). What you can do in a perfect situation is what you call ability. You may consider it internal until you demonstrate what you're capable of with your performance. External performance is what others can see. For example, if someone feels nervous before taking a test and is uncoordinated, this will or may result in poor performance on the test. That same guy would have done better on the same exam if he hadn't been worried. In schools, there is a lot of indiscipline. Today, there are a variety of school offenses or indiscipline, the most common of which are mentioned below. For example, attack and insult, drug abuse, charms, truancy, fighting, mass demonstrations, dishonesty, wickedness, drug trafficking, weapon possession, sexual harassment, rape, robbery, indecency, and so on.

1. Assault and insult: Students and youth talk brutally to their instructors, fight with members of the staff, including non-teaching personnel, and beat up their younger peers.

2. Substance abuse: This is the habit of ingesting harmful drugs. They develop the habit of storing and utilizing drugs for common ailments that are not recommended by competent physicians. They also consume alcohol and smoke.

3. Charms: much worse, acts or objects that are said to have magical powers to assist or harm people. Many students use charms to pass their exams in order to acquire the teacher's favor and to destroy their classmates and teachers who are against them.

4. Truancy: This is when a student regularly misses school without permission. The majority of pupils leave their homes in the morning but do not arrive at school.

5. Fighting: Fighting leads to indiscipline. Students in secondary school suffer bodily defeat as a result of it.

6. Protests or strikes: They staged protests or strikes in response to poor food quality and staffing.

7. Dishonesty: Dishonest acts of behavior include lying, cheating, and stealing. Some of them have a history of brawling and cheating on exams.

8. Wickedness: They mistreat junior pupils and destroy school property. Strikes and huge demonstrations are commonplace among them.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The number of students who fail or perform poorly in continuous assessment tests and promotional examinations has continued to drop in our secondary schools, which has been driven by an increase in the number of students who fail or perform poorly in these tests (Tunor, 2011). External exams reveal the same issues. That is the performance of students who write the Junior Secondary Certificate Examinations (JSCE) and Senior Secondary Examinations (SSCE), with the majority of pupils failing mathematics and English language, which are required for entrance to any higher institution. Because of these issues, the majority of students have had to retake a class, and, as with external exams, they must sit at home and wait another year to re-sit for another test. It's also a problem since the student would have to pay the external examination costs again before being permitted to appear for the tests. Many parents would actively seek employment for their children, but what would become of them in our culture, where even graduates are still unemployed? When no work seems to be forthcoming, these youngsters will have little option but to stay at home, hoping and believing that they will be called up for a job at some point. Remember the cliché that states the devil's workshop is an idle hand (Tunor, 2011). They join terrible gangs, take drugs, drink beer, party, night crawl, and even some are used by wicked politicians to accomplish their aim of rigging and vote box snatching by offering them cash in return for rifles and ammunition, putting their future in jeopardy. Others join armed robbery groups, participate in prostitution, and are prosecuted if they are caught in any of these heinous acts. They'd be apprehended and taken to court. They risk going to prison if they are prosecuted and proven guilty.

Even school administrators, parents, guardians, teachers, principals, the district board of education, the ministry of education, children themselves, stakeholders, and the general public are concerned about this problem. As a result, the purpose of this research is to look at the impact of indiscipline on secondary school students' academic performance. Teachers, parents, guardians, peer groups, and society as a whole all have individual and collective responsibilities to play.        

1.3   OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1.     To examine the effect of truancy on students' academic performance.

2.    To evaluate the influence of indiscipline on students' academic performance.

3.   To investigate the effect of alcohol and substance abuse on academic performance.

4.    To ascertain the influence of sexual related problems on academic performance.

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following questions have been prepared for the study :

1.        What is  the effect of truancy on students' academic performance?

2.        Does indiscipline  have an influence on students' academic performance?

3.        What is the effect of alcohol and substance abuse on academic performance?

4.        Does   sexual related problems have influence on academic performance?

1.5    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.

1.6    SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will examine the effect of truancy on students' academic performance. The study will also evaluate the influence of indiscipline on students' academic performance.  The study will further investigate the effect of alcohol and substance abuse on academic performance. Lastly, the study will  ascertain the influence of sexual related problems on academic performance. Hence this study will be delimited to secondary schools in Asaba, Delta state.

1.7    LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

One of the limitations was time factor; another was transportation and attitude of respondent which created problem to the researcher.

1.8    DEFINITION OF TERMS

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 misbehavior 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).

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