DIFFERENTIAL ANALYSIS ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF WELL-BEHAVED STUDENT AND DELINQUENT STUDENTS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

     Delinquency is essentially a legal notion that is interpreted differently by different persons or experts. It is described as a condition of delinquency or behavior that is contrary to recognized societal values or the Ghanaian constitution. A delinquent conduct in a society is defined as any act punished by death, imprisonment, or a fine. Stealing, sexual offenses, damage of state property (vandalism), marijuana smoking, drug pilfering, and other delinquent behaviors are examples of delinquent conduct. Child delinquency is on the rise, and many adults are unsure what to do about it. The increased frequency of child delinquency in many nations may be driven by socioeconomic issues that are frequently related with development. Child delinquency refers to young persons, whereas delinquency refers to young offenders who commit small crimes or infractions. According to the textbook Bartol (2019), the psychological definition of delinquency is a child's participation in excessive anti-social behavior. Children are meant to be a symbol of innocence and fidelity, yet they kill other children and even their own parents. Well-behaved students, on the other hand, follow school rules and regulations such as being punctual at school, their parents providing textbooks and other writing materials for them, prompt payment of school levies to allow them to stay in school, punctual and regular at school lessons, wearing the correct school uniforms, completing take-home assignments, not making noise or bullying other students in the classroom, and so on. While delinquent pupils are those who do not follow the school's norms and regulations. In essence, they are the polar opposite of well-behaved pupils. Interestingly, both well-behaved and delinquent students exist in schools; they sit in the same classroom, receive the same lessons, and are taught by the same teachers; at the end of the term or session, they sit for the same examinations, and their scripts are marked by the same teachers or examiners; why should there be no difference in their academic performance because they are diametrically opposed? Students from broken homes, for example, who lack appropriate parental care at home and are not adequately cared for, should not be expected to perform well academically since there is no effective discipline imposed on the kid from home, according to Gyansah, Soku, and Esilfie (2015). Juvenile delinquency, on the other hand, is on the rise, and if precautions are not taken, these students might become a hazard in our society. It is now on the rise as delinquent students outnumber well-behaved students, producing a slew of issues in our schools and throughout the country. More has been published about juvenile delinquency as a primary cause in low academic performance of delinquent kids, and as such, much should be done to limit it in terms of how it impacts students' academic performance. This study aims to compare the academic performance of well-behaved secondary school students to that of delinquent secondary school students. Juvenile delinquency comprises not only pupils who have violated any adult regulation, but also students who consistently conduct themselves so as to harm the morality of themselves or others, so hurting his scholastic performance, which is not impeded or disturbed for well-behaved students.

According to Okoro (2022), juvenile delinquency includes truancy, theft, quarrelling, creating noise, immoral or indecent behavior, ganstarism, speaking vulgar languages in public, cultism, and other behaviors. All of the aforementioned variables lead to delinquent secondary school pupils' low academic achievement. Any student who refrains from participating in these behaviors will outperform those who participate. However, it should be noted that academic achievement of school kids differs depending on their location, i.e. rural vs metropolitan places. In cities, however, there are certain places where delinquent behavior is minor and others where it is well above average. Some might be traced back to the child's characteristic, which is that children who originate from households where criminal activities are widespread are more likely to be delinquent; this suggests that they received such traits from their parents. The family is well-known for providing both well-behaved and delinquent school pupils. This is because some children have all of their needs met, whilst the majority lack sufficient parental care and control for various reasons. In a family where the child feels rejected, unloved, and undesired, the youngster is more likely to become delinquent. For example, a young girl may embark into an immature relationship just because she is curious about what anyone has to offer. The delinquent requires support in making socially acceptable changes so that they do not end up in trouble.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

      The problem of delinquency has recently reached a height in first cycle schools, disrupting the learning process and outcome. According to Ndianabasi (2019), if learning is defined as a behavior undertaken to alter change, there will be an issue that will prevent the change from occurring. If the input process is suddenly disrupted, the predicted change in behavior may not occur.

Although instructors play a vital effect in the academic success of both well-behaved and deviant students. Teachers have made some efforts to address the issue of child delinquency, but to little success. According to Ismail, it appears to be the norm, and the number of delinquents grows with each passing generation (2021). Schoolboys frequently break into school offices and staff common areas with the goal of stealing textbooks, test scripts, and exercise books. When their luck runs out, these lads or children are usually apprehended. Most children's academic achievement is impacted by their behaviour. As a result, the researcher bases his comparative analysis on this premise examining the difference in the academic performance of well behaved student and delinquent student  selected secondary schools.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The broad objective of this study is to conduct a differential analysis on the academic performance of well-behaved student and delinquent students. Other specific objectives for this study includes to:

i.          Investigate the factors that contribute to child delinquent behavior.

ii.        Establish if delinquent behavior influence the child focus on academic activities.

iii.      Ascertain if there is any difference in the academic performance of behaved student and delinquent students

iv.      Find out the remedies that will help solve the problem.

1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

For this study, tentative statement were raised in accordance to the research objectives:

HO1: Delinquent behavior does not influence the child focus on academic activities.

HO2: There is no difference in the academic performance of behaved student and delinquent students.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study seeks to find out the difference between the academic performance of the well-behaved and delinquent secondary school students. It is therefore important as it will to enable the teachers to know and understand the children and their different behaviours. Through this study, teachers can deal meaningfully with the students they teach because it would enable them to know as much as possible about the students.

     With this study, teachers would be able to detect students with any type of juvenile delinquency and curb them before they influence others. The study will serve as a literature to all practicing teachers. It will also enable the other students to be adequately taken care of so as not to be influenced by the delinquent ones. It will also enable the delinquent students to know that their behaviour could hinder their progress at school. It will also enable the teachers to know the types of students they are teaching so that the well-behaved ones would be used as examples to the other students. The study will also make parents to be aware of the types of children they have, it will enable them to know the type of treatment to give to them and also keeping a closer look at everything they do at home.

          The school administrators are not left out that is the principal and the vice-principal. This study will help facilitate their work and give room for them to know how to handle their students if they are able to detect the well-behaved ones from the delinquent ones through their academic performance and also know that they need to apply extra effort so that the delinquent ones can change. The study will enable the ministry of education that is responsible for the education of the state to know how to provide materials for the schools and also make them know that there is need for counselors to be employed into schools so as to eliminate disruptive behaviours in secondary schools. The policy makers will also benefit from this duty because it will create awareness for the policy makers to know how to plan for the education of the children and also make them to be aware of the types of policies to be made.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study borders on differential analysis on the academic performance of well-behaved student and delinquent students. The study is delimited to selected secondary schools in Ikorodu axis of Lagos State.

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 selected secondary schools in Ikorodu axis of Lagos State. Thus findings of this study cannot be used for generalization for secondary 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  

Academic Performance: This can be defined as the performance of a person or a group of persons in education discipline which can be quantified and measured.         

Well-Behaved (Students): This is a person that conforms to the societal norms and values. In terms of this study, it means those students that conform to the norms, values, rules and regulations of the school.  

 Delinquent (Students): This is an act of deviance in terms of societal norms and values; it is also an act of showing or exhibiting anti-social behaviour.

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