Relationship Between Drug Abuse and Tone of Discipline in Secondary Schools
Chapter One
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of drug use on academic performance among students in public secondary schools in Kaduna.
Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study were to;
- Determine the commonly abused drugs by students in secondary schools in Kaduna.
- Establish the causes of drug abuse among students in Kaduna state.
- Establish measures put in place to curb drug abuse in schools in Kaduna.
CHAPTER TWO:
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
This section consists of review of related literature. The section covers literature on the reasons why students abuse drugs, measures taken to curb drug abuse, drugs abused by student and how drug use affects academic performance. The chapter also will look at the theoretical and conceptual framework.
Commonly used Drugs
In Nigeria, concern over the possible increase of drug abuse, especially among the youth has led to few survey carried out to ascertain the type of drug used. A study carried out by Musa and Mbugua, (2011) on drug abuse by students in secondary schools in Murang’a County indicated that the use of tobacco and alcohol are more common than the use of other substances such as cannabis (bhang), Khat (miraa) and other illicit substances.
They use cough mixtures, tranquilizers, sedatives, sleeping pills, eye drops among others. They fake illness to access these drugs from either their school health facilities or hospitals. Use of inhalants such as glue and cigarette lighter fuels are also on the increase. In some cases illicit brew such as „changaa’ is also smuggled into the school Musa and Mbugua, (2011). A recent report states that the students are increasingly using a new drug called „Kuber’ which is a mixture of „tobacco’ and„bhang’ Kikuvi, (2009).
Information gathered from teachers in some selected schools especially high cost schools indicate that children carry spirits sometimes mixed with fruit juices, sweets, glucose, ice, tea and other drugs to school. This is taken during their free time or in between lessons, hence a drunken student body MOEST, (2015).
A study carried out by Otieno, (2009) on drug abuse in Kisumu town interviewed 458 students in 9 secondary schools in Kisumu district and concluded that students used alcohol, tobacco, khat, cannabis and cocaine which had risen drastically in the previous decade. By age 15, according to the study, some students were found to have already started using drugs and by the time they are 19, 33 percent males and females had already become drug abusers.
From the above studies it is apparent that much has not been done to determine the commonly abused drugs among secondary school students. It is therefore essential to carry out this study and determine other unique drugs that may be abused by secondary school students in Kaduna.
Causes of Drug Abuse
Some of the reasons why students abuse drugs are as follows:
Peer Pressure
Peer pressure where each student wants to associate self with the colleagues who use drugs. According to the United Nations, (2013), drug users like other people seek approval for their behaviour from the peers, whom they attempt to convince to join them in their habit as a way of seeking acceptance. While conducting an assessment on substance and drug abuse in Nigerian schools, Gatonye, (2006) observed that peer pressure has a negative or a positive impact depends on the quality of the peer group. Unfortunately, the same peer pressure that will act to keep a group within an accepted code of behavior can also push a susceptible individual down the wrong path. A study carried out by Musa and Mbugua, (2011), on narcotic drug problems in Murang’a South District of Nigeria, a case study of drug abuse by students in secondary schools noted that a majority of the drug users have friends who use drugs, and even in school they gang together to plan how to get the drugs. This takes most of their time for study since all these are done in secret usually preps time.
CHAPTER THREE:
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design
According to Cooper and Schindler, (2006) a research design is a strategy for study and the plan by which the strategy is to be carried out specifying the methods and the procedure for the data collection, measurement, and analysis of data.
This study employed a descriptive survey design as a method of collecting information by interviewing and administering a questionnaire to a sample of individuals. This type of research design is useful when collecting information about people’s attitudes, opinions, and habits Orodho, (2009). This therefore lay within the focus of this study.
Target Population
Target population is defined as all the members of a real or hypothetical set of people, events or objects from which a researcher wishes to generate the research study Creswell, (2005). The researcher targeted form three students, their respective guidance and counseling teachers and principals in the 32 public secondary schools in Kaduna.
Sample Size and Sampling Procedure
Sample Size
A sample is any group on which information is obtained (Frankel et al., 2000). The student total population was 1327 in the 32 sampled schools, 32 principals and 32 guidance and counseling teachers. Gay, (2009) recommends that the minimum sample of a small population is (30) percent while (10) percent can do for a big population; therefore, 10% of each target population was computed to give a total sample size of 154 respondents as shown in Table 3.1
CHAPTER FOUR:
DATA ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS
Introduction
This chapter presents the data, analyzes and interprets the findings of the study. The chapter also discusses the findings in light of earlier findings of empirical studies.
CHAPTER FIVE:
SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
This chapter presents summary of study findings, the conclusion and recommendations that arose from the study. The research reviewed a wide range of secondary literature and collected primary data on which the conclusion and recommendations are based. The research endeavored to answer the following questions: In Kaduna; What are the commonly abused drugs by students in secondary schools?, What are the causes of drug abuse among secondary school students?, What is the effect of drug abuse on the academic performance among secondary school students?, What measures have been put in place to curb drug abuse among students the secondary schools?.
Summary of Findings
The first objective of this study sought to find out the commonly abused drugs in schools in Kaduna. Alcohol was the most abused drug with a response of (53.8%), followed by bhang (47.7%) and tobacco, (26.5%). It was established that drug abuse was more prevalent amongst male students than in female students. It was found that majority of the form three students (90.9%) started taking drugs while in secondary school and only 9.1% abused drugs long before joining their respective secondary schools. The study findings indicate that 56.1% had knowledge of a student taking drugs. The major sources of these drugs in schools were identified as fellow students (66.7%) whereby most students sneak the drugs into their respective schools and supply to others and small kiosks or shops in schools’ neighbourhoods (62.9%).
The second objective sought to establish the causes of drug abuse among students in Kaduna. The study established that the major causes of drug abuse in secondary schools were peer influence which rated highest with a mean of 4.52, easy availability of money to buy drugs ranked second with a mean of 4.02; family background ranked third with a mean of 3.61 and mass media influence ranked fourth with a mean of 3.57. The least cause of drug abuse in schools was the need for energy to read for long hours which had a mean of 1.96.
The third objective of the study sought to establish measures put in place to curb drug abuse in schools in Kaduna. The measures established include expelling students found dealing in drugs; arresting and locking up people in the school neighborhoods involved in the sale of the drugs to students; instituting early detection programs in schools to find out those being initiated into the act and prevented from doing so early enough; strict monitoring and inspection of pharmaceutical shops or chemist (s) around learning institutions and carrying out regular awareness campaigns on the dangers of drug abuse.
Conclusion
Based on research finding of the study, the researcher concluded that; Alcohol was found to be the most frequently abused drug in secondary schools in Kaduna and the major source of these drugs in schools were from the fellow students; most students sneak the drugs into their respective schools and supply to others and small kiosks or shops in the schools’ neighbourhoods.
Most factors such as peer pressure, stress at home especially due to lack of school fees, frustrations at home, family breakups, and conflict with parents; availability of the drugs, availability of money to buy; and family background for example the parent also drinks contributed to the students’ abuse of drugs.
Drug abuse among the students caused dropping out of school, strained relationship with other students, lack of interest in schooling, low concentration span and declining grades hence abuse of drugs had a negative effect on the academic performance of the students in secondary schools in Kaduna state. Administering punitive punishments such as expelling students caught abusing drugs, arresting, locking up and imposing heavy fines to individuals selling drugs would be helpful in reducing the drug menace.
Recommendations
The study recommends that:
- Schools should set up guidance and counselling offices and recruit professionals to counsel students who indulge in drug abuse. This will help nurture the students with emotional needs that they wish to share in confidence but lack the platform to do so and in return end up turning into drug
- Parents and teachers should monitor the students’ peer inorder to ensure they do not involve themselves with students or non-students who abuse
- Substance or drug free clubs should be established in secondary schools to provide awareness to students about drugs and consequences of drug abuse.
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