Drug Abuse and Students Academic Performances in Senior Secondary School: a Case Study of Some Selected Secondary School in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the Study
The objectives of the study are as follows:
- To examine the causes of drug abuse.
- To examine the role of parents in controlling their wards in drug abuse.
- To determine the effects of drug abuse on the students.
- Provide information on how on how to reduce the intake of drugs among students.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED OR RELEVANT LITERATURE
Introduction
Drug abuse is a matter of grave concern to educational stakeholders, medical practitioners, sociologists, religious leaders, counselors and parents. It is a national and international sensitive challenge that needs urgent attention due to the alarming rate of involvement of the youth. Adewuya (2005) noted that alcohol is most widely used among young people. West and Graham (2005) also agreed that students, as a subset of the youth population, consume large quantities of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Ajake, Isangedihi and Bisong (2009) posited that premarital sexual practices and drug abuse constitute social ills that have been age-long problems in the secondary school system. Ajayi and Ekundayo (2010) equally confirmed that drug abuse has been identified as a serious constraint to effective teaching and learning process in the Nigerian educational system. Drug abuse, according to Ajayi and Ayodele (2002), is the wrong use or inappropriate use of chemical substances that are capable of changing functions of cells in the body. Bayer, as cited in Egbochuku and Akerele (2007), saw stimulants, which are substances that cause an increase in the activity of an organ in the body, as chemicals that excite certain activities of the central nervous system. Ajayi and Ekundayo (2010) also saw drug abuse as over-dependence and misuse of one particular drug with or without a prior medical diagnosis from qualified health practitioners. They further identified dangerous drugs like cocaine, Indian hemp (marijuana), morphine, heroin, tobacco, ephedrine, valium five and Chinese capsules as few among the drugs commonly abused by youths. Oshodi, Aina and Onajole (2010) reported that, despite worldwide concern and education about psychoactive substances, many adolescents have limited awareness of their adverse consequences.
They further explained that curiosity, social pressure and peer group influence are noted to be primary reasons for substance misuse. Makanjuola, Daramola and Obembe (2007), Aina and Olorunsola (2008), and Buddy (2009) lamented that a substantial percentage of the national budgetary allocation is utilized for treatment and rehabilitation of people with substance use problems in Nigeria. In an attempt to control sleep or energise themselves, most adolescents and young ones start experimenting with tobacco, alcohol, ephedrine and other caffeinated substances such as Nescafe and red bull. Some of the reasons for the drug abuse, as identified by Ajayi and Ekundayo (2010), are to reduce pain, anxiety and tension, ignorance and misinformation, parental background, urge to commit crimes, peer group influence, isolation and loneliness.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to examine drug abuse and student academic performance in senior secondary school.
Sources of Data Collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
Primary source and Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
DATA ANALYSIS
The data collected from the respondents were analyzed in tabular form with simple percentage for easy understanding.
A total of 133 (one hundred and thirty three) questionnaires were distributed and 133 questionnaires were returned.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to reiterate that the objective of this study was to examine drug abuse and the students’ academic performance in senior secondary schools.
In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given.
In this chapter, certain recommendations are made which in the opinion of the researcher are drawn from the findings of the study.
Summary
This study was undertaken to examine drug abuse and the students’ academic performance in senior secondary schools. The study opened with chapter one where the statement of the problem was clearly defined. The study objectives and research hypotheses were defined and formulated respectively. The study reviewed related and relevant literatures. The chapter two gave the conceptual framework, empirical and theoretical studies. The third chapter described the methodology employed by the researcher in collecting both the primary and the secondary data. The research method employed here is the descriptive survey method. The study analyzed and presented the data collected in tables and tested the hypotheses using the chi-square statistical tool. While the fifth chapter gives the study summary and conclusion.
CONCLUSION
The students who engage in drug abuse swerve to calamitous lane as the purpose for attending school may never be accomplished. It is an aberration for the beneficiaries of education to be on the frolic of their own, with an unmet target. It is pertinent now to be more concerned than before on this issue of drug abuse after taking cognizance of what the victims are passing through in life so as to avert its pernicious captivity, especially among the students. The awareness of the complex nature of the effects of drug abuse should invoke unrelenting effort of everyone and the government to curbing this scourge.
Educational implications:
The concerned students withdraw from their lessons and classes to a hideout and other isolated areas to take drugs at the expense of their education. As long as students indulge in drug abuse, they are bound to under-perform and fail the subjects, and knowledge already gained may be wasted in the course of time. Drug abuse breeds misbehavior and criminality in the school environment such as disrespect to teachers, rape, extortion and stealing, cultism, brutality and other social vices. All these are aimed at disrupting school activities. Students who abused drugs to gain academic success never realized this target, and the end result is that they become drug addicts or barons instead of academicians, defeating the goals of education.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings from the study, the following recommendations are suggested:
- Appropriate sanctions or penalty must be meted out to any student caught in drug abuse so as to serve as deterrent to other students. There should be heartfelt publicity through lectures, campaigns, rallies, symposiums, seminars etc to educate and enlighten the students the effects of drug abuse.
- Serious war should be declared against those making the drugs available and drastic measures should be taken against the sellers of prohibited drugs so as to clamp down their activities across the country.
- There should be a routine appraisal on the academic performance of each student apart from examinations.
- There should be quick and appropriate response to the victims of drug abuse in school so as to reduce the harmful effect in their body and reform them.
- The school environment should be properly fenced to forestall unwarranted hideout for the students.
- The government agencies, especially National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other concerned organizations
REFERENCES
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- Ajake, U.E., Isangedihi, A.J. & Bisong, N.N. 2009. Child rearing styles, premarital sexual practices and drug abuse among senior secondary school students in Cross River State, Nigeria. Medwell Journal of Social Sciences, 4 (1): 71-75.
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- Ajayi, I.A. & Ekundayo, H.T. 2010. Contemporary issues in educational management, Lagos, .Nigeria. Bolabay Publications, 8.
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