Problems of Drug Abuse on Students’ Academic Performance in Secondary School
Chapter One
Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study were to;
- Determine the commonly abused drugs by students in secondary schools in Uhunmwode L.G.A.
- Establish the causes of drug abuse among students in Uhunmwode L.G.A.
- Determine the effects of drug abuse on academic performance in Uhunmwode L.G.A.
- Establish measures put in place to curb drug abuse in schools in Uhunmwode L.G.A.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
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 Kyalo and Mbugua, (2011) on drug abuse by students in secondary schools in Murang‟ a 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 Kyalo 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 Okhuokhuo community interviewed 458 students in 9 secondary schools in Okhuokhuo community 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 Uhunmwode L.G.A.
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 Kyalo 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.
Muma, (2008) conducted studies on the influence of drug abuse on discipline amongst students in secondary schools in Okhuokhuo community and agreed that there is a significant relationship between the subjects drug using behavior and involvement of their friends in drugs. According to him, if an adolescent associates with other adolescent who use drugs, the risk of involvement with drugs is further increased.
Another survey of youth in Southern Nigeria, also found that the source of drug using students was drug using friends in the same or neighboring schools. An investigation into strategies used in addressing drug abuse problems, a case study of Nairobi provincial boys‟ secondary schools was also carried out by Imbosa, (2002) and observed that students who reported using drugs had more drug using than abstinent friends,. Confirming this findings, Kiiru, (2004) in his study on „youth in peril‟; alcohol and drug abuse in Nigeria, argues that peer pressure influences youths to use substances under the false impression that some drugs stimulates appetite for food, increase strength, and give wisdom as well as courage to face life.
Parental or Family Influence and Drug Abuse among the Youth.
A number of students are motivated to copy the behaviour of drug use from parents who either smoke or drink alcohol, to the point that some become worse than their parents; much has been said and written about the relationship between the home environment and drug use. The family especially the parents are the child‟s basic socializing agents where they are moulded from the tender age. Muchemi, (2013) indicates that a child gains his or her first standard of behaviour from the teachings of parents and other grownup persons around. He further argued that if the child observes a disjuncture between „parent‟s teachings and practices‟ it creates doubts which is carried out into adolescence giving rise to a deviant behaviour. Shoemaker, (2004) carried out a study on theories of delinquency; an examination of explanation of delinquent behaviour in New York and associated delinquency for example alcohol and marijuana abuse with lax, inconsistent or abusive parental discipline. The nature of parent, child interaction and the general atmosphere within the home is consistently related to delinquency among the youth. Furthermore, having a parent with a drug problem increases the chances of developing the same problem in the offspring. Other studies looked at issues related to the family and use of drugs has related to the youths.
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 SSS 2 students, their respective guidance and counseling teachers and principals in the 32 public secondary schools in Uhunmwode L.G.A. The SSS 2 students were targeted because they have been in school long enough so as to be influenced by the school environment and they could provide the required information. The sss 3 have stayed for long but they were being prepared for WASSCE examinations and therefore not easy to get them.
Study Location
The study was carried out in Uhunmwode L.G.A., Edo state, Nigeria. It is approximately 54 Kilometers from Benin Town. The researcher chose to carry out this study in Uhunmwode L.G.A. since the area has been registering poor results in national examinations perennially.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS
Response Rate
The study targeted 132 SSS 2 students, 11 school principals and 11 guidance and counselling teachers in eleven secondary schools in Uhunmwode L.G.A. However, only 9 Principals, 9 guidance and counselling teachers and 132 SSS 2
(3) students responded and returned their questionnaires yielding a response rate of 74.07%. According to Mugenda and Mugenda, (1999) a response rate of 50% is adequate for analysis and reporting; a rate of 60% is good and a response rate of 70% and over is excellent; therefore, this response rate was adequate for analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary of Findings
The first objective of this study sought to find out the commonly abused drugs in schools in Uhunmwode L.G.A. 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 SSS 2 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 Uhunmwode L.G.A. 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 also sought to establish the effect of drug abuse on the academic performance of students in Uhunmwode L.G.A. These findings indicate that drug abuse caused truancy, decreased ability to concentrate, health problems, school dropouts and also lack of interest in schooling as expressed by a mean of 3.50, 4.06, 4.28, 3.67 and 3.89 respectively. The use of drugs also leads to poor self-control, strained relationship with other students, poor academic performance and lack of interest in extra curriculum activities amongst students.
The fourth objective of the study sought to establish measures put in place to curb drug abuse in schools in Uhunmwode L.G.A. 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 Uhunmwode L.G.A. 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 Uhunmwode L.G.A.- . 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.
The measures put in place to curb the effect of drug abuse contributed to poor academic performance. This is evident due to the effects they had on the student‟s general academic performance. The researcher further concluded that these measures were ineffective in helping to improve academic performance among the students. All the education stakeholders should take the initiative to save students and the society from drug abuse through awareness campaigns. Poor academic performance ruins the future of the youth hence cooperation is needed among all the parties involved.
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.
- The Government through the Ministry of Education should enforce the children Act (2001), legal notice No.8 (16). This is to ensure that students are protected from the use of hallucinogens, narcotic, alcohol, tobacco product drugs and from being involved in their production, trafficking or distribution. The government should tax heavily legal drugs (alcohol and tobacco), and enforce tight sales-to- minors laws. For this reason, increasing the price of legal drugs by tax hikes can reduce consumption, delay and in turn prevent the introduction of the young generation into
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