The Effect of Indiscipline on Academic Performance of Secondary School Students

The Effect of Indiscipline on Academic Performance of Secondary School Students

ABSTRACT

The objective of this research work is to find out the effect of indiscipline on the academic performance of secondary school students in the Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State.

Indiscipline as a feature of Secondary schools in Nigeria was no longer news. Despite the consensus of everybody that a relatively peaceful atmosphere is needed before a minimum amount of learning could be achieved, this phenomenon has persisted in our schools.

So the researcher used as the sample subject 100 respondents from the five different schools sampled.

Through the data analysis, it was observed that socio-economic status is significantly related to indiscipline and academic performance of secondary school students in the Igueben Local Government Area in Edo State.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page  i

Certification    ii

Dedication         iii

Acknowledgement      iv

Abstract             v

Table of Contents      vi

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background of Study     1

1.2       Statement of the Problem     3

1.3       Objective of Study      5

1.4       Research Hypotheses       7

1.5       Significance of Study     8

1.6       Delimitation and Limitation of Study     9

1.7       Definition of Terms       9

CHAPTER TWO:  LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0       Introduction               11

2.1       Concept of Discipline      11

2.2       Necessity and Importance of Discipline among Educators and the Students    13

2.3       Sources of Indiscipline      15

2.4       Summary of Literature Review             18

CHAPTER THREE

3.1       Research Design              20

3.2       Population                  21

3.3       Sample and Sampling Techniques           21

3.4       Research Instrument            22

3.5       Validity and Reliability of Study        23

3.6       Questionnaire Administration               23

3.7       Method of Data Analysis                 24

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0       Data Analysis      25

4.1       Hypothesis Analysis I               25

4.2       Hypothesis Analysis II               28

4.3       Hypothesis Analysis III              29

4.4       Hypothesis Analysis IV               31

4.5       Hypothesis Analysis V               34

CHAPTER FIVE:   SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1       Summary   36

5.2       Conclusions    37

5.3       Recommendations 39

References       44

Appendix A:  Questionnaire          45

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Discipline, according to Jemibewon (1976) is a highly desirable quality of a human being or social group.  Discipline behaviour is accepted as an essential characteristic of any educated or cultured person.  Discipline, therefore, is a subject of great concern to parents, teachers, and administrators who are interested in the moulding of the character of young people.

In Nigeria, there appears to be a great concern about the lack of indiscipline in schools, in offices and among people in public sectors.  However, the problem of widespread indiscipline among primary school pupils and post-primary schools is very clearly noticed.  Every year serious cases of rioting, arson, damages to school property occur in several post-primary schools and universities.  Despite the extreme cases of indiscipline that attract newspapers headlines, there are routine cases of truancy, disobedience, absenteeism, drug abuse, fighting and another example of indiscipline in the classroom which does not appear or are reported in the Newspapers.  From indiscipline among the students, it has attracted much more attention than indiscipline among members of staff.  Parents blame teachers for the indiscipline among school children and teachers blame parents, government and school administrators for the indiscipline in the society.  Nigeria like any other nation wants to live in peace and harmony with their fellow country people regardless of their various ethnic groups and religious affiliation.  Today, education has contributed and attracted increased government’s attention among other priorities.  However, if these objectives are to be achieved, discipline must be maintained in our school system since learning and teaching cannot effectively take place under a threatening atmosphere.  But today acts of indiscipline: riot, vandalism, lawlessness and the breakdown of law and order has become a way of life of our present school system.  What then could be responsible for these acts of indiscipline in our school system?  Identification of these factors is urgent if Nigeria is to achieve its goals in the committee of nations.

Statements of Problem

Research conducted by Oloruntimehire (1974) on the causes of indiscipline, in post-primary schools, revealed that indiscipline in Nigerian schools had been a running sore in the educational system of this country.  Indiscipline in our system had continued to persist despite the series of warnings from the Heads of State and concerned Nigerians that discipline should be maintained in the school system.  Thus several measures that were adopted, such as closing down riot schools, suspension or dismissal of ring-leaders and the mass transfer of teachers in such schools have not yielded any good results.

The question therefore is; who is to blame, the teachers or the peer-group or the home or the students?

Therefore, this study is designed to investigate the causes of indiscipline among Primary School pupils or students. The following questions have been addressed; whether:

1. Socio-economic background had a significant influence on students’ indiscipline.

2. School administration had a significant influence on students’ indiscipline.

3. Societal morals have any influence on school discipline.

4. The pressure on paper qualification has influenced school discipline.

5. The peer group has influenced school discipline.

Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this research, therefore, is as follows:  To know

1. The extent to which home background/socioeconomic status influence discipline in schools.

2. The influence of peer groups on the discipline of primary school pupils.

3. The extent to which the pressure on paper qualification influences school discipline.

4. Whether societal morals have a significant influence on school discipline.

5. School administration has a great influence on school discipline.

This research is based on the following assumptions:

1. That is the nation that will lose if indiscipline in schools is allowed to continue unabated.

2. Indiscipline is a feature of our school system.

3. That no learning takes place under anarchic conditions.

4. That phenomenon is generally hated by well-meaning Nigerians.

5. That the solution of these problems will enhance and increase educational achievement and output.

Research Hypotheses

The research hypotheses for the study are as follows:

1. There is a significant difference between students from higher socio-economic groups and those from lower groups in terms of academic achievement.

2. There is a significant relationship between students discipline and their peer group.

3. The student’s discipline is significantly related to the school administration.

4. There is a relationship between the student’s discipline and societal morals.

5. There is a significant relationship between the influence of paper qualifications and students discipline.

Significance of the Study

As a developing nation, if Nigeria is to achieve fame and progress in all fields of human endeavour, proper attention should be given to the instilling of the act of discipline in our present school system.  Any nation invariably depends on the type of youths she can produce.  Thus, if the causal factors are identified, we would be able to know what measure that could be applied to solve the problem; or reduce it to a minimum.  Since indiscipline has similar causes other institutions of learning will certainly adopt some of the proposals embodied in this study.

Thus the outcome of this research may equally be of benefit to both the parents, teachers and government. Consequently, if the standard of education of our youth were improved as a result of the eradication of indiscipline in our primary and post-primary schools, the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians in socio-political as well as scientific and technological fields may be realized.

Delimitation and Limitation of the Study

Based on the anticipated significance of this research topic, the area of study ought to have covered the entire Local Government Area.  However, because of some limitations, the project is limited to randomly sampled areas in Igueben Local Government Area in Edo State.  The administrative capital of this council is at Igueben and other important towns in the area are Ebelle, Amahor, Egbeki, Ekpon and Igueben. Thus, the scope of this study is limited to the causes of indiscipline in primary schools.

Definition of Terms

For this study, the terms given below have the meaning attached to them:

Discipline: Educating learners to behave normally and by the accepted rules and regulations of society.

Indiscipline: Indiscipline is a deviance from the normal rules and regulations and norms of society or schools.

Education system: Agencies and individuals who contribute in one way or the other to the process of learning in society.

REFERENCES

Aghenta, J.A. (1976). The need for effective leadership in our post-primary school education. Ibadan: Imprint Press.

Brigadier, D. J. (1976). Highly desirable quality of human being or social group. British National Tabloid newspaper. Britain: University Press.

Hirst, P.H. and Peter, R.S. (1970). The logic of Education. London: University Press.

Olorutimehim, P. (1974). A combination of factors existing with the family that result to juvenile delinquency. Family Journal, Vol. 18(2), p. 69.

Ozigi, A.O. (1978). A handbook on schools administration and management. London: Macmillan Education Limited.

Puvlin, H.R. (1961). Teaching Adolescent in Secondary School (Second Edition). New York: Apeton Century Crofts Inc.