The influence of indiscipline on academic activity in secondary school
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Indiscipline dates back to the time when man began to organize himself into society and, as a result, enacted laws to regulate the affairs of men in a social setting. Cain exhibited some form of disobedience in the Bible when he murdered his brother Abel in their home out of envy. On a daily basis, we hear of people engaging in disobedient behavior.
Many of our students, particularly those in our secondary school, exhibit various forms of insubordination and delinquency. This may include arson, murder, and robbery, among others. The rate of disobedience, which includes both adults and children, is on the rise in the modern world.
Africa is not an exception to the general increase of young stars with a negative view of established authority. Despite the various measures taken by successive governments, most notably Nigeria, to curb the menace among our students in order to create a socially stable society, this rate of indiscipline tends to increase.
We read in our newspapers and hear about it in the electronic media that students in this country are committing a wide variety of crimes, including parental rule violations, truancy, theft, assault, and robbery, among others. According to available data, our students are most frequently implicated in acts of indiscipline, as four out of every five students caught for a criminal offense are typically rising stars.
These crimes range from drug use to robbery. During the military rule, several measures were put in place to curb the trends. Upon assuming power on the 31st of December 1983, the government of general Mohammadu Buhari (Rtd) announced that one of the causes of our problems in our country (Nigeria) was indiscipline. As a result, the war against indiscipline (WAI) was introduced into all aspects of national life.
General Sani Abacha (Lt) launched the war against indiscipline and corruption (WAIC) upon assuming office in 1993. President Olusegun Obasanjo also launched the independent corrupt practices commission (ICPC) and the economic financial crime commission (EFCC).
This was intended to curb the various forms of corruption in our society. Despite all of these commendable efforts, our youth continue to be extremely undisciplined. Even though he is expected to play a significant role in the success of the war against indiscipline and corruption program, the Nigerian youth has yet to embrace its guiding principles.
There is a common saying that our youths are the leaders of tomorrow, but based on daily events, one is compelled to question whether or not this is true. Concern has been voiced by people from various walks of life regarding whether or not youths can be trusted with leadership roles in the future.
The formal president and head of state of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, lamented the level of social disorder in Nigeria. He accused the majority of adolescents and adults of suffering from what he termed social, moral, political, and economic irresponsibility. Also, the formal head of state, general Ibrahim Babaginda, confirmed that the rate of indiscipline and crime among youths was rapidly increasing. He said.
“Moral decadence threatens the nation, as evidenced by the pervasiveness of the get-rich-quick mentality in all aspects of society. Involvement in violent crimes by our young celebrities is indicative of the malaise that afflicts the majority of our communities. (daily Times, December 26, 1985, page 1)
Student discipline issues are quickly becoming a cankerworm that is eating deeper and deeper into the fabric of our society, thereby posing a greater threat to the nation’s stability. Diverse forms of disobedience have penetrated deeply into the social system; it is a problem that is growing rapidly and requires immediate attention. We have observed that almost no family is devoid of a child exhibiting at least one form of disobedience.
It is either that the child steals, is rude, lacks good manners, runs away from classes, or, if the child is female, she may engage in indulgent sexual acts, which may cause the parents great concern. It is also possible that the child is a drug addict in some capacity. Regardless of how the child’s socially undesirable characteristics are viewed, such a child poses a significant problem for the family and society.
Saddeningly, student indiscipline has had many negative effects on the school system and learning; many academic calendars have been disrupted as a result, and many students have formed gangs in which they threaten the lives of their classmates and teachers.
Because of this lack of discipline, we now have secret societies and cults in our elementary and secondary schools. If a nation is to achieve fame and progress in every field of human endeavor, it must address the frequent lack of discipline among its students. This is due to the fact that a nation’s future depends on its youth, as they are the leaders of tomorrow.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Parents, teachers/school administrators, and all those involved in the upbringing of students in the country must address the issue of student disobedience if lasting solutions are to be found. To this end, we all stand to benefit greatly if students refrain from engaging in disobedient behaviors and become disciplined.
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
This study aims to investigate the problem of indiscipline in Edo State and its impact on academic activity. This is due to the rising rate of disobedience in these schools across the nation. This study includes as variables societal influence, parental influence/upbringing, and socioeconomic status of parents.
There are numerous causes for students’ lack of discipline in our society. This study sought to identify the causes of disciplinary problems in our secondary schools. It will attempt to offer suggestions for potential solutions that could help end the problem of indiscipline in our secondary schools.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
To direct this research, the following hypotheses are required:
Do the parental influence and upbringing of the child contribute to the child’s lack of discipline?
By its customs and ways of life, does society as a whole encourage indiscipline among students?
Does the socioeconomic status of a child’s parents have any bearing on the child’s lack of discipline?
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY
It is anticipated that the findings of this study will be beneficial to parents and society as a whole. In an effort to put an end to the problem of student indiscipline, school administrators, teachers, the government, and policymakers will use the results of this study to assist parents and society in monitoring the activities of their children.
Specifically, school administrators will learn what negative role they play and which events can lead to student indiscipline. Then, they will close administrative loopholes and move forward with a disciplined school system. Teachers are expected to learn from this study how students’ disobedience is manifesting around them and to employ strategies to eradicate the trend.
The study would also assist the government and policymakers in formulating policies that will ensure the students’ disciplined and patriotic conduct. The purpose of this study is to eradicate all instances of student disobedience in order to create a safe and conducive learning environment. In such an environment, knowledge enhancement will be enhanced.
SCOPE OF THE RESEARCH
The scope of the research is limited to secondary schools in Edo State. Due to the large size of the local government areas and the potential problems that may arise during coverage, the number of schools was reduced to five to ensure adequate coverage. These schools were randomly selected from the State.
DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
This is the condition or time of being young.
Students: Individuals who are enrolled in college or university.
Discipline is training, particularly of the mind and character, a set of rules for conduct, and a training method.
Indiscipline is the lack of control over a group’s behavior. The report identifies the causes of school violence and disobedience.
Juvenile delinquency: A term used to describe the criminal behavior of those under the age of sixteen.
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The influence of indiscipline on academic activity in secondary school