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A STUDY OF TRUANCY AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

One of the major problems facing the Nigeria society today is that of lack of commitment and dedication by her citizen to the course of national progress. This is the manifestation of indiscipline in schools of which truancy is an aspect. The eradication which can be done by attempting to restructure the nature and organization of the society. From the grass root through the family, the secondary school and other organization in the society.

Also , the school as an agent of socialization and training area for future leaders and manpower required in industry is faced with acute problems which invariable affect the society at large. The problems are that of truancy which is a form of indiscipline. Truancy is when a child is deliberately absent from school without a reasonable or an acceptable excuse. The school as an organization should be able to deliver utilitarian service which should be geared towards governmental and societal need such as the ability to teach morals punctuality, regularity, honesty, dedication to work etc. this is to say that the schools should be able to produce discipline minds who are free from any form of indiscipline acts be it truancy, bullying and delinquency and so on. Giedugba (1996) made this clear, when she states that discipline is seen as the training of pupils during the transitional period from childhood to adulthood. So by the time they gain maturity they are fully prepared for life socially, economically, emotionally, materially, intellectually and sexually.    

Most people have difficulties in getting their children to go to school. School authorities and others have problems with children who come to school only once in a blue moon, the parents of this category of children express optimism that their children are in the school not knowing that they are loitering within or outside the school compound, this act of indiscipline is known as truant. They do this by being absent from the place where they are expected to carry out such duties. Many students now roam the street during school hours searching for job like bus conductors to earn a meager salary, which will not be used for the purchase of educational materials but to live early luxury.

According to Rozumah Baharudin (2003) said that movement of students from one class to another class provides some of the students the opportunity not to go to the class and this give pleasure to the students and eventually make them dare to play truant. Truancy among school students often apply to students of non working mothers, mahadzir also urged the schools management that he overcoming this problem, efforts management that to ensure school become enjoyable places for their students. In addition, the ultimate relationship between teachers and students, facilities that encourage their attendance to school and concerns from parents and community could well be the factors that may solve the problems. Many parents shed their responsibility to their children to result to truancy. Truancy as an act of behavioural disorder has served as a major source to some other social vices in Nigeria society which is of great concern to the government, parents and teachers some of these social vices increase the rate of dropouts in secondary schools, juvenile delinquency, drug abuse among youths, pregnancy among teenagers and high rate of youth involvement in crime etc.

Truancy has an advert effect on the teachers themselves it has been said that if the students have not learnt, the teacher has not taught. Truancy therefore makes it impossible to make an objective assessment of the teacher’s ability to teach. It may hurt the teacher’s ability to say I have done a good job. If school authorities decide to base the promotion of the teacher on the performance of the students including the performance of the truant the teacher will have little or no change of earning a promotion it therefore means that if the truants dose not measure up to expectation in school, the teacher will have a very low rating in the community. The school as an institution is not realize it therefore which is affected by truancy has lost the spirit of the war against indiscipline (WAI). The number of female teenagers that are illegally impregnated have increase, these is due to the fact that instead of being in the school they roam about in the street where they can basically be conned in sexual activities. Also a lot of youths are being caught in robbery cases nowadays which is not suppose to be. Truancy no doubt has contributed to student’s failure in examination.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS

          Truancy is one of the discipline problems that have become more unbecoming in schools. More and more secondary school students are inclined to play truant. Busy working parents do not have much time for their children. Are parents going to be held as the main factors for the existence of school truancy problems? The poor attendance could be seen when students from a few classes are combined into one for facilitating teaching purpose. Isn’t it the attitude of some of the parents who encourage teaching to their own children? Later as they go higher in school the students themselves will find various reasons that they excuse them from attending schools. Eventually, they would tend that going to plan with friends to play truant and resort to deviant and lingering at other places. Students who do not have any sufficient awareness will perform criminal activity and begin to violate school rules in a way to show their aggressive attitude. The question is if the parents are responsible to mould the character and behaviour of their children, who does the students discipline problem still exist in the school surroundings. Patterson (1989) says that the destructive family surroundings may not be restored if they do not get assistance from the responsible parties. In other to achieve the laudable it is imperative that students should attend school regularly and punctually. But it is discovered that in many instance students in secondary schools do not abide by this. It is possible that this has certificated too poor academic performance, which have confirmed by school certificate results especially at most of the school in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State.

          The following have been raised to help the researcher find solution to the problems discussed above;

1.                 What is the major incidence of truancy among secondary school students?

2.                 How often do students absent themselves from school?

3.                 To what extent do students cheat during examination?

4.                 How much do students cheat during class work?

5.                 To what extent do students disturb during lessons?

6.                 How often do students come late to school?

7.                 How often do students fight in the school?

PURPOSE OF STUDY       

          This study set out to achieve the following objectives;

a.                 To investigate whether students are always or occasionally absent from school

b.                 To determine the extent students cheat during examination?

c.                  Do examine or discover how much students cheat during class work..

d.                 To examine how often students disturb during lesson.

e.                  To ascertain the extent to which students misuse their school materials.

f.                   To ascertain how often students fight in the school.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

From the problems high lighted above, the following research questions are formulated to help in looking into the different cases of truancy among secondary school students in Egor local government area.

a.                 Is there any significance difference in the incidence of truancy between urban rural schools?

b.                 Is there any difference in the incidence of truancy as perceived by male or female?  

c.                  Is there difference in the incidence of student’s truancy as perceived by the teachers of lower and upper classes?     

1.5            SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY 

This study intended to be great benefits to the parents in Egor Local Government Area who will come to appreciate the implication of children’s truancy in secondary schools. Also, it is hoped that this study will also help the secondary school administrators in Egor Local Government Area to reap the benefits of improved academic performance of their various schools students and thus enhance the image of their schools. Lastly, it is expected to help the Local Government Authorities to recognize truancy among secondary school students, may lead to an increased rate of dropout which may invariably result to high rate of youths involvements in crime.    

1.6            SCOPE OF STUDY

This study is expected to cover only secondary schools in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. The investigation is limited to the phenomenon of a study of truancy among secondary schools, study in the selected schools.

1.7            DEFINITION OF TERMS

Truancy: Is a deliberate absence from school on the part of students without the knowledge and consent of parents or school authority.

Juvenile: A young period before the age of 18 years.

Delinquency: Any anti social behaviour which violated the norms and values of a particular culture or society.

School Administration: Is the direction, control and management of all matters pertaining to school affairs.

Discipline: Is the ability to control oneself and to confirm to the norms of the system to which one is a member or party of.

Indiscipline: In lack of self control lack of cooperation and utter disrespects for constituted authority.

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