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THE CAUSES AND EFFECT OF INDISCIPLINE AMONG STUDENT IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to investigate the causes and effects of indiscipline among secondary school students in Otuoke Community Secondary Local Government Area of Ogbia in Bayelsa State. The incessant occurrence of chaotic and some time criminal behaviour not only by the audit population but also the students of this country in recent times has since began to give cause for concern, particularly to parents, governments and school administrators. Questionnaires form a sample of a particular secondary school in Bayelsa State consisting of (200) respondents selected randomly from Otuoke community school using Simple Random Sampling Technique varying from students to teachers were analyzed. Among other things, it was found that peer groups to a large extent have influence on their fellow students; also, the parents of the students are not left out as they too in one way or the other contribute positively and negatively to the behaviour of a child. Drug abuse is also seen as a way of intimidating students or separating other students by the group they mingle with. In the findings, it was noted that parental influence and support in cheating practice can contribute to children engaging in acts of indiscipline. Measures were also suggested on how to curb the act of indiscipline in secondary school among secondary school students. 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Indiscipline may be said to be as old as the time when men started to organize himself into society and consequently made laws to order the affairs of men in a social set up. In the Holy Scriptures, Cain exhibited some form of indiscipline when he out of envy murdered his brother Abel in their Abode. “Indiscipline” is not an issue that has not been known by all, as people in one way or the other have been involved with indiscipline behaviour on daily basis. Many students today especially those in secondary schools exhibit some forms of indiscipline ranging from stealing, murder, cheating etc. These acts involve both adults and youths, the rate of indiscipline is quite alarming in the modern world.

Indiscipline may be seen as a form of deviating from the set rules guiding behavioral conduct i.e an individual doing or engaging in activities in a wrong way and thereby neglecting the rules and regulations. For instance, there is a rule which says “All pedestrians should not cross the express way rather should cross-over by climbing the over-head bridge”.

The above rule is as clear as crystal and if anyone contradicts the rule, the person will be termed as “undisciplined”. The Oxford Advanced Dictionary defines “indiscipline” as lack of control in the behaviour of a group of people. In other words, it is the ability of an individual to live contrarily with rules.

Most schools in the past were voluntary agency schools. As at then, there was harmony as principals, teachers shared the same view of students desirable behaviours. The quality of school system as regards to discipline was very high up till the end of Nigerian civil war in January 1970. Some of the indiscipline acts that began to manifest after the civil war include; bullying, exam malpractice, cultist activities, truancy etc. (Source from: This Day Newspaper page 26, 13th of February 2002).

Zubaida (2009) identifies various forms of indiscipline among the secondary schools students such as truancy, lateness to school, cultism, drug abuse, insulting/assaulting, stealing, rioting and many other anti-social vices. According to Zubaida (2009) and Eyinade (1999), a number of these acts of indiscipline were directed against constituted authorities and established rules. An example of this is refusal to wear the right school uniform and going out of bounds without permission. The respect which teachers command among students had been seriously worn-off. And some teachers have not done much to help the situation by their actions. This problem has turned to a national issue.

Our leaders in the past have tried to remedy this situation but the problem proved not to be solved. One of the cardinal objectives of education as spelt out in the National policy on education (2004) revised, is to inculcate right type of values and attitudes to education, parental factors and teacher attitude. Therefore, there is need to get at the root of causes of indiscipline among students with a view of finding a solution. In this light the researchers concern is to find out factors responsible for indiscipline among secondary school students with a view to provide solutions in order to make our educational system what it ought to be.

In any civilized society, the fostering of discipline is a necessary condition on the maintenance of law and order. It is a pre-requisite for the promotion of political, social and economic development of a society or nation achieves is to a large extent a function by its various organs and what they are able to inculcate on the youth is very essential in order to ensure loyalty of the citizens and to the social and economic development of the country. The national policy of education (1981) stated the purpose of education as follows: “To create a good society where all its members can use their disposal to develop all the natural resources within the environment in pursuit of the self goal and objective?” there have been a considerable exhibition of indiscipline in school of which a lot of bad behaviour such as gambling, smoking, drunkenness, stealing, bribery, corruption and drug addiction flourished. In fact, it was in realization of these problems that led to the launching of the ethnical war against (W.A.I.) by the Buhari military regime in 1984.

1.2     STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The word indiscipline has eaten the heart of many students in Bayelsa State precisely Otuoke located in the southern region of the Niger Delta. Before now, during the management of missionary in our educational system, which can never be over-emphasized. Because every child wants to go to school early, dress in their correct uniform obeys the school rules and regulation and respect their teachers. There was high level of discipline in the school system then because teachers are always there to guide the students on what to do and what not to do. Indiscipline especially in Nigeria is to an extent glorified in the sense that politicians who claim to govern and allocate scarce resource for the nation to find themselves involve in all sort of nefarious activities which include bribery, embezzlement of public funds, non-approving or delay of contact etc. These same politicians are being looked up to in the sense that they are seen as the leaders of the nation in such acts are being seen as normal behaviour by young children due to the fact that the politicians are always getting away with some criminal issues without being subjected to strict penalty for their crimes committed. Most of these high profiled politicians are parents to school children who are in one way or the other influenced by their parents negative actions.

Western culture in one way or the other has contributed to indiscipline in schools via several means including social world, which entails; Television, Satellite dish, Magazine etc. Young secondary school students always connect to the social media; Facebook, Yahoo etc. and also most importantly the television sets which in one way has contributed to the indiscipline life style students are faced with in schools by practicing those negative actions which had earlier been seen by them.

These days, there are no more strict restrictions that guide the behaviour of students if at all there is, it is not being given attention to by the students and sometimes the school administration bend the rules to favour the students so as to invite few students who will benefit from the rules and regulations given by that particular secondary school or high school.

1.3     OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

i.  This research is aimed at investigating the causes and effects of student’s indiscipline in our school system. This is due to the ever increasing rate of indiscipline in our school system nationwide. Some variables of this study includes peer group influence, parental influences/upbringing and socio-economic attainment of parents. There are many factors usually responsible for indiscipline of students in the society.

ii.  This work is therefore aimed at determining the factors responsible for indiscipline in our secondary school.

iii.  It will try to make suggestions to the possible solutions which may help to bring to an end the problem of indiscipline in our secondary school system.

iv.  This work will go a long way to verify student indiscipline and its impact on their academic performance or better still as threat to their education.

1.4     HYPOTHESES

To guide this study, the following hypothesis is necessary:

i.  There is no correlation between parental influence and upbringing of the child contributing to the indiscipline of the child.

ii.  There is no correlation between peer groups influence among students in the area of indiscipline.

iii.  There is no correlation for punishments for indiscipline among secondary school students.

iv.  There is no correlation between indiscipline and academic performance of secondary school students.

1.5     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

School administrators, teachers, government and policy makers in their effort to put an end to the problem of students’ indiscipline specifically the outcome of this work would assist parents and society in monitoring the activities of their children through the results of this study.

This study will be useful to the government and policy makers in formulating policies that will ensure a discipline and patriotic behavior on the part of the students.

The significance of the study is that findings would be of tremendous help to education, students, teachers and all others concerned with the learning process of students both within and outside Otuoke. For example, if the recommendation of the study are considered, the heavy losses usually suffered by the community and the nation in general in terms of property and man power due to student unrest would be minimized; if not totally eliminated, parents would be retrieved of the inherent fears and anxieties about their behavior patterns of their children in school as they would gain insight into what the problem of the children are and how to treat them in acceptable manner both at home and in school. School management replaces the old traditional method. As a result of this, combination gap existing in schools would be bridged. In short an atmosphere would be created while students would be able to properly master skills and be member of groups which are purposefully active.

1.6     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of study is limited to a secondary school in Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. There was adequate coverage in the school concerning the causes and impact of indiscipline among secondary school students.

1.7     DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS

Discipline: Training especially of the mind and character, set of rules for conduct method, which training must be given. It can also be said to be someone or an individual who have made-up his/her mind to abide by rules and regulations set up by the society in guiding their behaviour e.g Traffic laws.

Students: A person who is studying at a college or university. It can also mean to be someone learning or studying in a formal system.

Youths: this is the state or time of being young ranging from the age bracket of (18-40).

Indiscipline: It is a situation in which people do not control their behaviour or obey rules. A deviance from the normal rules and regulation.

Secondary school: Post primary school.

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