AN EXAMINATION OF THE CAUSES AND EFFECT OF TRUANCY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

AN EXAMINATION OF THE CAUSES AND EFFECT OF TRUANCY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Student truancy is becoming more of a problem. It is a deliberate absence from one or more classes. Truancy has long been regarded as a cankerworm that has eaten its way deep into the fabric of educational programs, causing numerous setbacks to secondary school students’ academic pursuits (Stoll, 1993; Gesinde, 2004; Adeyemi, 2006; Animasahun, 2007). As a result of suspension, expulsion, or dropout, it may result in deviant behavior, social isolation, or educational failure (Huizinga, Loeber, Thornberry & Cothern, 2000; Huizinga, Loeber & Thornberry, 1994; Morris, Ehren & Lenz, 1991).

Truancy is defined as any intentional, uninvited, or illegal absence from compulsory schooling. It could also be used to describe students who go to school but do not attend classes. Truancy is defined as being absent from school. It is a

School attendance is sporadic. School absence is a delinquent and antisocial behavior (Animasahun, 2009). Truancy, according to Animasahun (2007), is the act of not attending school, which is one of several types of antisocial behavior.

Truancy is defined as an unjustifiable intentional absence from school (Petegem, 1994). Truancy is defined by Fogelman and Hibbett (1995) as any absence from school without an acceptable explanation. A truant student, according to Gabb (1997), either leaves home but does not report to school or escapes from school or class to engage in any other activities that pique his interest. It is, indeed, an abnormal behavior displayed by some students in schools without the explicit consent of the school administration or other institutional authorities. Truancy has a wide range of causes and consequences. Absenteeism is caused by a variety of factors. Truancy is a four-pronged problem that starts with the student, his or her family, the school, and the community. Truancy, according to Rohrman (1993) and Kinder, Harland, Wilkin, and Wakefield (1995), is caused by the child’s (personality), family, school, and community. Osarenren (1996), in a similar vein, attributes absenteeism to the home, school environment, peer group culture, and society. According to reports from around the world, truancy may be associated with negative social and health outcomes later in life. Numerous studies have found that people who were truant as teenagers were more likely to have marital or employment insecurity, as well as psychological maladjustment, than their non-truant counterparts (Hibbett, Fogelman, & Manor, 2003).Tyrer and Tyrer, 1974; Hibbett and Fogelman, 1990). Students who skip school engage in more deviant behavior than students who stay in school. Deviant behaviors include theft, burglary, robbery, drug use and selling, assault, numerous sex-related offenses, and even murder. Truancy, according to Obondo and Dhadphale, accounted for approximately 10% of children’s non-attendance at school in Kenya in 1990. (Obondo & Dhadphale, 1990). Truancy leads to educational waste and insufficient human capital development (Rumberger, 1987; Nwagwu, 1999); the formation of hoodlums, social misfits, antisocial individuals, and eventual criminals (Animasahun, 2005); and acts as a gateway to crime (Adeyemi, 2011; Animasahun, 2005). (2007a). According to Rohrman (1993), peers play an important role in providing both the support and environment required for the acquisition of new skills.

as well as acting as socialization reinforcers. According to Baker and Jansen (2000), truancy leads to lower academic success. Absenteeism, according to Garry (2001), leads to delinquent and criminal behavior. Furthermore, Osarenren (1996) observed that teenagers attempt to model their behavior after what they perceive to be the peer group standard. The goal of this research is to look into the causes and consequences of truancy in secondary schools among secondary school students in Ekiti State.

1.2 THE PROBLEM’S STATEMENT

For a long time, the issue of absenteeism among secondary school students has been a major one, causing concern among researchers. This truancy problem has undermined the educational goals and objectives set by parents and educational policymakers.

Carrol

(1996) discovered that absenteeism and low school attendance are more common in large families where the father is a manual laborer. Brillingston (1998) and Ma’aruf (2005) discovered a strong link between home conditions and persistent absence without parental knowledge. Truancy can lead to poor academic performance, the loss of friends and partners, and disruption in the classroom. Returning absentees have an impact on the behavior of other students, the difficulty of keeping accurate records, the ability to achieve educational goals, and the school’s reputation (Oghuvu, 2006).

According to research, attendance has a strong correlation with academic achievement. Female students were more likely to be late than male students, according to the data (Emore, 2005). This occurred as a result of their parents’ involvement in domestic activities. According to Obemeata, Adeboyeje, and Obayan’s (1995) research, the physical environment of a school has a significant influence on students’ academic progress. However, Akinwumi and Ayeni, Fareo and Okotoni, (2003) and others concluded that there was no significant relationship between academic success and learners’ physical surroundings. Truancy, criminal activity, and aggressive behavior can all be categorized as educational, social, and law enforcement issues. Students’ chances of achieving any educational goals are jeopardized by truancy (Siziya, Tuula & Rudatsikira, 2007). The school was created as a social agency with the goal of shaping children’s habits, interests, attitudes, and feelings, as well as passing down society norms, culture, values, and traditions from generation to generation. Regardless, some students continue to be absent from class. The fear of teenage abnormal and harmful behavior is widespread.

a constant source of worry for millions of people around the world. Youth violence/crime is a global issue, and the rise in antisocial behavior among young people over the last two decades has been a major source of concern (Wiarimu, 2013). Many students are now involved in a variety of extracurricular activities that may jeopardize their academic success.

Crime, bad behavior, and truancy in our schools must be ignored or they will become far more serious than they already are. Secondary school students’ behavior is unmistakably influenced by a variety of factors. An investigation is required to gather new information and provide clarification on the effects of truancy on academic achievement in secondary schools.

1.3 THE STUDY’S OBJECTIVES

The primary goal of this research is

to investigate the causes and consequences of truancy in secondary schools. This study specifically aims to:

i. To ascertain the extent of truancy among secondary school students.

ii. Determine the various types of truancy displayed by secondary school students.

iii. To investigate the relationship between truancy and academic performance in secondary school students.

iv. Determine the causes of students’ truancy in secondary schools.

v. Determine the various methods for restraining students’ truancy in secondary schools.

1.4 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH

This study will provide answers to the following questions:

i. To what extent is truancy prevalent among secondary school students?

ii. What are the different types of truancy displayed by secondary school students?

iii. Is there any connection between

Truancy and academic performance of secondary school students?

iv. What factors contribute to students’ truancy in secondary schools?

v. What are the various methods for reining in students’ truancy in secondary schools?

1.5 THE STUDY’S IMPORTANCE

The findings of this study will help us better understand the behavioral patterns of truant secondary school students. Teachers must be able to identify these students and decide how to place them in the classroom, as well as where to place these students within the school context.

The study will benefit teachers who work directly with children and are aware of the negative impact truancy has on students’ social behavior and academic success in school, and who can thus provide support.

them.

School administrators and policymakers who are actively involved in policy formation will provide a conducive learning environment for students and will assist educational psychologists in researching and developing theories and strategies for dealing with maladaptive behaviors. Parents will benefit greatly because they will be able to identify such delinquent behavior and seek assistance from the appropriate authority quickly.

1.6 STUDY OBJECTIVES

This research will look into the causes and consequences of truancy in secondary schools. This study will specifically focus on determining the extent of truancy among secondary school students, determining the various forms of truancy demonstrated by secondary school students, examining the relationship between truancy and academic performance of secondary school students, and determining the causes of truancy.

students’ truancy in secondary schools, as well as determining the various methods for restraining students’ truancy in secondary schools.

This study’s population will be selected secondary school students from Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.

1.7 THE STUDY’S LIMITATIONS

As with any human endeavor, the researcher encountered minor setbacks while conducting the study. Because there was a scarcity of literature on the subject due to the nature of the discourse, the researcher incurred additional financial expenses and spent additional time sourcing for relevant materials, literature, or information, as well as during the data collection process, which is why the researcher chose a small sample size. Furthermore, the researcher conducted this investigation in conjunction with other scholarly endeavors. Furthermore, due to the small number of respondents

The results cannot be applied to other secondary schools outside the state because they were chosen to complete the research instrument. Regardless of the constraints encountered throughout the investigation, all aspects were minimized to ensure the best results and most productive research.

1.8 TERM DEFINITION

Effect: a change that occurs as a result of an action or other cause.

Truancy: Any intentional, unjustified, unauthorised, or illegal absence from compulsory education is considered truancy. It is a deliberate absence caused by a student’s own free will and does not usually refer to legitimate excused absences, such as those caused by medical conditions.

Academic achievement or academic performance refers to the extent to which a student, teacher, or institution has met their short or long-term educational objectives.