EXAMINATION OF RECENT TRENDS IN STUDENTS ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

EXAMINATION OF RECENT TRENDS IN STUDENTS ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION 1.1     

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Education has a significant impact on the development of an individual, a group of individuals, and, in the worst-case scenario, a nation. A well-educated country is more likely to achieve overall development. Education has the tenacity to mold a person into a person with great skills that will equip such person for work after graduating from school. Thus, for a country to achieve sustainable development, the input of its workforce is critical, which is why it is important for them to be educated. Education fosters the development of new ideas, innovations, and skills required to place a country on the right path in life. However, acceptance and utilization of the aforementioned are dependent on factors such as educational content, teaching mode, and learning availability. materials, as well as the learner’s attitude toward learning. It is obvious that these factors play a role in the success or failure of Nigeria’s education system and the economy as a whole. The Nigerian society is tainted with both good and bad characters who can be found in all sectors of the economy, but the big question is which is more prevalent in our society. Because it has infiltrated Nigeria’s educational system, the negative character appears to have an advantage over the positive character. The education system is characterized by bad character, beginning with the top members of various institutions, both teaching and non-teaching, and this has indirectly affected students, who have chosen the wrong means to learn. fulfill their thirst for knowledge (Ademijimi 2014). In recent decades, all Nigerians have been concerned about the quality of education. When behavior violates the standards of the society’s established rules and principles, it is referred to as anti-social or wrong. When a person’s mental, economic, and social progress is jeopardized, his relationships with those around him/her suffer, and he negatively impacts the lives of others, his behavior is referred to as anti-social (Roberts, 1981). Adolescence is a critical period in a person’s life, and anyone in that stage of life must exercise extreme caution in all that he or she does to avoid mistakes (Nwankwo, 2001). It is a stage in life when an adolescent desires to try new things and have a different experience than what he knows and enjoys. However, anti-social behavior adds no value to a person but rather subtracts, as it has the tendency to scare people away from the victim, leaving the victim isolated (Nwankwo et al. 2010). Furthermore, given the numerous negative consequences of anti-social behavior, the federal government is working tirelessly to combat this scourge, which is why it established the anti-social behavior unit (ASBU) and the anti-social behavior act in 2003. According to an anti-social behavior unit report in England and Wales, there were approximately 66,000 victims of anti-social behavior in a single day. Anti-social Behavior is a topic of great concern to the government and parents because it has a large impact on the victims’ involved people as well as the country. According to Angement (1997), some of the reasons why some students are anti-social are a lack of support from friends/family members, a lack of success stories associated with their environment, and a learning environment that is not conducive. Most secondary school students exhibit a high level of anti-social behavior, which jeopardizes the success of our future generation. According to Durojaiye (2003), antisocial behavior is exacerbated by a lack of socialization and poor parental training, which they now use as an excuse. Justification for being anti-social. Nwankwo (1994) mentioned some anti-social behaviors displayed by both secondary and tertiary institution students, such as cultism, drug abuse, anxiety, aggressiveness, examination malpractice, and so on, which can jeopardize their future. Furthermore, Unachukwu (1995) stated that anti-social behavior can be caused by teachers. When a teacher lacks good humor, planning, and the proper sense of passing knowledge, it tends to discourage students and cause them to treat his studies with levity. Finally, because it is so important to look into the problems caused by anti-social behavior, this study is intended to shed more light on it and offer solutions in order to avoid the many damages caused by it. STATEMENT (1.2) ABOUT THE PROBLEM The high level of failure recorded by Nigerian examination boards is attributed to students’ anti-social behavior. Students who engage in anti-social behavior are diverting their attention away from their academic work. As a result, half-baked graduates are being produced in Nigeria’s labor markets, resulting in unemployable graduates (Ngozi O.I. 2012). Furthermore, the country’s level of insecurity poses a threat to peaceful coexistence among its citizens, as various cult groups clash almost daily. Their activities have even disrupted economic activities in some parts of the country. Another problem associated with anti-social behavior by students is that it dirt the reputation of the education system Nigeria is a country. This undermines Nigerian students’ confidence in competing with students from other countries. As a result, the purpose of this research is to 1.3 THE STUDY’S OBJECTIVES The primary goal of this study is to investigate recent trends in anti-social behavior among students: Implications for the future of education in Nigeria. Other specific goals include: i. determining why some students engage in anti-social behavior. ii. To investigate the effects of anti-social behavior on student academic performance. iii. To investigate whether student anti-social behavior jeopardizes the future of education in Nigeria. iv. To investigate potential methods of reducing anti-social behavior among students in schools. 1.4 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH To guide this study, the following research questions have been generated: i. Why Do some of your students engage in anti-social behavior? ii. What effects does anti-social behavior have on students’ academic performance? iii. Does student anti-social behavior endanger Nigeria’s educational system’s future? iv. What are some strategies for reducing anti-social behavior among students in schools? 1.5 THE STUDY’S IMPORTANCE The purpose of this research is to educate, inform, and enlighten the general public (parents/students), school administrators, and the government about the dangers of anti-social behavior among Nigerian students. It is intended to shed more light on anti-social behavior practiced by some students, as well as the necessary measures that parents, teachers, and the government must implement to reduce anti-social behavior among students. This study will be extremely useful to other researchers who want to learn more about

Non-researchers can also use this topic to expand on their work. This study adds to knowledge and could be used as a guide for future work or study.

1.6 STUDY OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study is to investigate recent trends in anti-social behavior among students and their implications for the future of education in Nigeria. The study will also discuss the causes of student involvement in anti-social behavior and propose solutions for reducing anti-social behavior. The study, however, is limited to a few secondary schools in Uyo, Akwaibom State.

1.7 THE STUDY’S LIMITATIONS

The researchers encountered minor constraints while conducting the study, as with any human endeavor. The scarcity of resources was a significant constraint. Because it is a new discourse, the researcher incurred more financial expenses and spent more time sourcing for relevant materials, literature, or information and in the data collection process, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited sample size covering only secondary schools in Uyo local government, Akwaibom State. As a result, the findings of this study cannot be generalized to other secondary schools in other Nigerian states. Furthermore, the researcher’s involvement in this study while also working on other academic projects will impede maximum dedication to the research. Nonetheless, despite the constraints encountered during the research, all factors were minimized in order to provide the best results and make the research a success.

1.9 TERMS AND CONDITIONS

RECENT: Having happened, begun, or been done recently; belonging to a time period that is relatively close to the present.

TRENDS: A general direction in which something is changing or developing.

ANTI-SOCIAL: This means acting in a way that causes annoyance and disapproval in others, or not being sociable or desiring the company of others.

IMPLICATION: A conclusion that can be drawn from something despite the fact that it is not explicitly stated.