SOCIAL PROBLEMS AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS

SOCIAL PROBLEMS AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

In recent years, social problems have increased in frequency in society. They are societal issues that everyone is affected by. Young and old are both worried about the difficulties. They are not unique or customized problems; rather, they are general problems that call for a general fix. The secondary school levels of our educational system have seen various manifestations of some of our nation’s social problems, including corruption, social inequality, ethnicity, resource scarcity, poverty, criminality, and other socioeconomic crises. These issues seem to be taking on alarming proportions. Evaluating how social issues affect students’ academic performance is essential. Although a number of socioeconomic and psychological factors, including diligence and self-control, household income, parents’ educational attainment, interest, and aptitude, have been found to have an impact on academic performance

This study frequently overlooks performance, adolescent biological age, school entry age, cult activities, examination fraud, truancy/deviancy, and tardiness, which are some of the social issues affecting secondary school students. The relative lack of focus on these pervasive social issues in secondary schools is concerning, especially in light of our nation’s problems with academic and behavioral performance.

Teenage identity crises have first been identified. They are constantly asked “what,” “how,” “where,” and “when” questions about life. They put themselves in danger because of their impatience for an immediate result. News of social wrongs committed by teenage students in schools is widely reported in our media. Similar to this, a child’s age at which they start school may contribute to or benefit their

education. In this way, a child’s exposure to education in school is influenced by the socioeconomic status of his or her parents. Research on the connection between academic achievement and school entry age has produced a mixed bag of results. It is necessary to strike a balance between these opposing results.

Second, high school students participating in cults was previously unheard of. Nowadays, cultism dominates secondary education. There is typically some disruption to the regularity of the academic calendar when cults occur (Olusakin, 2004). Most (if not all) of the students who are not serious about their academic work are found in secret cults, and they frequently cause unrest that can result in school closures. The peace of the academic setting is violated by the cultists’ aggressive behavior. In 2012, a violent

Daily newspapers reported on events at secondary schools in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Adamawa State (Nation Newspaper, 2012; the Nigerian Tribune, 2012). This situation might necessitate closing schools, keeping students at home for long stretches of time, and endangering their education. When cultists are discovered, they run the risk of being suspended or expelled from school. Whatever the case, cultism among secondary school students is an unavoidable evil that lowers academic achievement because those who engage in it focus less on reading and studying in class.

Third, students cheat on exams because they want to get the best grade possible without spending enough time studying. Nigeria’s twin sister orientations on certificates, as well as public and private corruption, have not

helped things. Every high school student is aware that cheating on exams is wrong and corrupt, but many of them still do it. Currently, the situation has gotten so bad that some parents, teachers, owners/proprietresses, and exam authorities, who ought to be leading the charge against examination misconduct, are actually encouraging it. In any case, compared to societies where high levels of integrity are perceived to predominate, students are less likely to adhere to formal examination regulations in societies where rewards are perceived to be based on personal rather than professional criteria and where widespread corruption in national and local government is perceived to exist (Okolie, 2004).

Third, it is uncommon for children to become irate when instructors try to control their behavior when they make noise.

and annoy other students in the classroom. In a similar vein, it appears that many adolescent students’ lives are characterized by rape or sexual promiscuity, arson and willful destruction of buildings and other property, as well as imitating other cultures. It should be kept in mind that schools are required to close when students set buildings on fire and wreck property. As a result, deviant and delinquent behavior among secondary school students has become a major social issue in educational settings. This affects the academic success of the students by affecting their learning.

Four, the absence and truancy situation in our high schools is terrible. Currently, truancy and absenteeism are major problems in our schools, and the effects on students’ academic performance have

largely been overlooked.

Academic performance, however, refers to students’ ability to perform well, reasonably, or poorly on an exam in the context of this study. A variety of standardized tests and examinations are used to assess students’ academic performance. It is important to note that sometimes academic success—including failure—is viewed narrowly as a personal trait limited to the formative years of life. In essence, academic achievement affects people at all levels and stages of life. Academic difficulties are said to predict people’s short-term problem behavior and dropout and to be able to alter individuals’ educational and career paths well into adulthood. Additionally, it may disrupt classes and work against schools’ overarching objectives. Additionally, widespread academic failure has an effect on marriage, unemployment, mortality, and fertility

rates because of its connection to educational success and the development of human capital (Egenti, 2005). As a result, what might seem like a minor aspect of adolescence has profound effects on a variety of social phenomena. This encourages further investigation into the link between secondary school academic achievement and children’s social difficulties.

Furthermore, social issues persist in secondary schools despite the prohibition on cheating on tests and the Civic Education, Social Studies, and Christian/Islamic Religion taught in Nigerian junior and senior secondary schools in an effort to instill good values in students. It is necessary to carry out more research on these problem areas among secondary school students if we are to stop the current conditions.

The current Nigerian generation, most obviously, has been

A generation of young people who are restless and morally bankrupt, with rising crime such as kidnapping, terrorism, and acts of arson and looting in large cities like Lagos. The level of student participation in these activities is steadily rising, endangering our educational objectives severely.

The academic and maladaptive behavior performance of secondary school students unquestionably justifies such a study. The trend in secondary school students’ poor performance on the West African School Certificate Examinations and the emotional wellbeing of the students support the need for this study. As a result, one of the key responsibilities of the educator is to identify the causes of emotional stress in students and point them in the direction of appropriate professional and adult assistance in the classroom. Given this context, the goal of

This study will look into the relationship between social issues at school and students’ academic achievement in Lagos State’s Mushin Local Government Area.

1.2 Definition of the Issue

This study was motivated by students’ lack of discipline, which was shown by their poor academic and behavioral performance in many secondary schools in Mushin Local Government Area, Lagos State.

It is very alarming that so many students are missing class and arriving late, and it appears that some lessons are not being learned. The ultimate result could be too disastrous for the students and parents.

The majority of students today are too stubborn to accept corrections. Kids would rather argue, disrupt class, and act in a disruptive manner during class than read and study diligently for their schoolwork.

process of teaching and learning. The achievement of better student outcomes in schools is hampered by all of these unfavorable student attitudes.

In order to pass a test, students of today think about taking shortcuts. In several test sites where incidents of examination misconduct have been noted, scores for a number of students are revoked and withheld each year. As a result of having to repeat exams and pay for new school and exam expenses, this has a significant negative impact on children, parents, schools, and the government. The threat must be vigorously countered because the damage to our nation’s reputation is so great.

Students’ involvement in cults, deviance and delinquency, and the use of coercive tactics to advance academically cause more problems. Occasionally, academic life is disrupted.

cult activities among students and other violent incidents in our high schools have caused a flurry of activity. Sometimes, buildings at schools are damaged or destroyed, along with human lives. Because of this, schools must close for several months, and when they reopen, students might not remember what they had learned. Additionally, students who struggle with academics may leave high school. In terms of producing qualified workers for various sectors of our economy and providing solutions for our nation’s socioeconomic growth, this poses a serious threat to our education system.

The government has modified the mandatory education program to address some of the country’s numerous social issues in an effort to find long-term solutions.

cult activities among students and other violent incidents in our high schools have caused a flurry of activity. Sometimes, buildings at schools are damaged or destroyed, along with human lives. Because of this, schools must close for several months, and when they reopen, students might not remember what they had learned. Additionally, students who struggle with academics may leave high school. In terms of producing qualified workers for various sectors of our economy and providing solutions for our nation’s socioeconomic growth, this poses a serious threat to our education system.

The government has modified the mandatory education program to address some of the country’s numerous social issues in an effort to find long-term solutions.

is to look into the relationship between the academic success of secondary school students in Lagos State’s Mushin Local Government Area and social issues.

1.3 Study’s Objectives

The study’s goal is to investigate the connection between social issues that arise in schools and academic performance. The study specifically seeks to determine

1. The association between students’ moral behavior and age in relation to academic achievement.

2. The link between age at school entry and academic achievement.

3. The connection between cult practices and academic success.

4. The link between cheating on exams and academic achievement.

5. The connection between absenteeism and academic success.

6. The link between academic achievement and deviance/delinquency.

1.4 Research Prompts

The proposed study will be guided by the following research questions:

1. What

Is there a connection between a student’s moral behavior and their age and how well they perform academically?

2. How does the age at which a student enrolls in school affect their academic performance?

3. Is there a connection between cult practices and academic success?

4. How is cheating on exams related to academic achievement?

5. What connection is there between truancy and academic success?

6. Is there a connection between academic achievement and school delinquency?

7. Is there a connection between students’ academic performance and social issues?

1.5 Importance of the Research

This study has implications for dealing with social issues in our society, particularly the issue of anti-social behavior among secondary school students in urban areas like Lagos. Due to the prevalent negative youth behaviors, this study will expose the students to a warning for students as to the detrimental effects of deviance on academic performance. It will give teachers and school administrators more insight into students’ behavioral patterns, assisting them in using education to rehabilitate the socially awkward students. This study’s findings will also inform parents about the risky behaviors that adolescents sometimes engage in, which can negatively affect their children’s academic performance. This will aid in instilling in the students the kind of behavior that society expected of its citizens, especially in light of the current democratic regime’s commitment to eliminating all corrupt practices. Additionally, it will add to the body of knowledge on social issues affecting secondary school students.

Students in the Lagos Metropolitan Area and academic performance.

1.6 Study’s Purpose

The study’s scope is restricted to all secondary school students in Lagos State’s Mushin Local Government Area.

1.7 Study Restrictions

The study looked at social issues that are present in secondary schools with a focus on age, school entry age, cult activity, cheating on exams, truancy, deviancy/delinquency, and how these issues relate to students’ academic performance in secondary schools. Obtaining the materials required for the study also posed some challenges.

1.8 Operational Term Definitions

Academic performance: This is a student’s behavior that can be directly observed by assessing the knowledge they have acquired throughout their studies. Classes, homework, and other forms of assessment can be used to gauge this behavior.

involvement and assessments.

Absenteeism: Regular, ongoing absences from work or school are referred to as absenteeism.

Deviance: This describes the potential for an individual or group to depart from a predetermined norm. Deviance is defined as any behavior that does not follow the laws, ordinances, customs, or values of the time.

Delinquency is the pattern of behavior that violates established regulations or legal provisions.

When a sizable portion of a society thinks that a given circumstance warrants attention, there is a social problem.

Examinee unfair advantages and disadvantages are intended to be caused by examination malpractice, which is a deliberate act of wrongdoing against the official examination rules.