CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
It is an accepted fact that children learned reflective, that is their moral conscience in works and that they waver in their obligation and attitude when they obey instructions. It is either because they have not the least doubt as to the importance of the command they have received or that they fear being reprimanded or punished for such disobedience. Adeyemi (1978) said that indiscipline is a behaviour among students who are maturing, seeking independence and looking for recognition as individuals. It may manifest itself in stealing, fighting resistance of authority, vandalism, shop lifting and truancy, noise making, examination malpractice etc.
We are aware that growth in crime, especially robbing with violence. Children delinquency and nation are all problems associated with indiscipline. There is a steady growth of vandalism in our schools and even at home. It is now fashionable in the country for school children to engage in all forms of indiscipline. All learning contains a measure of discipline the students is a learner and he is only too part of the community in which he lives (home and in the school). From the time a child first enters school and until he leaves it, his behaviour to a large extent is influenced by the growth change going on in his body. The child now needs to be guided or what he should do by parents, teachers and school authorities concerned.
Indiscipline among students in schools makes teaching uninteresting, especially when some children misbehave in schools. Teachers find it very hard to punish the children so as to deter them from such behaviour. Most of the problems people experience in their homes, at school and in the society as a whole arise from lack of self discipline or self control. On many occasions, nowadays the students will refuse to obey their teachers. It is my duty to identify factors responsible for indiscipline among students in secondary schools in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The problems of indiscipline among secondary school students in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State in particular and Edo State at large is alarming. The back down in interpersonal relationship or in the observation of rules leads to disorder. Indiscipline among students may manifest in stealing, fighting, staying away from school, defiance of authority, vandalism, shop lifting and refusal to go to school. There are expression of defiance and resentment which disrupts normal school progress. Other problems that confront educational institutions are school dropout because of failure in school subjects. This unruly behaviour might be due to poor home background, peer group influence, mass media, drugs and maladministration on the part of the school authority.
With indiscipline among students in school in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, teachers do not have enough time for teaching and learning. This is a matter of concern. Besides, if not checked, students may graduate into audit criminals.
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The major objective or purpose of this study is to find out
1. The incidence of indiscipline among secondary schools in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.
2.Effects of indiscipline on children, teachers, parents, school administrations and the society.
3.Useful suggestions on how to tackle the problem of indiscipline in secondary schools.
4.The indiscipline among secondary school students could cause low academic performance of students in schools.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions guide the researcher’s investigation.
1. What are the factors responsible for indiscipline among students?
2.What are the effects of indiscipline among students in our educational system?
3.What measures have been taken to check alarming factors responsible for indiscipline among secondary schools in Nigeria?
4.Has the measures taken been successful, if not, why?
5.To what extent do the students is been disciplined?
SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
The study will be useful to students, parents, teachers, school administrations and the community at large. Discipline in school will help in the following ways:
1. Creating an atmosphere of peace and harmony among students.
2.Helping to develop sound and healthy mind which would have been otherwise destroyed.
3.Helping the nation to conserve resource, which would have been lost through willful distraction of properties and arson.
4.Enabling students to respect their parents, teachers and elders which is a necessary recipe for good and social development.
5.Fastening obedience thereby making people become law abiding and patriotic.
6.Pursuing grievances through constitutional means instead of resorting to nothing.
This study will be of great benefit in the following areas by:
Improving discipline among students in school finding out ways to stop indiscipline among students in secondary schools in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. Improving the quality of school administration in secondary schools in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
The following arte terms which have been used in this study and the following.
Discipline: Apply discipline to train, control the mind and character.
Controversy: Prolonged argument.
Questionnaire: An instrument used in gathering information containing questions.
Ignorance: Not having the knowledge of something.
Deceit: Dishonest behaviour that is intended to make somebody believe something.
Arson: Act of willful destruction of things.
Obsured: out of bormong opposition to reasons.
Piety: Devotion to God and good work.
