CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Children are often described both as the wealth and pride of a nation. The future of any nation therefore depends on the young ones who constitute the potential human resources needed for the continuity of the society. Thus, to achieve sustainable development of a society, the young population must not only be preserved but also disciplined. School indiscipline has been over time an issue of concern for educators, policy makers and public opinion in general, owing to the outbreak of aggressiveness among peers, violence within teacher – student relationship and vandalism as well, leading to perpetual existence of problem of drop out, deviant behaviours, examination malpractice, lateness and poor academic performance among students. Indiscipline is a multifaceted phenomenon regarding its displays and causes as well as its meanings and functions in the social, psychosocial and pedagogical fields. Concerning its displays, Amado and Freire (2009) believed that the major situations are framed in what they point out as the first level of indiscipline and which are those incidents of disruptive nature whose disturbance affects the good classroom functioning. The incidents that might be framed in the second and third levels are conflicts among peers and conflicts within teacher – student relationship which might be taken on proportions of violence and even delinquency. The problem of indiscipline according to Yaroson (2004) permeates all facets of the life of man and has brought man down to the knees. School discipline according to Gaustard (2005) has two main objectives. The first is to ensure the safety of staff and students and the second to create an environment conducive to learning. Acts of indiscipline occasioned by students’ misconducts involving violent and criminal behavior defeat the goals of education.

Mbiti (2007:83) defines discipline as the moral capacity or disposition which when ingrained in the human capacity, becomes a powerful habit for self-control. Discipline therefore involves the development of an informed conscience within the individual person as part of his or her personality. Jeng (2011) points out that indeed it encompasses training of the mind and character of a person which results to self-control and a habit of obedience. The main reason why students attend school is to receive good education. Sound education can only be provided when there is discipline in schools. Discipline is the number one topic among others in education.

Soet (2005:1), quoting Charles (1981), on attitude towards Education, stated that, teachers, parents, students and the public all place discipline at the top of their concern, with teachers ranking it at the top because it affects learning, their emotional lives and it outweighs all other factors combined in determining a teacher’s success.

Jeng (2011) advises that students should understand that discipline is one of the most fundamental characteristics of a human being in school, in our homes and indeed everywhere in the world. Stakeholders concur that ensuring discipline in schools is top on the agenda because one cannot acquire knowledge without character. Soet (2005:2) in his study, “Perception of the causes of indiscipline among students in Mt. Elgon district,” asserts that, schools need discipline. It is the one thing in learning that everyone expects and wants. Most educators agree that discipline is the one thing that can make or break a school, for without it, a teacher’s finest efforts may go to zero.

People view discipline in different ways. For some people, discipline is equated with taking preventive measures. According to Okumbe (1998) this type aims at taking precautionary measures and may assume the form of guidance or clarifying values and regulations to students. Padilla (2012), an experienced speaker who facilitates parent workshops for school districts in California, is also of the opinion that, it is indeed a positive procedure that emphasizes and rewards good behavior, instead of punishing bad behavior.

Others view discipline as punishment; a view supported by Mbiti (2007:79) who observes that the proponents of the traditional scheme of discipline believed that physical punishment was a necessary deterrent to tendencies of wrong –doing in a child. Wilson (2000:30) is of the same opinion. He notes that even though it is an unpleasant line to take, any parent who needs to stop their son bullying a little sister, or any honest teacher who needs to make absolutely sure that the weak pupils are not 3 bullied by the stronger ones in school, knows perfectly well that such a line has sometimes to be taken. Many teachers have in the past relied on corporal punishment to instill discipline in schools. This had been legalized in Education Act Cap 211 (1980:73) which stipulates that punishment can be inflicted only in cases of continued or grave neglect of work, lying, bullying, gross insubordination, indecency, truancy among others. The Education Act (1980) clearly spelt out how punishment was to be administered and by whom. However, in 2001, the then minister of education outlawed corporal punishment through Legal Notice No. 56/2001, (Mbiti, 2007:81). Since then, there have been numerous debates for and against the banning of the cane in Kenyan schools.

Indiscipline is the intentional refusal to follow rules and regulations of a given society. It is not only deeply rooted in Kenyan schools but regionally and internationally too. According to the task force on student discipline and unrests in secondary schools, (Wangai report, 2001), learning institutions have been faced with increased cases of student unrests. The issue of learner indiscipline has taken centre stage for a long time internationally and regionally. For example, in India, Khanbab (2010) laments that schools and colleges in India have become an abode of indiscipline to the extent that examinations have to be conducted with the help of the police. He blames it all on poor study habits by students, incompetent teachers and political leaders who incite students against the government. Recent research in the U.S.A has documented that bullying is a common and potential damaging form of violence among children, which not only harms its intended victims and the perpetrators, but also has a chilling effect on the school climate, thereby indirectly 4 affecting the ability of all students to learn to the best of their abilities, (Limber and Nation, 1997).

In Ghana, Danso (2010) decried the high rates of indiscipline and lawlessness in

Educational institutions. He observed that not a single day passes without a report of an act of indiscipline perpetrated by teenagers of primary and secondary schools. He lamented over the causes of drug abuse, rape, armed robbery, abortion and even murder in the educational institutions. Meaningful teaching and learning geared towards the attainment of school goals is unattainable if the teachers and students are not disciplined. Aguba (2009) noted that discipline is needed to produce a breed of well cultivated youths who will develop not only respect for themselves but also for others in the school and society.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

It has been realized that students’ indiscipline in secondary schools in Nigeria has become a cankerworm that has eaten too deep into the students’ moral up bring. Students have become uncontrollable and highly disrespectful to: themselves, teachers, school administrators, parents and to the society at large. Students portray different types of indiscipline behavior among which include the following acts: boycotting of lessons, watching and practicing pornography, lies telling, violence, dishonesty, disobedient to teachers, prefects, and school administration, raping school/class mates, alcohol consumption, confronting and stabbing teachers in schools, vandalism, lateness to school, cultism, drug abuse, insulting/assaulting, stealing, rioting; among others. The extent to which students’ indiscipline behaviors in school are correlated with are not known whether these influences emanate from the perspectives of their peer group, their parents’ socioeconomic achievements,

parent’s attitude, teacher’ attitude, school culture, climate and environment; and the magnitude of disorder it triggers in school and what strategies should be put in place to curb this deviant behavior.

Student-student relationships (peer-group) influences students’ indiscipline as a result of unpleasant and unsustainable environment in which students’ needs are difficult to meet and school curriculum is seen useless. Lack of self-discipline among students moved the researcher to find out the major causes and contributors of students’ indiscipline in secondary schools in Cameroon and the interest and anticipation of finding long lasting solutions.

1.3   OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to examine the most frequent types, causes and possible solutions to curb indiscipline in secondary school in Nigeria. The study is guided by three specified objectives:

1.     To identify the frequent and regular types of indiscipline in Nigeria secondary schools

2.     To survey the causes of indiscipline in Nigeria secondary schools

3.     To examine possible solution to the problem of indiscipline in schools.

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions will guide the researcher so as to achieve the specified objectives above:

1.     What are the most frequent and regular types of indiscipline in Nigeria secondary school

2.     What are the causes of indiscipline in Nigeria secondary schools

3.     What are the possible measures that can be put in place to curb indiscipline in Nigeria schools?

1.5   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this study will contributes to the existing literature of knowledge on the specific causes of indiscipline among students in secondary schools in. It also shed light into the nature of indiscipline bound to arise as a result of these factors. The study is significant in availing positive ways of improving discipline. Teachers often punished students without clear consideration of what made them misbehave; they seldom tried to understand the motivating force. Focusing on these factors would enable them to handle their students in a more understanding and better way. It may also assist parents in monitoring the movement and association of their children with a view to guiding them to become responsible individuals. They are better placed in ensuring good upbringing of their children. The Ministry of Education may also see the need of strengthening these new programs, which are currently lacking in most schools. They may use the outcomes of the study to correct similar problems in other schools in the country.

1.6   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study Survey on and Types of Indiscipline in Secondary School covers the entire students of Iganmode grammar school, Oju-Ore otta, Ogun state.

1.7   DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The major problem faced during this research is time, the researcher has limited time to complete the research and also insufficient fund to finance the project also to visit more one school.

1.8   DEFINITION OF TERMS

Survey: look closely at or examine (someone or something).

Indiscipline: lack of discipline

Discipline: he practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.

Secondary school: in between basic school and college

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