Abstract
This studyinvestigated and found the influence of drug abuse on the academic performance
of secondary school students. The purpose of the study was to find out how drug
abuse has influenced the academic performance of secondary school
students. The study adopted a
descriptive survey design in which three research questions were posed. The
population of the study was 1000 while the sample size of 200 was selected
randomly out of the total population of Government secondary school in Karu
local Government Area of Nasarawa state. Four point scale questionnaire was
used as the instrument for data collection. The instrument was adequately
validated with its reliability established using test retest. Data collected
were analyzed using mean score. Base on the data collected and carefully
analyzed, the researcher made the following findings that drug abuse has a
negative influence on secondary school students and that drug abuse among
students causes
students to be depressed with their academic activities, decreases students
focuses in class, reduces the cognitive ability of the students and increases forgetfulness. The researcher also found out reasons why
students engage in drug abuse such as academic problems, To become high and
fit into the group, Drug habit of students is attributed with their parents
drug habits, Students association with their peer group influences them to
engage in drug abuse, Students are involved in drug abuse because they want to
gain power. Finally, the researcher found out the most adequate measure for
eradicating drug abuse is true the creation of awareness early in schools,
Preventive program for high school student and counseling. Base on the
findings, the researcher made the following recommendation: the Government should prevent the sales and cultivation of
Indian Herbs and other deadly herbs that encourage drug abuse. They should also
enforce its existing laws against drug abuse through its regulatory agencies. They
should also embark on the Establishment of Counseling Centers for Drug Control and
Establishment of Family Education.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the study
Drug is a substance that due to its
chemical nature affects physical, mental and emotional functioning.Lewinsohn
(2007) defines a drug as any product other than food or water that affects the
way people feel, think, see, and behave
Drug abuse according to Laver (1978) simply means the improper use of drugs to
the degree that the consequences are defined as detrimental to the user and or
the societyThe world Health Organization (WHO) (2006) defined drug
abuse as a state of periodic or chronic intoxication, detrimental to the
individual and the society, produced by the repeated consumption of a drug
(natural or synthetic).
Drug abuse is the use of drugs for
purposes other than medical reasons, thus affecting the individual in a
negative way socially, cognitively or physically. It can enter the body through
chewing, inhaling, smoking, drinking, rubbing on the skin or injection. Drug
abuse amongst the global youth population has become a serious problem
affecting everyone. Addiction leads many people, young people prominent amongst
them, into downward spiral of hopelessness that in some cases ends fatal. They
range from glue-sniffing street children and teenage ecstasy users, to hard
core heroin and cocaine addicts
(Paschall, 2005). Drug abuse is responsible
for lost wages, destruction of property in schools, soaring health care costs
and broken families. It is a problem which affects us all as parents, children,
teachers, government officials, taxpayers and workers.
Students, especially those in
secondary school tend to see the drug user as one who is tough, bold and
strong. Many youngsters have been known to use drugs at the instance of peers,
elders or siblings. Students who usually feel inadequate have been known to use
drugs to achieve social acceptance. Esen (1979) stated that Nigerian secondary
school students under the influence of Indian hemp shed all inhibitions and
produce behaviour that is inconsistent with school discipline. He went further
to observe that the increasing incidence of drug abuse among secondary school
students is a contributory factor in the ugly confrontation between school
administration and students.
Idowu
(1987) found that students smoke and use drugs at the instance of
friends/peers, parents and television/radio advertisements. Oladele, (1989);
Okorodudu and Okorodudu (2004); and Enakpoya (2009) in their studies showed
that adolescents were very susceptible to the influence of their peers. Osikoya
and Ali (2006) asserted that socially, a drug abuser is always pre-occupied
with how to obtain drug of choice and crave for the substance. Kobiowu (2006)
study revealed that the academic pursuit of those students who engages in drug
misuse is not unduly jeopardized, and that the abusers do not socialize
extraordinarily, contrary to seemingly popular expectation.
The abuse of drug has series adverse consequences in
our homes, schools, work places and communities and so the national institute
of Drug Abuse (NDA) set out their effort to help the public understand the
causes of drug abuse and how to prevent its problems. They also identify
effective interventions with younger population to help prevent risk behavior
before drug abuse occurs. Research founded by (NDA) and other federal research
organizations such as the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (2009),
shows that early intervention can prevent many adolescent risk behaviors. With
regard to this research work, we believe that focusing more broadly on
secondary school in Karu of Nasarawa state will help to find out the possible
ways to prevent the influence of drug abuse on student academic performance.
The use of
hard drugs has affect both families, school and the societies as a whole, but
precisely is it influence on the academic performance of secondary school
students.
Academic performance is the outcome
of education, the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved
their educational goals. Academic performance is commonly measured by
examination or continuous assessment but there is no general agreement on how
it is best tested or which aspects are most important, procedural knowledge
such as skills or declarative knowledge such as facts (Annie, Howard, Mildred
1996). The academic performance of students is greatly affected by drug abuse
and addiction. Hence Cole man (2010) concludes that drug abuse and addiction is
detrimental to the socio-economic and intellectual advancement of the nation.
Drug abuse can also affects the
brain, resulting in a major decline in its functions, whereby it can
further affect a student’s
concentration and thus interest in school
activities which may leads to increased absenteeism and drop outs. Most
psychoactive drugs affect the decision making process of students, their
creative thinking and the development of necessary life and social skills.
Drugs abuse also interferes with an individual’s awareness of their unique
potential and thus their interest in their career development (Louw, 2001).
This gradually leads to social, emotional and physical problems and new
feelings of guilt, despair and helplessness. Thus, resulting to poor
performance in their academics
Therefore
this research work is motivated by the degree of the influence of drug abuse on
the academic performance of secondary school students.
Statement of the Problem
Drug abuse is a pandemic problem and
it increases in an alarming rate in Nigeria today. About two decades ago,
incidence of drug trafficking in Nigeria was low and abuse was minimal, but
today drug abuse has destroyed and killed many people in the society. The height of drug trafficking in Nigeria was
witnessed in 1985 under the military regime. During this period It was mostly
the university undergraduates that were caught and the first to be executed for
drug offences under the “special tribunal (miscellaneous offences) Degree NO 20
1984.
Nevertheless, the usage of drug either
by secondary school students or other members of the larger society is all its
ramifications appears to be a social problem. The Nigerian National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
has stated that drug abuse is a major problem in schools, colleges and
universities in Nigeria. This is a critical problem which affects the society
as it hampers the academic performance of students at the secondary level who
are expected to develop and become leaders of tomorrow. The secondary school
students who are the youth and the future hope of the society have created a
social problem of engaging in hard drug that can be destruction to their
academic endeavors.
In
support of the above assertion; drug abuse may entails a lot
of social problems ranging from lateness to classes, family neglect, deviance
behaviors involvement in crime etc (Earl 2000).
To
the society as a whole crime, promiscuity, armed robbery and other vice are all
linked to drug abuse.Despite the overwhelming intervention
strategies by
the
Government, religious organizations, non-state actors and many other keen
stakeholders to curb the problem of drug and substance abuse especially among
the students and the youth entirely , the number of school going youth being suck
into drug abuse seems to be escalating day by day. The government for instance
has placed education at the centre of the social pillar of vision 2030. To show
its commitment it has highly subsidized secondary school education thus
boosting access and retention rates in the system, all these intervention
strategies have had huge cost implications on the taxpayer including the
opportunity cost.
But drug
abuse threatens and tends to derail these noble strides by de-motivating
the students in learning and subsequently ruining these school going children
that the government intends to rely on in driving the economy to the next
level. Drugs abuse menace should therefore be given the attention it deserves
if the intentions of this hefty investment in education are to bear
fruits. For the government and the
society to get positive ought come from the education of secondary school
students, there is the need to investigate into the influence of drug abuse
among secondary school students in other to offer solution to remedy it
Therefore this study is motivated by the alarming
influence of drug abuse on the academic performance of secondary school student
students.
Purpose of the
Study
The main purpose of this research is to
find out how drug abuse influenced the academic performance of secondary school
student in Karu local government of Nasarawa state.
·
Identify the
influence of drug abuse on the academic performance of secondary school
students
·
determine the
reasons why drugs are been abused by secondary school students
·
Find out
measures for eradicating the problem of drug among secondary school students.
Scope of study
The scope of this study is limited
towards finding the influence of drug abuse on the academic performance of
secondary school students in Karu local Government Area of Nasarawa state.
Significant of
the study
This research work is important to the student, the
government, the health sector and the public. This study is very important to
the student because it the student with the information of the different kinds
of drug that are been abuse, solutions to the problem of drug abuse on the
student. It will help student to know the influence of alcohol which is the
most common abuse substance in secondary. The result of this study will also be
included in counseling education which will help everyone involved, from the
student abusing drug to family and friends. It is important that people who
abuse substances are aware of how drug can affect their minds, bodies
relationships, and functioning. This awareness can help them realize the
potential damage that has already occurred.
This research work will help the
government to understand the influence of drug abuse on the student. The
government which is the agency of a state at all level will now take the
responsibility of making sure through the ministry of education and it agencies
that the educational curriculum encompasses the teaching on the prevention of
drug abuse. It will also alert the government through it agency to equip
secondary school teachers and principals to combats drug abuse by their
student. This can be done, by expulsion or suspension of any student been cut
in such act.
The study will go a long way in reducing the
numerous health problems encountered as a result of misuse of drugs or the
intake of hard drugs. This study will also help young researchers or writers to
solve some problems of drug abuse. There by ensuring good health of the
university undergraduates or youths in general and social harmony in the
society.
The research of the study should help in
creating awareness to the public on the general effect of drug abuse on their
health most especially the secondary school student who is coming up. It will
make the youths to realize that excessive or even small intake of this item
(drugs) has inhibitory effects on their brain. It will also assist in
enlightening the community on how to enhance anti-drug laws in the society
Research
questions
The
following research questions will guide the study.
·
What are the
influences of drug abuse on academic performance of secondary school students?
·
What are the
major reasons why secondary school student’s engage in drug abuse?
·
What are the
measures that can eradicate drug abuse among secondary school students?