CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Truancy is a term used to describe any intentional unauthorized absence from compulsory school. The term truancy, typically refers to absence caused by students of their own free will, and usually does not refer to legitimate excused absence, such as ones related to a medicated conditions. Truancy is the term referring to an absence that is associated with the most brazen students’ irresponsibility and results in the greatest consequences. It also refers to students who attend schools but do not attend classes. Atkinson, Hasley, Wilkin and Kindler (2000) pointed to differences in the extent of absence, from avoidance of single lesson to absence of several weeks. Truancy refers to absence from school and delinquent behaviour among young people as they negotiate the transition from childhood to adulthood in an increasingly complex and confusing world (Henry, 2007). Although the issue of truancy is an age long problem, it seems that the truancy of the past cannot be compared with that of the present era. The antisocial behaviours often associated with the truancy’ include vandalism, drug abuse, weapon carrying, alcohol abuse, rape, examination malpractices, school violence, bullying, cultism, delinquency, school drop-outs, to mention but a few. Obviously, unless something is done to roll back the wave of truancy, the prospect of a better, safer and more prosperous society emerging in Nigeria will remain elusive.
The family is the foundation of human society. Families are the strongest socializing forces of life. They teach children to eschew unacceptable behaviour, to delay gratification and to respect the right of others. Conversely, families can teach children aggressive, anti-social, and violent behaviours. Also, children who are rejected by their parents, who grow up in homes with considerable conflicts, or who are inadequately supervised are at the greatest risk of becoming truant.
Sociology of education makes us to know that the family is the first primary social group that the child first belongs to, come in contact with, and this group has a greater influence on the child’s physical, mental and moral development. The family lays the foundation of education before the child goes to school and the personality that the child takes to school is determined by the home/family (Maduewesi and Emenogu, 1997). Adolescence is a time of expanding vulnerabilities and opportunities that accompany the widening social and geographical exposure to life beyond the school or family, but it starts with the family. The modern culture has changed and outgrown the values and beliefs that were thought to be the core beliefs and values of our society.
Despite increasing evidence that school truancy and absenteeism have attracted much interest, international educational research and policy discourses over the past two decades (Reid’2010; Daziel and Henthome 2005; Roth-man 2004; Morris and Rutt 2004), this behaviour remains a serious issue for schools and communities worldwide. General consensus seem to exist among researchers that school truancy may be linked to serious, immediate and far-reaching consequences for youth, families, schools and communities at large. Jesse (2014) refers to truancy as a gateway crime in that a great majority of inmates in adult jails report their first appearance before a judge was as a juvenile on truancy charges. This level of concern over truancy has inevitably resulted in significant efforts by researchers, practitioners, schools and policy makers to try and understand and address this increasingly serious problem (Maynard et al. 2013). However, much of the extant literature focuses predominantly on the school and community related factors which lead to truant behaviour, with limited attention being paid to the contribution made by the learners’ home-based circumstances in leading to school truancy and non-attendance (Maynard et al. 2012). This study therefore seeks to explore family related factors and circumstances that may contribute to the prevalence of skipping school by learners which may be one of several risk factors for serious pathologies later in life.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Truancy is an educational, social and law enforcement problem. Truancy among adolescents jeopardizes chances of achieving their educational goals. ( Siziya, Muula and Rudatsikira, 2007) Student’s non-attendance to classes is a problem that extends much further than the school. It affects the students the family and the society on very high levels. Globally, truancy has been identified as the most powerful predictor of delinquency and indiscipline among youths. Absenteeism is detrimental to students’ achievement promotion graduation self-esteem and employment potential. Clearly students who miss school fall behind their peers in the classroom. Consequently this leads to low-esteem and increase poor academic performance that will cause student drop out of school. As a matter of fact truancy threatens students’ academic performance progress; success can serve as an indicator of dysfunction in many other areas of human endeavour. If the matter is left unaddressed If the matter is left unaddressed, truancy will contribute to a myriad of problems for young people during the school years and into adulthood. Therefore the main research problem of this study borders on finding the causes and levels of truancy among secondary school students with special reference to Ikeja Local Government Area, Lagos State.