THE CONSEQUENCES OF INDISCIPLINE ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The problem of moral meltdown has always featured in the Nigerian society of which secondary school students are inclusive. It poses a great threat to the homes, schools and the society in general; hence, the need to control it remains a great challenge to the agencies concerned.

Never in history has the degree or scope of indiscipline been as high as witnessed today in our schools. In fact, the level of indiscipline, its affects and severity of the problem reached its climax in 1991 when then Nigerian Minister of Education, Professor Babatunde Fafunwa declared the situation as “state of national emergency”. To this effect, he summoned the national conference of principals of secondary and other higher schools to deliberate on the problems of examination leakages, students unrest, drug abuse and other forms of indiscipline in the secondary schools.

According to Fafunwa (1991), the concern for deterioration indiscipline and standard has become too obvious now to leave any doubt of necessity of taking a major step in order to alter the course of events. The reason for this upward trend is not farfetched whereas the moral decadence problem spread rapidly, its treatment has been rather piecemeal and ad-hoc in nature.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

According to Adeyemo (1972) education is a vital tool for the development of a country many problems has been hindering the educational development of Nigerian children.

Despite the fact the education is the backbone of nay economy in the whole world indiscipline cannot be over emphasised due to the fact that growth on development of a nation in terms of science and technology.

Therefore, there is no definite answer to the question of indiscipline which has been reported on the radio and magazine.

In 1977, the issue reached such a critical point when the military personnel should be posted to school in order to maintain discipline among the students. Then, in the late 1979 the nation policy development centre (think thank) organised a conference workshop on discipline.

The same theme of discipline continues to recall in public speech seminars and conferences.

However, in 1998, then the military government waged war against indiscipline introducing (WAR AGAINST INDISCIPLINE) both in schools and society.

Then the introduction of WAR AGAINST INDISCIPLINE AND CORRUPTIONcould not be over emphasized by late general Sanni Abacha in order to eradicate indiscipline in government parastatals and among the civil servant through the reversed is the case due to the dishonest of the top officials in their administration.

In almost all the secondary and tertiary levels committees have been set up to look into the problem of indiscipline especially this time of cultist case that is so rampant in society and schools.

According to Lawal 1998, Federal Government and concern organisation e.g. PTA could not lay their head over the problem of indiscipline in the country.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

There is misconception of the meaning of indiscipline among the scholars and educators.

According to Alter (1982) a great educationist is looking of training especially the mind and character and being unable to produce self control and habit of obedience.

Indiscipline also means a system of being unable to guide the individual to make a reasonable decision.

In a classroom teaching in discipline means inability of a teacher to have the effective control of class by ways of instruction and enforcement of schools rules, regulation in order to achieve desirable behaviour.

In spite of the fact that federal government set up different committee over the problem of indiscipline reported from various institution of learning affecting academic performance. Hence, the researcher interested in doing something tangible about the problem with the followings:

– Investigate the cause of indiscipline in schools

– Find out the impact of indiscipline on response of students in teaching learning situation.

– Find out how indiscipline affect the society in general

– Find out the effort made by the government to eradicate indiscipline in our schools.

– Lastly, suggest ways on how indiscipline can be eradicated in our schools

– Lastly, suggest ways on how indiscipline can be eradicated in our schools and society at large.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Discipline is very important in a good school for without it, school life cannot fulfil its purpose.

School indiscipline should lead to self indiscipline in all children otherwise; it is a failure (Bolarin, 1997)

No institution of learning can function properly without good discipline, it is unfortunate that today lack of indiscipline and self control in school and colleges have resulted in grave consequences which often disrupt the smooth running of the day to day activities of the gross disobedience can be averted.

There is need for good tone in school because if the tone of a school is good, means that there is the staff produces self control, orderliness, obedience and power of cooperation in school.

In contribution to the good tone, discipline crates a strong personality coupled with an alert, well tailored mind and a real sympathy with children, among the staff. It makes it possible for them to have sympathy for the children in making them discipline ones.

We discipline in order to maintain peace and order in school.

According to Lawal (1996) we also discipline to impose and train the character of the students bring out respect from the children and to produce reliable self control in the students.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Why do in discipline students fail or run away from class?

2. Is/ are the problem militating against indiscipline solely from the teacher.

3. What are the necessary steps that can be taken in order to bring about effective discipline?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

1. There is no significant difference between student’s indiscipline and their reading habits prior to scheduled teaching/learning periods.

2. There is no significant difference between student’s indiscipline and their response to questions in the class during teaching.

3. There is no significant difference between student’s indiscipline and their adherence to instruction during teaching /learning periods. The school perform to enhance knowledge

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research work intended to examine on the following as regard the problem of indiscipline in the schools.

The research will enable the educationist to identify the impact of indiscipline on the response of students in teaching/learning situation.

In other words, educators will be able to study students in the classroom academically and how discipline affect their performance in the students the right knowledge of understanding why the students in the school perform to enhance knowledge.

However, it will enable the federal government to provide possible solution to the effect of indiscipline on students and society.

Therefore, the federal government should provide tools or proper measure to eradicate the indiscipline on students and society.

Despite the fact that the seminars/ workshop has been organised by the government to look into the problems of indiscipline in the school effort should be made to put an end to the misconduct in the school and society at large.

Furthermore, it will enlighten the parents more about indiscipline with a view to finding lasting solution to the problem jointly and severally.

Finally, the research will help the teacher in the classroom in the proper management of the class and classroom control for effective inculcating of the knowledge into the students.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope covers some male and female students in selected schools in Government technical College, Ikotun, Lagos State.

The study also makes use of both questionnaires and interview among the teachers in Government technical College, Ikotun, Lagos State.

1.8 limitation of the study

The research project is limited to the following

a. It undergoes a lot of problem in the collection of questionnaires.

b. The programme does not receive any organization preposition, therefore, the researcher undergo financial problem.