CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Mathematics is the science of number and space, it is the language of the new millennium (Harbor-Peter, 2000). It is the queen of science and technology, also a tool for scientific and technological development (Agwagah and Ezeugo, 2000). No National can develop scientifically and technological without proper foundation in school mathematics (Okafor, 2005 in Kurumeh and Imoko, 2006). In recent years, for instance, there had been criticisms in public places, and in news papers over the low standard of performance in mathematics in our schools’ prominent among the critics are the teachers and parents. The critics are particularly concerned with the teaching of basic mathematics in our schools. They claim that most students who have successfully completed secondary school education often failed mathematics.
However, from the view point of national interest a far more serious consequences of the inability of the students to excel in mathematics successfully is in regard to scientific and technological advancement that we very much desire in the attainment of Millennium Development Goal. We need many qualified doctors, engineers, agricultural scientists, economists, computer programmers and mathematics teachers. All these professionals require basic courses in mathematics up to advanced level before they can specialize in these professions. According to Oxford advanced learning dictionary; truancy is an act or condition being absent without permission. Merriam (2012) says truancy as an act or instance of playing truant: the state of being truancy (the California legislature view truancy in very precise language). In summary it states that a student missing more than 30 minutes of instruction without an excuse three times during the school year must be classified as a truancy. Sherilyn (2011) view that three are various reason of truancy and this has been on of the major problems in Nigeria and it is negatively affecting the future of the pupils. Absence rates have reached as high as 30 percent in some schools and it is harder for the teachers to do something about this. And this affects not only the pupils but their families as well. Consequences are various as well if they miss to many classes they will not be able to congratulate on time and they will fall behind their classmates and this will affect not only their self-esteem but various other things. All this can improve if teachers together with parents make good plan to interest pupils who is skipping classes to get back to school. This can be done by talking and learning about pupils interests regarding the school. In town like Ago Ika, Lafenwa, Ita Oshin pupils are run away from school which bring researcher closer to the topic, to find out the eect of truancy.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The high rate of truancy in town calls for attention. It could generate to pupils not performing very well academically. It could also lead to various forms of criminal, damage, robbery with violence and abusive conduct etc. This study would therefore investigate i. What truancy means. ii. The causes of truancy. iii. The effects of truancy on primary school pupils academic performance in mathematics. iv. The possible solution to the problem
