CRIME, AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR AND TRUANCY AS DETERMINAT OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLING IJEBU NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OGUN STATE (EDUCATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
The standard of education in Nigeria is frequently brought to focus by stake holders in the education industry. This is obviously due to the emphasis placed on education by every nation as a means of economic, social and political development (Dimkpa, Inegbu & Buloubomere et.al, 2013). The public outcry of the dilapidating scenario arouses researchers’ curiosity to uncover the root cause of the problem. For example, Imogie (2002) expresses great concern as regards the declining quality of education of Nigerian graduates with little technical know-how. This was considered as a serious setback in the industrial development of Nigeria.
The term academic performance has no one acceptable definition based on the broad nature of it. According to Mac-Farlane (2002), poor academic performance is the inability of students to cope with their studies as well as how various tasks assigned to them by their instructors are unaccomplished. He went further to express it as the inability to study and remember facts and to be unable to express such knowledge gained either verbally or in writing. While Aremu (2003) describes poor academic performance as a performance that is adjudged by the examiner as falling below an expected standard, Adesemowo (2005) decries the poor academic performance in specialized basic sciences such as Mathematics and English especially in tertiary institutions.
Considerable research evidence abound, (Bowles, 1974; Odebunmi, 1981; Funkunle, 1983; Onocha & Okpala, 1988, Soyibo, 1986; Odebunmi, 1988; Ajayi, 1988; and Bakare, (1986) to show that poor academic performance at the secondary level of education is a product of the teacher, school and home environment. Tata & Rabiu (2014) posited that it is disheartening to note that the poor performance of students in public examinations in recent times has been explained as a major cause of decline in the general academic performance and standard of education in Nigeria. Abdullahi, (2003), Sa’ad, (2007), Abdulganiyu, (2010) and Usman, (2012) were of the view that provision of enough instructional media/materials, qualified teachers as well as conducive classrooms will assist a lot in improving the performance of secondary school students.
Clemens and Oelke (2007) and Emeke (2004) identified two factors that cause poor academic performance as the combination of personal and institutional factors. Personal factors relate to the individual’s intelligence, knowledge, attitude, behaviour and ability. While institutional factors are family or parental influences, societal influences, institutional influences, and school related factors- student/teacher rapport, teacher related factors, accommodation and living condition. In the same vein, Wiseman (2003), Sogbetan (2001) and Hassan (2003) among others have examined the causes of poor academic performance among secondary school students. Some of the factors identified are intellectual ability, poor study habit, achievement motivation, lack of vocational goals, low self- concept, low socio-economic status of the family, truancy, poor family structure and anxiety. The consequences of these include indiscipline in schools and low level of educational standard. Boroffice (2004) further saying factors such as biological, social, view of self, attitudes, beliefs, sense of his future etc., are some of the factors that predispose adolescents to poor academic performance.The gradual development of these problems till its full manifestation directly affects the emotions of growing children especially young adolescents and can adversely disrupt the level of concentration and learning abilities of these children in school (Yara & Yara, 2010). Morakinyo (2003) believe that the falling level of academic achievement is attributable to teacher’s non-use of verbal reinforcement strategy. The students are also a major cause of the problems attributed to poor academic performance ranging from different factors.
