CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Government is one of the subjects taught in Nigerian secondary schools including those in Oron Local Education Committee. It involves the study of the highest institutions of every state, manned by individuals vested with the authority to make binding rules, formulate and implement policies, settle civil disputes and use coercion when their authority or that of their building rules is being challenged (Okoli and Okoli, 1990). It also involves the study of the process of governance and the associated processes and machineries. The teaching of government in secondary schools has a lot of advantages one of which is to make students to be acquainted with the process and system of governance prevailing in his society, his right and duties. Through the teaching of government, an individual student is exposed to his/her rights thereby living as a bonafide citizen of the state involved. Government is often taught in secondary schools by professional teacher who studied political science or other related disciplines. Normally these teachers do their teaching of government in the presence of their students within an enclosure or confinement often referred to as a classroom. The presence of a student in the class during the teaching process refers to the student’s attendance in the class.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Attendance in a class refers to the act of being present in such a class (Hornby, 2000). Individual student attendance in a class, contributes to the general attendance of the class. By attending classes, a student tends to acquire first hand information directly from the teacher, who is the pivot of the teaching process. More so, such students attending classes would have the opportunity to ask question on issues discussed as well as benefit from answers to question which ensue during the process of teaching/learning. This explains why some schools, faculties and teachers allot marks to class attendance as part of the evaluation measure.
The importance of class attendance cannot be overemphasized inspite of the proliferation of technologies. Though it is no more news that reading materials on almost every field are made available on the internet, the necessity of class attendance can never be ruled out.
However, the increasing rate of absenteeism as well as truancy is alarming. These negative attitudes by students pose a serious threat to the future of the students and society at large. It indicates a lack of interest and motivation on the part of students in the teaching/learning process. Based on this, the study seeks to examine the impact of class attendance on the teaching of government in secondary schools in Oron Local Education Committee. The study also examined the effects of truancy and absenteeism on the learning of government as a school discipline in Oron Local Education Committee.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
This study was generally aimed at investigating the influence of students’ class attendance on the teaching of government in secondary schools in Oron Local Government Area. To achieve this general purpose, the following specific purposes were considered necessary.
- To examine whether students’ class attendance can influence the instructional strategies used in teaching government.
- To examine whether students’ class attendance could determine teachers’ effectiveness in teaching government.
- To examine whether students’ class attendance could determine teachers’ effectiveness in teaching government.
- Parental influence in class attendance vis-à-vis the teaching/learning government in secondary schools in Oron Local Education Committee.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The study was considered significant because the result of its findings could be of help to:
- The teachers, as it will help to remind them of the reason students attend classes and why they do not.
- Future researchers as it will serve as reference materials for studies in related fields or areas.
- School administration as it should enable them to think about what to do to curb loitering and absenteeism.
- Parents as it shall reveal to them the dangers of truancy and absenteeism by their wards during official school hours.
