ABSTRACT

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. The purpose of this study was to find out how crime, aggressive behaviour and truancy as determine the academic performance of secondary school students in Ijebu North Local Government area of Ogun state. Therefore,related literature which dealt with variables ofthe study, were also reviewed as part ofthis study. The study employed a descriptive survey. The instruments used for this study were all adopted scales, the instruments were used in this research to measure crime scale, aggressive behaviour scale and truancy scale among students; Using simple random sampling technique, one hundred (100)questionnaires were distributed to students from ten secondary school in Ijebu North Local Government. The data collected were thus analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coffeicient and chi square analysis at the 0.05 level of significance. There is no significant relationship between crime and academic performance,there is no significant relationship between aggressive behaviour and academic performance, there is a significant relationship between truancy and academic performance and there is a significant joint contribution among crime, aggressive behavior and truant in predicting academic performance of secondary school students. It was concluded that it is evident from the findings of this study that exposure of young people to uncensored media contents (aggressive games, internet cultism and gangterism) without parental monitoring predisposes young people to aggressive and truancy behaviours. The study therefore recommended that Parents should put more effort to ensure that their children are adequately provided for and morally groomed.

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 factorsstudent/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. Boroice (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 aects 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.