THE INFLUENCE OF DRUG ABUSE ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN ABAK LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF AKWA IBOM STATE.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the Study

Drug abuse is the use of illegal drugs, or the misuse of prescription or over-the-counter drugs. For the purpose of this research, we shall consider “drug abuse as the use of a drug for a non-therapeutic effect”. Some of the most commonly abused drugs are alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, amphetamines, barbiturates, cocaine, methaqualone, opium alkaloids, synthetic opoids, and heroin. Use of these drugs may lead to criminal penalty in addition to possible physical, social and psychological harm, both strongly depending on local jurisdiction.

Drug abuse may lead o health problems, social problems, morbidity, injuries, unprotected sex, violence, deaths, motor vehicle accidents, homicides, suicides, physical dependence or psychological addiction. It is also leads to physiological distortion of brain chemistry as well as the social isolation.

In our contemporary society, several reasons are responsible to why most people especially teenagers or secondary school students use drugs. According to Awake! April (2003), World Health Organization (WHO) presents five basic reasons why young people might be drawn to drugs. These includes they want to fit in, they want to feel grown-up and make their own decisions, they want to relax and feel good, they want to take risk and rebel, and finally, they want to satisfy their curiosity. Some other reasons why young people indulge in drug abuse are; as stated by Okoh (1978), Oduaran (1979), Johnson (1979) are: boldness, peer pressure or friends-do-it, enjoyment of social gathering, sound sleep, sexual-prowess and performance in sports.

Furthermore, the issue of academic performance is no exception to the above stated reasons. To some, the use of drugs is seen as a stimulant which energizes or enhances academic performance (Ebele, 2005). Njama (2004) posits that, despite well-known risks people continue to abuse drugs and such abuse continue to destroy lives. This is because to them drugs such as Indian hemp, cocaine, cigarette, alcoholic etc alleged to aid memory.

The consequences of drug abuse are numerous and diverse. Drug abuse is hazardous, not just to those directly involved but also to the entire society. It leads to physiological distortion of brain chemistry; poor academic performance, memory loss, and for most of the deviant behaviour and failure among students today, and the society at large. Not only do they constitute nuisance to the social environment, society is also deprived of the contributions they would have made to the social life. It is against this background that this research is designed to examine the influence of drug abuse on the academic performance of students in secondary schools in Abak Local Government Area.

Scarpatti and Anderson (1989) are of the view that drugs, affects the entire system of the abusers and addicts, especially the Central Nervous System (CNS) thereby altering their behaviour, emotional states, physical responses and reaction some of which may constitute a threat to both the abusers or addicts and the environment in which they live.

1.2   Statement of Problem

Ideally, students are not supposed to indulge themselves in drug, abuse knowing the negative effects it poses on their academic performance such as the physiological distortion of brain chemistry, memory loss, poor academic performance and disobedience to parents and teachers. Therefore, with this idea in mind, students are expected to study without the use of drugs, and to develop good habits and behaviour.

It is discovered therefore that students who indulge in drug abuse have impaired their good academic performance by skipping classes, failing to complete assignments, absenteeism from school and its activities, memory loss and involvement in social vices.

Therefore, the problem of this study is to identify the causes of drug abuse among secondary school students in Abak Local Government Area.

1.3   Purpose of the Study

Specifically, the study is designed to:

1. To find out the reasons for the abuse of drugs by secondary school students in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
2. To determine the role of the school and teacher in drug education.
3. To investigate the extent to which drug abuse influence the academic performance of secondary school students in Abak Local Government Area.

1.4   Research Questions

1. What are the reasons for the abuse of drugs by secondary school students in Abak Local Government Area?
2. What are the roles of the school and teachers in drug education?
3. To what extent does drug abuse affects the academic performance of secondary school students in Abak Local Government Area?

1.5   Research Hypothesis

The following null hypotheses are articulated to guide this research:

1. There is no significant reason for the abuse of drug by secondary school students in Abak Local Government Area.
2. The school and teachers does not play any significant role in drug education.
3. Drug abuse does not significantly influence the academic performance of secondary school students in Abak Local Government Area.

1.6   Research Assumptions

The following assumptions are articulated in the pursuit of this study:

1. Drug abuse has a connection of link with poor academic performance, memory loss and missed classes.
2. At secondary school level, students abuse drugs due to certain reasons they may want to fulfill at all costs.

• The test instruments are correctly used to assess the degree of drug abuse by students and it influence on their academic performance.

1. There will be adequate result obtained from students where the research was carried-out.

1.7   Significance of the Study

1. The study will be significant for the school administrators to provide drug education in the schools.
2. It will also be significant to both students and their teachers who will see the need to avoid drug abuse.

iii.     The study could also contribute meaningfully to the knowledge bank in the field of education. That is to say, academic standard and performance will be energized, realized and possible improvement being made.

1. Also, deviant behaviour, which should have been a by-product of this phenomenon, will be curtailed. This research will also help parents, on effect of drug abuse on learning and thereby enabling them to guide children against such behaviour.
2. It will also be useful to the ministry of education in the policy-making against drug abuse in the educational sector especially secondary school level.

1.8   Limitation of the Study

Results and findings in this research were valid only to the extent that:

1. Students’ failure to respond to all the items in the questionnaire as required by the researcher.
2. The researcher observed that most students do not respond to the questionnaire independently.
3. The non-encouraging attitude of the students tends to hinder the finding of this study. Thus, the questionnaires were not turn-in in the exact number it was released.
4. Influenced by the thought that the researcher could be a security agent, the respondents could not sincerely respond to the items on the questionnaire as it concern their drug related habit.