Tuesday 27 September 2011

INDISCIPLINE AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN

                                                                          
The word indiscipline can be described as a mode of life not in conformation with rule and non-subjection to contain. The term connotes the regulations capable of obstructing the smooth and orderly function of the school system. Some scholar identify indiscipline and as a social menace that cut across all human indiscipline and as a canker worm which has eaten deep into the fabrics of national life. indiscipline has been suggested on its own as a factor responsible for all problems and vices with permitted academic, religious, political and social life against the growth and development of a nation. In education institutions indiscipline among secondary school students ranges from truancy, negligence of duty, loitering absentism, shabby dressing, gangsterism embezzlement, sex scandals and so on, moreover, gone are the days when students believe in hardworking as the honorable path to success. Examination malpractice is no longer a new thing even at primary school level, Children from different social statues. Privileged and down-trodden are involved in varying degrees, female students now have their classes in the rooms of their lovers. Respect for teachers and constituted authority among secondary school students has disappeared into the thin air, its even disappointing to identify the appearance of this “demon” in other institutions where it is least expected. indiscipline also raises its ugly head in the family settings, religious home, Churches, Mosques in government ministries and parastaltas and other human discipline in form of disobedience, theft, negligence of duty, laxity decadence and so on. Every reasonable thinking and well meaning citizens who are future – oriented will agree that indiscipline should not only be curbed and also must be eliminated so as to positively transfers our society without which the efforts to prepare the youth of the society as reliable and responsible future leaders will continue or be eroded.                                                                                               
Consequently, various measures have been strategizing and implemental in the past and at present by concerned organs at various level like federal government, state and local level to stamp out this monster. Establishment of EFCC (Economic and Finance crime Commission) and ICPC (Independent Corrupt Practices Commission) by the Federal Government, Setting up of monitoring Unity in the Ministries of Education as well as SPEB (State Primary Education Board) now SUPEB (State University Primary Education Board) and PPTESCOM ( Post Primary Teaching Service Commission) yet the problem of indiscipline remain hydra – headed.
    However multi – dimensional approach to this burning issue of indiscipline in secondary schools, hence the consideration of the causes and solution of indiscipline will be multi – dimensional. Adding that indiscipline leads to something like disrespecting school authority such as rudeness to teaching and staff, school prefects and senior students to disregard to school regulations such as wearing non-uniform dresses, lateness to school, absentism to individual is habits such as smoking, examination malpractices, fighting, drinking, stealing and lying , to collective behaviors of students in a group such as instances of students unrest, collective violence of student against teachers,     school authority or targeted group of students etc.
 Researchers has found out that there was a high rates of disobedience among secondary school students in Nigeria irrespective of their socio-economic background.               

        The problem of indiscipline is more apparent among secondary school students. Indiscipline among them has attracted serious attention of scholars and administrators. These scholars to administrators attributed indiscipline among secondary school students to their state of development. They opine that when students notice certain biological changes signaling maturity in the course of their growth and development, they tend to misbehave by faulting school rules and regulations
        The home as well as school constitutes an important factor in the formation of good or bad discipline of a child. Curriculum, instruction provided by educational system, must be the type that provide for moral and social needs and development of the nation. Other cause of indiscipline among secondary school students are society, lack of good leadership, rural-urban drift and so on.
        Charity they begin at home. In the development of a child, home is the most important agent where the child foundation and the future are being laid by the parents. Home is supposed to be place of love, care, peace, harmony, security and happiness but where one is lost, it heaps adverse effects on the children, some of the identifiable home problems are: Broken homes, It has been identified that the large portion of delinquent wayward secondary school girls are form broken homes or homes besets by quarrel and tensions such that they were neglected by parents. These girls may take up sexual misconduct as a way of the affection which was wanting in their broken parental homes. Other children from homes where parents are always quarrelling and fighting develop negative attitudes to life. In school, those students may be aggressive and always picking quarrel with their peers because that is what they grew up with.
        There is need to ascertain the attitude of some parents to the school authority and teachers, those who always take side with their children whenever they are involved in any criminal activities in the school. If only parents could cooperate with the school authority to eradicate indiscipline in the schools, society, herself, will be at rest.

        The parents should be all means provide for the children’s needs in school (not inordinate demands) and should at least have time for periodical visit to their children’s school to get necessary information about academic fairing. The school authority should take with utmost priority the provision of adequate and suitable recreational facilities like library with well equipped textbooks, classrooms The students should avoid keeping bad companies because bad association corrupts good manner. The school guidance – counseling unit must be kept alive in the school system with the task of orientating the students on the need for them to be law abiding.

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