CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

Historically, all kinds of societies have regarded human beings as moral creatures. Within the State, some behaviors are unacceptable while standards differ from place to place. No society is without moral standards. Each has its codes, rules, laws, & ethical understandings. When individuals choose to live immoral lives, they do so to their own detriment & not only to the harm of the society. Laolu (2015) defined school in sociological context as the place where the culture of the people is transferred from one generation to another. Members of the wider society, including the operations of the educational system are governed by norms & laws that direct the affairs of an individual member. It goes to say that such laws are meant to compel the entire members of the society to exhibit character that will conform to the societal laws & order.

School and classroom rules exist in every school & function like miniature constitutions or codes of law (Jackson, 2020). Thornberge (2018) defines classroom rules as “dos & don'ts of the classroom, all those guidelines for action for the evaluation of action that the teacher expresses or implies through word or deed”. School rules are a wider concept than classroom rules & are here defined as prescriptions, legitimized by teachers, about how to behave in school situations. Such desirable character include, honesty, obedience to school rules and regulations, loyalty, simple courtesies, consideration for others, respect for elders & constituted authorities, habits of cleanliness, self-discipline & so on. In order to ensure peaceful coexistence in schools, the authorities often make rules & regulations that guide and control the behavior of their students with a view of setting high standards of discipline. The infringement by any student on such established rules & regulation constitute offences which are subject to appropriate punishment. Schools are social system established by law to impact desirable & acceptable social values. They exist in order to make the individual a useful & functional member of the society. The school like other social organizations has laid down rules & regulations guiding the conduct of its members. Schools had features of both rational & natural systems & also have strong relationships with their external environment that stems from the dependence on resources & accountability (Hoy & Miskel as cited in Bozkus 2014). Therefore school indiscipline is often seen as an important impediment in the process in which children are enabled to function in the society. Living in a society entitles living in association with certain agreed rules, which govern one’s behavior.

According to Sidhu, (1996) good discipline at school plays a vital role in the achievement of expectations and goals. Discipline also plays a vital role in instilling responsibility in learners as well as educators. Educator’s ability to exercise effective discipline as suggested by Dunham (1984:66) is essential. Good discipline creates a good image of the school and prepares learners for the future. Disruptive behavior (indiscipline) amongst learners is eliminated if there is good discipline at school. The implementation of effective discipline at school is a key for the learner in his journey to adulthood. Parents always look for schools with good discipline to enroll their children so as to achieve good academic performances.

According to Ssekamwa (2010) many higher institutions experience ineffective discipline/discipline problems, which affect the learner’s academic performance and their progress in school. He goes on to say that if a school lacks effective discipline, the achievement academically will be poor. Criminal activities result because of dropouts caused by failure to cope with school discipline.

Mafabi (2015) points out that in our higher institutions today, some learners are habitual late comers; contrary to the school rules and regulations. They leave school premises without permission; do not bring their books to school; refuse to do their homework; reject any kind of authority and resist any disciplinary measures taken against them. Bieketty (2014) asserts that lack of discipline and disrespect of teachers cause a severe barrier to effective teaching and learning in the classroom. Discipline has been underestimated by over actualizing freedom and rights, an understatement of responsibilities and obligations, marginalization of the authority of a lecturer, poor role models by some teachers, lack of punctuality, abscondiment from classes by both learners and teachers.

According to the Ministry of Education and Sports Report (2015), the number of school going students was recorded increasing from 1986 as a result of the good governance, new education policies and political stability in the country. The education system had a double shift mode of studying where Senior One, Senior Two and Senior Five students used to study during the afternoon while Senior Three, Senior Four and Senior Six students studied in the morning. This assisted to create a balance between teacher to students ratio of 1:45, as required by the Ministry of Education and Sports. The level of discipline in classes and schools at large could easily be managed then and the level of indiscipline though existed, was not so strange (Ministry of Education and Sports, 2015 report). The only existing schools by then were government funded schools where admissions were centralized and thus dismissed students could not easily access other schools without recommendations from previous schools. Students therefore had to maintain discipline for fear of not easily accessing new schools. Most of these schools were day schools where parents could also participate in keeping a watch over their children’s behaviors at home. Many Nigerians have been going through this education system for a number of decades.

According to Nakabugo, Opolot, Ssebbung and Manni (2017), the reality is that in many classrooms in various schools across the country, there are over 70 pupils in one class. This creates more challenges to teachers for effective teaching and learning that involves enforcing discipline. With the ever increasing number of students in schools, the student to teacher ratio has increased making it hard for teachers to effectively and efficiently manage students’ discipline and thus the increasing number of students’ aggressive behaviors, loitering of students during class time, an indication of indiscipline.

Nakabugo et al., (2017), goes on to say that dismissed students from one school can easily be admitted in another school no matter whether he/she has a recommendation from the previous school or not. This does not necessitate students to maintain discipline while at school. Marshall (2016), points out that some schools have changed to boarding section as a way of coping up with the increasing stiff competition among students and schools as well as for national level exams. This has also resulted in students spending more time in schools than with parents where they are suspected to get adapted to all various kinds of behaviors such as homosexuality, smoking, abuse of substances, and use of nasty words among other things.

1.2 Statement of the problem

There is no doubt that students‟ indiscipline generally militate against quality teaching & learning & the production of useful & acceptable members of the society. Indiscipline behavior brings about disorder, destruction & anxiety among the students. Indiscipline behaviors therefore do not create conducive environment for learning but leads to poor academic work. The abolishment of the old system of corporal punishment & control by school authorities caused principals & teachers to lose grip of students‟ discipline. As a result, indiscipline among school children has become a universal challenge facing the society.

Good academic achievement is the target of every school as accountability to stake holders, (Namuganza, 2020). Lecturers, teachers, learners, the parents and even the Government, all play their various roles, to ensure good academic performance. At University of Jos specifically, the school governing board ensures good structures are in place, facilities are in good condition to promote learning. School administrators continue to maintain conducive learning environment by ensuring the operation of discipline in school for academic performance, through cancelling, peer talk, suspension and others. Teachers on the other hand, do their best to complete the syllabus in time, carry out assessments to help learners to perform better by subjecting them to continuous tests, career guidance and counseling. The learners are expected to do the tests, be present in school daily, obey school rules and regulations and generally be disciplined. Despite the efforts the academic performance, measured in grades in University of Jos is still poor. (Institutional Performance Report, 2014).

According to Mafabi (2015) symptoms of indiscipline in schools include late coming, habitual absenteeism, telling lies, inattentiveness, disruption in classes, evading school activities, bulling, indecent dressing, misuse of mobile phones, rudeness, vandalism, aggressiveness, smocking, alcoholism, and disrespect of authority, which leads to total chaos, a situation that makes realization of school goals a night mare, especially academic performance. This is not different from the situation at University of Jos (Institutional Performance Report, 2014). This research therefore sets to investigate the effect of indiscipline on students’ performance in computer science education at University of Jos in Nigeria.

1.3 Objectives of the study

The main objective of the study was to find out the effect of students’ moral indiscipline on students’ performance in computer science education at University of Jos.

The following are the specific objectives of the study:

1. To establish the effect of disrespect of school rules and regulations on students’ performance in computer science education at University of Jos.

2. To assess the effect of absenteeism on students’ performance in computer science education at University of Jos.

3. To establish the effect of poor time management on students’ performance in computer science education at University of Jos

1.4 Research questions

1. How does disrespect of school rules and regulations influence students’ performance in computer science education at University of Jos?

2. How does absenteeism influence students’ performance in computer science education at University of Jos?

3. How does poor time management influence students’ performance in computer science education at University of Jos?

1.5 Hypotheses of the study.

1. Disrespect of school rules and regulations significantly influences students’ performance in computer science education at University of Jos.

2. Absenteeism significantly influences students’ performance in computer science education at University of Jos.

3. Poor time management significantly influences students’ performance in computer science education at University of Jos.

1.6 Significance of the study

The study identified and critically analyzed the relationship between indiscipline and students’ performance in computer science education at University of Jos. This may act as feedback into the schools in ways of improving students’ performance and adjustment may be carried out accordingly to promote better, effective and efficient students’ academic achievement in different institutions of learning.

New investors may use the findings and recommendations of the study to appreciate the different indiscipline practices and their influence on performance in Nigerian schools thus helping them create institutions that may have a competitive edge in the knowledge and skill provision.

At the research level, the findings may bridge the gap between the theory studied in class and indiscipline practices. The findings may contribute to the existing literature about the indiscipline and academic performance of students since the students are the most valued assets of the educational institution and it may also aid in formulation, implementation and monitoring as far as teacher commitment practices is concerned.

The information obtained may be utilized in formulation of polices at all institutions like, agencies, government institutions and non-government organizations in regard to discipline management. This may help to curb poor performance of the academics in such schools mainly if the study is furthered up to the publication level.

The findings of the study may be beneficial to school directors at University of Jos, policy makers in the Ministry of Education and Sports, parents and other stakeholders in Nigeria.

1.7 Justification of the study

Good academic performance is a major indicator of quality education. Quality education in turn is considered the key to economic and industrial growth and ultimately development.

The national goals of economic recovery and industrialization are jeopardized by students’ unrests and indiscipline in public higher institutions. Students’ academic performance is affected by their indiscipline like strikes, disrespect of their teachers, absenteeism, poor time management, violence, alcoholism and many other factors, which limit their concentration in class and leads to poor grades, thus necessitating this study to help find solutions to indiscipline so as to improve academic performance.

1.8 Scope of the study

The study was conducted at University of Jos. This was chosen because the location was favorable in terms of transport and accessibility.

This study assessed the effect of moral indiscipline on academic performance using elements of disrespect of school rules and regulations, absenteeism, poor time management, thus affecting the academic performance. This was chosen because the researcher thought were the most important factors affecting institutions in Plateau state mainly University of Jos.

The study focused mainly on the years of 2017-2021, because this was the period when poor academic performance was realized at University of Jos.

1.9 Operational Definitions

Discipline- is a systematic training of the physical, mental and moral capacities of the chi1d through exercises and instruction.

Indiscipline. is conceptualized as a situation in which people do not control their behavior or obey rules.

Academic performance- is the measured ability and achievement level of a learner in a school, subject or particular skills.

Absenteeism- the practice of regularly staying away from work or school without good reason.

Rules and regulations- Are general Principles or rules with or without the coercive power of law employed in controlling, directing, or managing an activity, organization, or system.

Time management- is the art of arranging, organizing, scheduling and budgeting one’s time for the purpose of generating more effectiveness in work and productivity.