INDISCIPLINE BEHAVIOURS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS

INDISCIPLINE BEHAVIOURS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background of the Study

Indiscipline behaviours have impacted negatively on academic performance in mathematics among primary school pupils. According to Ntem (2002), Indiscipline behaviours is an age long problem affecting youth especially their academic performance in schools. The matter, that is, indiscipline behaviours has become a matter of growing concern to parents, educators, spiritual land community leaders, law enforcement agencies and political leaders. Accordingly, indiscipline behaviours pose a threat to society. It is a pitiable sight that today’s youths of our land, which are tomorrow’s adults of the nation are increasingly seen entrenching themselves in the path of indiscipline. These behaviours affect their studies in school thus leading to a poor academic performance in mathematics in primary schools.

          Indiscipline behaviours by pupils are one of the problems affecting pupils habits in school. Behaviors such as vandalism, truancy, stealing, violence at home, lying, examination malpractice for the senior primary and the general deviance behaviours in school and homes contribute greatly to pupils’ poor academic performance in mathematics in primary schools. This view is shared by Ntukidem (2005) who observed that some children are spoilt too much and that parents tend to give the children all they demand. Thus, as stated by the author, the child can do damages if ever it happens that the parent does not give him/her what he/she asks for. The child becomes stubborn and determined to have everything. But such hebaviour is not adequate. At school too he/she will tend to be authoritative and this could be difficult to maintain discipline with the child. This will, in turn, affects the pupils’ study habit in both home and school and consequently attendance, the pupils may join peer groups which encourage socially unacceptable behaviours. They form and lead the group of truant pupils and this discourages learning and has negative attitudes to what the school values highly which is discipline and high academic work. Thus indiscipline behaviours lead to a poor academic performance in mathematics among primary school pupils. It is against this background and more than the researcher attempt to examine indiscipline behaviours and academic performance in mathematics among primary school pupils in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area.

1.2     Statement of the Problem  

Primary school pupils have not been able to progress steadily in the study of mathematics in schools. This is due partly to indiscipline behaviours exhibited by the pupils themselves. Pupils in the various primary schools show indiscipline behaviours such as disobedience, truancy, dishonesty, stealing, general wickedness, bullying, fighting, and other deviant behaviours. Indiscipline cases are so common among pupils of the primary school. They are undoubtedly caused by certain factors such as the school, home and peer group influence to mention but few. It should be noted that children are not born with indiscipline behaviours, neither could it be hereditary, but most of these behaviours are practiced and learn overtime till it becomes habit forming. The end or result is that these behaviours affect pupils’ study habit, class attendance, academic concentration, and general discipline life.

The authorities also have failed to provide school counselors which would have provided quality and nice counsel to these pupils. In addition, the researcher has discovered that a proper provision of consistent and loving guidance and training of these indiscipline pupils can positively change their indiscipline behaviours thus improve their academic performance in mathematics in primary schools. With these and other problems, the study investigates indiscipline behaviours and academic performance in mathematics among primary school pupils in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

1.3     Purpose of the Study 

The main purpose of this study was to examine indiscipline behaviours and academic performance in mathematics among primary school pupils. The specific objectives of this study include:

(1)         To determine the effect of examination in dishonesty on academic performance in mathematics among primary school pupils.

(2)         To assess the effect of truancy on academic performance in mathematics among primary school pupils.

(3)         To examine the effect of lateness on academic performance in mathematics among primary school pupils.

1.4     Research Questions

          The following questions were used in this study:

(1)              Does examination dishonesty any effect on academic performance in mathematics among primary school pupils?

(2)              What extent does truancy affect academic performance in mathematics among primary school pupils?

(3)              Lateness any effect on academic performance in mathematics among primary school pupils?

1.5     Research Hypotheses   

This study is guided by the following research hypotheses:  

(1)              There is no significant relationship between examination dishonesty and academic performance in mathematics among primary school pupils.

(2)              There is no significant relationship between truancy and academic performance in mathematics among primary school pupils.

(3)              There is no significant relationship between lateness and academic performance in mathematics among primary school pupils.

1.6     Significance of the Study

          This study shall be useful in a number of ways: the school administrators and stakeholders including Headteachers, Classroom teachers, Deputy teachers will find this work useful. The data will help them deal adequately with pupils with indiscipline behaviours among school children in primary schools. Parents will also benefit from this study as it will enable them to bring up their children/wards in a more disciplined way. All these will lead to a more meaningful organization and discipline in our schools and homes. Apart from the aforementioned, students/scholars researching into indiscipline behaviours and academic performance will find the result of this work a useful material in their work.

1.7     Delimitation of the Study        

          This study was made to cover primary schools in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. It was made to examine indiscipline behaviours and academic performance in mathematics among primary school pupils. Indiscipline behaviours include truancy, examination dishonesty, general wickedness, bullying, lateness to school.

1.8     Limitation of the Study

This study was faced with a number of difficulties. Firstly, the research was constrained by the limited time frame for its execution. Also, insufficient funds did not allow for wider coverage of all the primary schools in the study area. The respondents were not very willing to respond to the questionnaire within the expected time.

1.9     Definition of Terms

The following terms used in this work are defined as thus:

Indiscipline: This refers to the inability to keep orders or rules in order to train the mind to produce self-control. It is also the lack of control in the behavior of a group of people.

Peer group: This means a social group of equal status or equal social standard, example, classmate, age mates, roommates. They are people with the same social standing.

Academic performance: This refers to the educational attainment of each child either in the positive or negative standard.

Discipline: It refers to training, especially of the mind and character aimed at producing self-control, obedience, ordered behaviours in an individual.

Problem child: It is a child who continually behaves badly and does not learn well in home and school.

Mathematics: This means the science of numbers, quantity, and space of which, example, arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, and geometry are branches. Mathematics has to do with calculations.

Indiscipline behaviours: Lack of control in manners towards one another as shown in fighting, disobedient, bullying, stealing, general wickedness, etc.

Truancy: This is an act of purposely staying away from school without permission by pupils.

Juvenile delinquency: This refers to criminal or anti-social behavior by a young person or a child before the age of 18.

Aggression: This is violent and destructive behavior that is purposely directed against other people or the environment. This may take the form of fighting and damaging properties both in home and school.