Project Material on; Influence of drug abuse on the academic performance of secondary school students in Uyo Local Government Area , Akwa Ibom State

Project Material on; Influence of drug abuse on the academic performance of secondary school students in Uyo Local Government Area , Akwa Ibom State

1.1  Introduction

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 (2013), 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 (2018), Oduaran (2019), Johnson (2019) 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, 2015). Njama (2014) 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 (2019) 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.

The history of the human race has also been the history of drug abuse. In itself, the use of drugs does not constitute an evil. Drugs, properly administered, have been a medical blessing. For example, herbs, roots, bark leaves and plants have been used to relieve pain and help control diseases. However, over the past few decades, the use of illegal drugs has spread at an unprecedented rate and has reached at every part of the world. Many researchers have sought the cause of drug abuse/addiction, so that effective treatments and preventive methods can be implemented. Research has found that the problem arises from many aspects: family sources, such as mother-father relationships, the way parents raise their children, the financial situation of the family, and the community, such as illicit gathering places, wrong or bad values, and neglect. The people adolescents spend time with also affect his/her habits. Adolescents who have friends using drugs are more prone to become addicts themselves. Friends tend to introduce others to drug use. Another factor affecting drug abuse is the lack of knowledge of the drug’s effects. Because of the complexity of the problem, collaboration between several groups must be implemented to increase adolescents’ understanding amphetamines and themselves, to enable them to develop self-worth and to prepare them to face drug temptations, learning to say “No” to drugs. Society should support these adolescents in preparing them for such situations. Friends, family, teachers and other members of the community should give support to adolescents so that they are emotionally and mentally ready to fight against drugs.

Godley mentions that, paying little heed to the idea of the connection between academic achievement and substance use, schools are a significant potential intercession condition for teenagers who are in danger for substance use problems. Indeed, our own discoveries and those of Engberg and Morral recommend that pre-adult medication use is identified with decreases in continued commitment in scholarly interests, which infers that mediations laid out by Godley could improve school commitment and attendance. Engberg and Morral’s information are especially convincing, as they exhibit that lessening substance use through a treatment program builds school participation among overwhelming medication utilizing youths. Taken together, the consequences of both observational examinations recommend that diminishing medication use will deliver enhancements in scholarly results.

Consequences of the two examinations underscore the significance of explaining the systems by which substance use impacts academic results. Research proposes two potential mechanisms. First, substance use itself may influence intellectual improvement which, further, decreases academic accomplishment and reduces academic progression. Late investigations have appeared overwhelming substance use can prompt issues with working memory and attention because of changes in adolescent brain activity. These memory and attention issues may in turn, prompt abatements in academic performance and engagement in school, and ultimately results in high risk of school problems and dropouts. Moreover, these discoveries have been accounted for heavy drinking and drug-using adolescents (like the clinical example utilized by Engberg and Morral), and it is indistinct whether such impacts would emerge at lower level of utilization. In addition, the magnitude and in terms of whether they extend to perpetual quality of these impacts are hazy as far as whether they stretch out to impair academic functioning. For instance, studies recommend that withdrawal is a significant indicator of the neurocognitive deficits related with adolescent drinking, however it isn’t evident whether prolonged periods of restraint redresses these shortfalls or whether they are permanent.

Alternatively, it could be that drug and alcohol use during adolescence leads to association with antisocial peer groups, which in turn diminishes school engagement and increases other behavioral and social problems. Surely, as Godley and the present examinations support, substance use is related to many school-related outcomes that have a strong behavioral and social component. That is, results, such as, school grades; attendance, school completion and dropout are impacted not only by intellectual working, but also by inspiration, hierarchical aptitudes and social/ behavioral abilities. In other words, the impacts of substance use on academic outcomes may have motivational, social and behavioral components in addition to any consequences for perception and subjective advancement. Thus, negative academic outcomes may be due to both the direct effect of substance use on In this way, negative academic results might be because of both the immediate impact of substance use on cognitive skills as well as the constellation of motivational, social and behavioral risk factors associated with substance use in adolescence.

1.2 Background of the Study

Drug abuse is the use of drugs for other purposes other than medical reasons, thus affecting the individual In a negative way socially, cognitively or physically Kuria (2016). Social effect may be reflected in an individual’s enhanced tendency to engage in conflicts with friends, teachers and school activities. Cognitive effects relate to the individual’s lack of concentration on academic works and memory loss, while Kwinsohn (2017) defines a drug as any product other than food or water that affect the way people feel, think, see and behave. It is a substance due to its chemical nature affects physical, mental and emotional functioning. It can enter the body through chewing, eating, smoking, drinking, rubbing on the skin or injection.

According to the world health organization (W.H.O) (2018) drug addiction is persistent, excessive drug use, inconsistent with or on related to acceptable medicines practices. Drug abuse amongst the global youth population has become a serious problem affecting everyone. Addiction leads many people, young people prominent amongst them, into downward spiral of hopelessness that in some cases ends fatal. They range from give sniffing street children and teenage ecstasy users to hard core heroin and cocaine addicts (Nacada, 2015). Drug abuse is responsible for lost wages destruction of property in schools, scoring health care costs and broken families. It is a problem which affects us all as parents, children, teachers, government officials, taxpayers and workers. The National government in Nigeria embarked on an aggressive campaign to fight drug and substances abuse. This leads to creation of (NDLEA) to enforce, control and correct abuse stakeholders established, advisory communities on the vice. The campaign, which targeted parents and students, was spearheaded by chiefs and their assistants at the grassroots level according to Kapsoya location chief Muss Kipchumba, drug abuse was becoming a disaster both in rural and urban settings, as barons target school children

Drug abuse had hit hard on the youthful population; the older people were also resorting to substance abuse through excessive intake of alcohol, creating awareness to the public on the danger of drug abuse has become one of the key priorities in Nigeria.

1.3       Statement of the Problem

Nigeria has experienced rapid growth of population in recent years; the increasing demand for education has led to more universities being formed. Due to the rapid development, drug use has become common among student in campus and is even affecting their performances in class. Despite the worldwide concern and awareness about the dangers of drug abuse most of the student have limited knowledge of how dangerous the habit is (Ngesu, 2018). Many students have dropped out of school and others opted to engage in criminal activities thus endangering the lives of the people living in the communities. The young generation no longer has role model since most of the young adults are unemployed and under the influence of drugs.

Despite the government concern and heightened campaigns against the vice among high school student who are illicit drug users. Although, students are expected to be aware of the effects of drug abuse and commit themselves in their studies, the habit still exist default of their prior expected awareness of its consequences.

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 Uyo LGA, Akwa Ibom State

1.4 Objectives of the Study

1)      To examine the influence of drug abuse on the academic performance of secondary school student in Uyo LGA, Akwa Ibom State

2)      Identify the various causes and the extent to which the drug abuse has influence the secondary school students

3)      To create the awareness on this impact of drug abuse within the secondary school students in Uyo LGA, Akwa

4)      The consequences of the influence of drug abuse on academic performance of students in tertiary institutions of Nigeria

1.5       Research Questions

        i.            How does the influence of drug abuse affects academic performance of secondary school student in Uyo LGA, Akwa Ibom State?

      ii.            Are there various causes of drug abuse toward the influence of secondary school students?

    iii.            In what ways can awareness be created on the impact of drug abuse within the secondary school students in Uyo LGA, Akwa?

    iv.            Is there any difference in the influence of drug abuse on academic performance of secondary school students on the basis of age?

1.6 Statements of Hypothesis

Hypothesis One

Ho: Drug abuse does not influence the academic performance of secondary school student in Uyo LGA, Akwa Ibom State

Hi: Drug abuse influences the academic performance of secondary school student in Uyo LGA, Akwa Ibom State

Hypothesis Two

Ho: There’re no consequences of the influence of drug abuse on academic performance of students in tertiary institutions of Nigeria

Hii: There’re consequences of the influence of drug abuse on academic performance of students in tertiary institutions of Nigeria

Hypothesis Three

Ho: There’re no various causes of drug abuse on the influence the secondary school students

Hiii: There’re various causes of drug abuse on the influence the secondary school students

1.7       Scope of the Study

This investigation focuses on the influence of drug abuse on academic performance of students in tertiary institutions of Nigeria. It will cover the influence of the drug addiction on the student performance especially in some selected secondary school students in Uyo LGA, Akwa Ibom State

1.8 Significance of the Study

The findings of the study will be useful to the community, institutions of higher learning and Nigeria government. The study will reveal the influence of major drugs on students’ academic performance. The research work would be useful in educating all youths and adults in Uyo LGA, on the risk of drug consumption. Thus this study would play an important role in reducing, or even preventing high rate of drug use and abuse.

The study will also provide a background for other studies in its prevention. This would help in promoting a drug-free school environment and better academic performance, thus improving the standards of education in the country particularly in secondary school students in Akwa Ibom State

1.9       Definition of Terms

Influence: The power to change or affect someone, the power to cause change without directly forcing them to happen

Drug: Any product other than food or water that affect the way people feels, think, see and behave. It is a substance that due to its chemical nature affects physical, mental and emotional functioning.

Drug Abuse: The use of drugs for purposes other than medical reasons, thus affecting the individual in a negative way socially, cognitively or physically.

Academic: belonging to an academy or other higher institutions of learning, also a socially society or organization.

Academic Performance: the extent to which a student has achieves his or her educational goals.

Student: a person who studies a particular academic subject. A learner or someone who attempt an educational institution

Addict: It is the person that engaged in the misuse of drug and cannot do without taking drug; hence it has become part and core of him or her.

Secondary school: A secondary school or a high school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place.

Tertiary Institution: includes universities as well as institution that teach specific capacities of higher learning such as colleges.