ABSTRACT
This
study was undertaken to examine the types and prevalence of indiscipline among
secondary school teachers in Edo Central Senatorial District. To guide the
study five research questions were stated and answered while three hypotheses
were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study covered all
the secondary schools in the five local Government Areas of Edo State. A
structured questionnaire was used in gathering data. The questionnaire titled:
“teachers’ indiscipline questionnaire” (TIQ) had twenty four items. The
questionnaire elicited response which sought to answer the five research
questions raised. Three hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of
significance. The data were gathered from one hundred and seven (107)
principals out of one hundred and thirty one (131) principals. Data were
collected and analyzed, using frequencies and percentage to answer the research
questions, while t-test was used to test the hypotheses. The results show that
teachers in Edo Central Senatorial Distinct are involved in acts of
Indiscipline such as lateness, examination malpractices, absenteeism and truancy.
It was also found that acts of indiscipline were more prevalent among female
teachers, married teachers and younger teachers. It was then recommended that
educational managers like school heads and chief in Inspectors of Education
should note the areas of indiscipline such as lateness to school and
examination malpractices and the aspects of prevalence and to take steps to
eliminate or reduce them.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background
to the Study
Every
society formulates and adopts rules and regulations which direct and protect
the operations of its entire systems and its internal organizations. The
teaching profession is no exception to this rule. In 2004, the National
Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria issued its first code of conduct for
teachers. The issuance of such a document presupposes that some teachers could
deviate from the norms of the profession. Discipline involves self control,
restraint, self respect and respect for others. A disciplined person is guided
in his behaviour, moral and social principles and does what is right and good.
The teachers code of conduct (2007)
includes some of the acts of indiscipline listed as follows: Abuse of office,
Sexual misconduct, leaking of confidential information (like examination
questions), examination malpractice, requesting and receiving gratification
from students for various reasons, the use of the position as a teacher to
disseminate political and religious information and ideology among students.
Any act or behaviour or performance by individuals or group of persons contrary
to approved rules and regulations, that is repeated over and again, is regarded
as an act of indiscipline. Among teachers, indiscipline refers to acts or
behaviours that affect effective teaching, effective learning and effective
administration of the school. It is also reflected in the Teachers Registration
Council manual which states “...teachers should be dedicated and faithful in
all professional undertakings being punctual, thorough, conscienscious and
dependable.”
The
issue of indiscipline among secondary school teachers has recently become one
of a great concern in the Educational Sector in Nigeria. One incident that
recently aroused interest was the unscheduled visit of the Comrade Governor
Adams Oshiomole to schools in Edo State in 2012. His observations only
corroborated existing opinions about teachers’ attitudes to work and the
resultant effects. Absenteeism, lateness to work, false entries of time into
the school time book, poor record keeping and even impersonations of
non-existent teachers were allegedly
found out. The key factor responsible for indiscipline is non- commitment to
one’s duty and responsibilities. This in turn reflects itself in several
misconducts of the teachers in schools. The conduct of teachers has become the
most debated aspect of administration in schools today. Many researchers have
focused on indiscipline among secondary school students and paying little or no
attention to the teachers whose impact on the students cannot be
underestimated.
Other
acts that constitute indiscipline of teachers include: truancy (unauthorized exit from
school and from classes), absenteeism
from school and lesson periods, illegal extortion of money from parents
and students lateness to work and classes, unapproved study leave with or
without pay, drug taking, colluding with students to cheat in examination,
gossiping, inability to keep or maintain appropriate school records like diaries,
registers, students results, trading during school period, supporting students
against constituted authority, sending students on errands inappropriately,
involvement in secret cult activities, smoking during school hours, alcohol
consumptions during school hours, immoral relationship with students, refusing
to teach students and insubordination to constituted authority among others.
While
all the acts of indiscipline listed above seem to have negative effects on the
teacher’s effectiveness on the job, they can yet be classified in terms of
their impact on students, school administration and school atmosphere. This is
because failing to meet with expectations in one or more aspects of the
teacher’s responsibilities may not prevent effectiveness in another area. Thus,
while there are conducts that hamper teaching and learning processes, there are
those that affect the students by direct involvement. Some teachers’ conducts
threaten the smooth running of the school and yet some others are criminal in nature.
Acts or conducts like smoking, indecent dressing and drinking may be seen as
setting bad or unacceptable pattern of behaviour for the students to copy
without necessarily interfering with the proper discharge of the teachers’
duties. This kind of indiscipline differs from those directly involving the
students like having immoral relationship, sending students on errand within
and or outside the school during lesson hours, cultism, the extortion of money
from the students and examination malpractice. These later types require the
direct participation of students who become eventual victims. Even these acts
may not prevent a teacher from teaching effectively, preparing and completing
school records as and when necessary.
Conducts
like absenteeism from school and class, poor records keeping, trading during
school hours and refusing to teach student have direct bearing on the teaching
and learning process. Cultism, inciting and supporting students and staff
against the school head, extortion of money from students, examination
malpractice and organizing students for violent protests, bother on crime. Acts
of indiscipline like smoking, drinking, rough and indecent dressing create
wrong patterns of behaviour for students to copy. In order to study the prevalence
of the acts of indiscipline, the following variables were selected to assist
the researcher: sex, marital status and age of the teacher.
These
categories of teachers were chosen because every teacher falls within one group
of the variables or the other. The sex of the teacher, for example, plays a
vital role in terms of domestic responsibilities, family welfare and health
attendance needs. These in turn affect the responsiveness of the teacher to
duty. It can also be perceived that the age of the teacher can affect the
degree or level of commitment to duties. It is presupposed that these variables
have varying degrees of appeal or influence on the perceptions of both the
students and the general public.
Statement
of the Problem
There
has been a general outcry about what is perceived as a fall in the standard of
education and general indiscipline of
students. It has been observe
that the problem of indiscipline in Nigerian schools is a canker worm that has
eaten deep into the fabrics of the society. From personal observation, the
unscheduled visits to (secondary) schools in Edo state by the Governor of Edo
state, Adams Oshiomole, in 2012 was more of a response to the hue and cry over
alleged issues of indiscipline among teachers, which is perceived to be a
contributing factor, if not the sole cause of student indiscipline and the
alleged fall in the standard of education. In addition, the quality of the
personality and the degree of productivity of teachers can be measured by the
teachers’ conduct as perceived by the society and, the general performance of
the students that pass through them. There is therefore a need for the review
of the quality of persons and the performance of teachers. The National Policy on Education states that
to ensure good control in the schools, it is necessary to have good teachers
and supervisors. Onoyase (2007) also states the need to help teachers improve
on the job and facilitate effective instructions in schools.
This
concern of the public raises certain questions: are the teachers actually doing
their jobs? Are the teachers regular and punctual at their duties? What aspects
of the teachers’ negative attitude to work are most common? What status of
teachers are more involved in negative attitudes that affect the general school
administration and the teaching and learning situation? And what are the varying
degrees of prevalence among the variables. Therefore, this study is to
determine the types, and examine the prevalence, of indiscipline among
secondary school teachers in Edo Central Senatorial District.
Research
Questions
To guide the study, the
following questions were raised:
(1) What are the common types of indiscipline
among secondary school teachers in Edo Central Senatorial District?
(2) What
is the rate of prevalence of indiscipline among teachers in secondary schools?
(3) What
is the rate of prevalence of indiscipline between male and female teachers?
(4) What
is the rate of prevalence of indiscipline between married and single teachers?
(5) What
is the rate of prevalence of indiscipline between old and young teachers?
Hypotheses
The following
hypotheses were formulated for the study:
(1) There is no
significant difference in the rate of indiscipline between male and female
teachers in secondary schools in Edo Central Senatorial District.
(2) There is no significant difference in the
rate of indiscipline between married and unmarried secondary school teachers in
Edo Central Senatorial District.
(3) The rate of indiscipline
between old and young secondary school teachers is not significantly different
in Edo Central Senatorial District.
The
Purpose of the Study
The
major purpose of the study is to investigate the types and prevalence of
indiscipline among secondary school teachers in Edo Central Senatorial District
of Nigeria. Specifically, the study intends to:
(1)
Investigate the common acts of
indiscipline among secondary school teachers.
(2)
Examine the rate of prevalence of indiscipline
among male and female teachers.
(3)
Determine the rate of prevalence of these acts
of indiscipline among married and single teachers.
(4)
Identify the rate of prevalence of
indiscipline among old and young secondary school teachers.
Significance
of the Study
This study will be of importance to
government and her relevant agencies, as well as to non governmental agencies
concerned with education. It will also be of help to teachers on the job, to
those in training, proprietors of schools and school heads. It will also be of
relevance to researchers in education as well as contribute to the general body
of knowledge.
Through this work, government and her
education agencies and non-governmental agencies that are interest in tackling
indiscipline in education will be able to identify types of indiscipline that
are common among secondary school teachers in Edo Central Senatorial District. Teacher’s
on–the-job and those in training constitute the current teaching work force and
the prospective ones. They will find this work relevant in terms of identifying
their possible areas of weakness. This can ginger them into taking corrective
steps rather than wait for punitive measures from school heads.
Proprietors and school heads will
find this work relevant in identifying acts of indiscipline among their
teachers. This will help them put up measures to curtail or eliminate them. Researchers
in education will find the statistical data and the findings of this study
relevant to their work. The empirical review and the recommendation will be of
relevance to them. Acts of indiscipline should be checked and stamped out in
order to prevent such acts from becoming prevalent.
Specifically,
this study will assist government and her agencies in identifying acts of
indiscipline and proffering solutions that will minimize these acts. It will
assist non governmental agencies in identifying and focusing on related areas
requiring attention.
Scope
and Delimitation of the Study
The
research focuses on Types and Prevalence of Indiscipline among Junior Secondary
School Teachers in Edo Central Senatorial District. The variables covered in
this study include: the sex of the teacher, the age of the teacher and, the
marital status of the teacher.
The
types of indiscipline covered in this study are lateness, examination malpractice,
truancy and absenteeism. This work does not cover the prevalence of other types
of indiscipline which are however listed in the background of this study.
Operational
Definition of Terms
The under listed terms
are contextually defined by the researcher.
Indiscipline –
deviation from a code of behaviour.
Lateness - arrival at
school after 7.30am.
Examination malpractice – any acts aimed at
giving students assistance against conventional examination rules.
Truancy – sneaking away from school and class.
Absenteeism – frequent absence from school
Young teachers -
a teacher that is below forty years.
Old teacher – a
teacher that is forty years above.================================================================
Item Type: Postgraduate Material | Attribute: 81 pages | Chapters: 1-5
Format: MS Word | Price: N3,000 | Delivery: Within 30Mins.
================================================================
No comments:
Post a Comment