CHAPTER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF STUDY

The term ‘students crises’ has been defined in various ways; Ojo (2005) defined students’ crises’ as the rampage made by students in pressing their demand on certain issues with school authorities. Ibukun (2007) regarded students’ crises as the demonstration made by students leading to destruction of lives and properties as a result of protest over their demands. Other researchers have described students’ crises as the protests made by students involving confrontation with authorities over certain issues with the authorities (Asunmo, 2009; Akinyemi, 2002).

It was thus an unstable situation of misbehaviour, boycott of classes, disturbance, wanton destruction and the extreme danger that could be perpetrated by students (Falua, 2004). Students` behavioral problems and abnormalities in school are not new phenomena. Undesirable activities of students include a vast range of unacceptable behaviors such as lack of participation in class programs, causing disturbance for other students, violence (verbal, physical), destroying the school building, equipment and facilities. Methods used in Iranian schools for solving conflicts depends on the position where they see the undesirable behavior as a result of student`s personal problems and those of the family and the student`s cultural environment.

These methods therefore, apply force and use the reward/punishment system to eliminate such behaviors. Warning, reproach, calling the parent to school, physical punishment and in some cases expulsion from school are among common methods used in school against the student’s violent behaviors. These methods which are often carried out without considering the children needs, expectations, students` behavioral conflicts and problems.

In fact, by generating negative feelings in the students, these methods result in some other undesirable behavior in the future. By investigating methods for confronting with the students behavioral conflicts in other countries, it becomes obvious that in the recent decades new viewpoints have been offered in the field of analyzing students` behavioral problems. Accordingly, different policies are used for preventing and reducing conflicts. Conflict presently continues to be a factor in academic life. Schools frequently appear to be centers of tension; on occasion, they are perhaps a manifestation of problems in the community.

The term conflict is viewed in a variety of ways because of its confusion with those conditions which lead to situations of different conflict. Thomas (2006) defines conflict as “the process which begins when one party perceives that the other has frustrated, or is about to frustrate, some concern of his Conflict involves situations in which differences are expressed by interdependent people in the process of achieving their needs and goals, and it arises when a difference between two or more people necessitates change in at least one person in order for their engagement to continue and develop.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

One of the most pressing issues in Nigeria is that of crisis. The issue of crisis no longer on political bases but it is now the order of the day in the secondary schools in Nigeria. Crisis in secondary schools could be as result of poor management of pupils in the school, lack of proper orientation during admission of students. The continuous growth of crisis in the secondary schools could make teachers refused to attend classes; some of the teachers might resign from their jobs. Finally, several researches has been carried out on crisis in university but not even a single research has been carried out on the impact of students crisis in some selected secondary school using Odigbo local government area of Ondo State as the case study.

1.3   AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

The main aim of the study is to determine the impact of student crisis in some selected secondary school. Other specific objectives of the study include:

1. to determine the effect of students crisis in secondary school.
2. to determine the extent to which crisis affect secondary school students.
3. to determine the extent to which crisis affect secondary school teachers.
4. to determine the factors leading to conflicts in secondary schools.
5. to determine the strategies for conflict resolution amongst secondary school.

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS               

1. What is the effect of student’s crisis in secondary school?
2. What is the extent to which crisis affect secondary school students?
3. What is the extent to which crisis affect secondary school teachers?
4. What are the factors leading to conflicts in secondary schools?
5. What are the strategies for conflict resolution amongst secondary school?

1.5   STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0:   Student’s crisis has no significant effect on teaching and learning processes in secondary schools in Ondo State.

H1:      Student’s crisis has significant effect on teaching and learning processes in secondary schools in Ondo State.

1.6   SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

The study on the impact of students crisis in some selected secondary school will be o immense benefit to the entire secondary schools in Odigbo local government area of Ondo state in the sense that it will enable the government of Ondo state to come up with preventive measures as to what causes crisis amongst secondary school students, it will enable them to make a law that anyone that cause crisis in secondary school will be severely punished by the government authorities and may possibly drop out of school and due to the fact that his/her name is in the black list of the state, he/she will be denied certain rights as a citizen of the state. All these and many more might help check the crisis level amongst secondary school students in Odigbo local government area of Ondo state. Finally, the study will contribute to the body of existing literature and knowledge in this field of study and provide the basis for further research.   

1.7   SCOPE OF STUDY

The study on the impact of student’s crisis in some selected secondary school is limited to Odigbo local government area of Ondo state.

1.8   LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.9   DEFINITION OF TERMS

Impact    The action of one object coming forcibly into contact with another

Students         Is a learner or someone who attends an educational institution.

Crisis       A crisis is any event that is going to lead to an unstable and dangerous situation affecting an individual, group, community, or whole society.