CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

For ages, secondary schools have been regarded as institutions where students pursue and acquire intellectual, practical and virtuous learning. This is the reason why secondary schools, in certifying their graduates claim to have groomed them both in character and learning. But this claim does not appear to enjoy a solid stand any more in Nigeria, as the students in the secondary school seem to have different agenda. Most of them struggle to pursue fashion rather than academic excellence. To make matters worse, what they see as fashion embodies nakedness and obscenity.

The mode of dressing of secondary school students in Nigeria is becoming more and more indecent. "Most of them seem to have become so addicted to dressing indecently, that they remorselessly engage in the act. Most of them also perceive it as part of the business of school education. Even some candidates, who seek admission into the secondary school, do so because they yearn to join others in the "millennium fashion of skimpy and crazy dressing (Igbinovia, 2005).

Dressing is an act of putting on clothes. Importance of wearing a cloth on the body is in order to protect, beautify or adorn it. Clothes are one of the basic necessities of man. In its widest sense, it includes a great range of material that man wears or applies to the body. Clothing includes dresses, shoes, jewellery, hairdo and make- up. Clothing is also used to show people’s status and the roles they play in society (Anyakoha, Eluwa, 2008). E.U. Anyakoha and M.A. Eluwa (2008) further explained that the clothe someone decides to wear influences the impression people have about such an individual. It also tells about the family such a person comes from. It can also affect the persons comfort and self-confidence. The dressing pattern of an individual is a kind of “sign language” that communicates a complete set of information and is usually the basis on which immediate impressions are formed (Kiran, 2002). Although there are no universally acceptable way or ways of dressing, dresses are meant to serve some definable purposes, notwithstanding on country or region. They are part of people’s culture and they define their tribal or ethnic identity.

Apart from dresses being a means for cultural identity, they are for ornamental or aesthetic purposes, for protection of the body against harsh weather conditions as well as for covering the intimate part of the body (Why do people…, 2011). These purposes are important especially as they form major aspects of a person’s personality. Dressing pattern is the way or mode in which an individual or group of persons has accepted or chosen to appear in society. Dressing pattern or code is a set of standard that companies, schools, communities, organizations and institutions has accepted for their employee with guidance about what is appropriate wear for work (Olori, 2003). Dressing pattern is also a set of rules as in a school indicating the appropriate manner of dressing. According to T. Olori (2003) dressing pattern is a set of rules or guidelines regarding the manner of dress acceptable in an office, school and restaurant. It is also a set of rules specifically the correct manner of dressing while on the premises of institution or specifying what manner of dressing that is prohibited.

U. Obilo and S. Okugo (2013) observed that public Nigerian secondary schools are battling with the wave of indecency, notably among female students. The authors explained the situation as the reign of skimpy dresses on campus which has turned many campuses to fashion runways. Beside that wearing short skirts some female secondary school students throw caution to the wind by displaying their boobs as a cheap means of getting attention. Dress to kill is now a popular slogan in class halls with the intention of looking sexy or classy, forgetting that they ought to look responsible. The dressing patterns of female students have been viewed as anti-African and are invented (Curbing moral…, 2011). This un-African dressing pattern among undergraduates of this generation has generated lots of concern and worry among the citizens. T. Olori (2003) viewed that the dressing pattern of female secondary school students are determined by some factors.

1. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

It has also generated studies by scholars in the area of youth dressing patterns. For example, Anadi (2007) investigated the causative factors and control strategies to indecent dressing while Igbinovia (2005) explored the resultant factors of indecent dressing, among female undergraduates.

Female secondary school students wear indecent dresses to classes, teachers' offices, and everywhere on school premises. Abegunde quoted by Anjuwon (2010), observed that girls who dress indecently actually render themselves, vulnerable to all sorts of vices on campuses. Besides, experience has shown that a female student who sits in for an examination, with half of her bare buttocks exposed, could distort the psyche of the male students and the male invigilators. Studies such as Igbinovia's have proved that indecent dressing among female students disturbs male students' ability to assimilate in class, disturb the flow of thought of male teachers during classes, and lead to falling standards of education in secondary schools.

Moreso, it has been medically proven that a man can be aroused by merely seeing sensitive parts of a mature lady (Ogidefa, 2008). Indecent dressing by the females therefore is highly malignant and can distort the focus and business of teaching and learning in the secondary school. It can also lead to actions that are capable of dehumanizing the indecent dressers. All efforts to stamp out indecent dressing in the secondary school appear to be failing or have failed. Parents have complained, the public has admonished, and the school authorities have counselled, warned and threatened, yet to no avail.

1. AIM AND OBJECTIVES

The study is aimed at investigating the relationship between dressing code and teenage pregnancy among secondary school students.

Specifically this study seeks to:

1. Ascertain the factors influencing the dressing code of female secondary school students
2. Examine the effects of these dressing code on the female secondary school students
3. the effect of these dressing patterns on the society
4. find out ways of inculcating proper dress sense among the secondary school students

1. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions will be addressed in the study:

1. What are the factors influencing dressing the code of female undergraduates in tertiary institutions?  
2. What are the effects of these dressing codes on the students?  
3. What are the effects of these dressing codes on the society?
4. What are the possible ways of inculcating proper dress sense among the secondary school students?

1. STATEMENT OF THE HYPOTHESIS

The following hypothesis will guide the study:

H0 there is no significant relationship between dressing code and teenage pregnancy among secondary school students

H1 there is significant relationship between dressing code and teenage pregnancy among secondary school students

1. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The rate at which teenage pregnancy due to indecent dressing, is becoming a global phenomenon and cannot be over emphasized. Therefore the study is to investigate the relationship between dressing code and teenage pregnancy among secondary school students.

The study through it finding is to reveal the negative effects of indecent dressing among secondary school students. It will also determine the factors that influence the dressing pattern of teenage students.

Ultimately, the findings of the study will give and awaken the policy makers, ministry of educations, parents and secondary school authorities to come up with measures geared at addressing the menace of indecent dressing patterns among teenage secondary school students.

1. SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study focuses mainly on investigating the relationship between dressing code and teenage pregnancy among secondary school students. Specifically, the interest of the study will be restricted to only all the female secondary school students. Thus the study will be conducted within some selected secondary schools.

1. LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

TIME CONSTRAINTS: One the challenges experienced by the researcher is the issue of time; the research will simultaneously engage in departmental activities like seminars and attendance to lectures. But the researcher was able to meet up with the deadline for the submission of the project.

FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS: Every research work needs funding; however lack of adequate funds might affect the speed of the researcher in getting materials for completion of the project.

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Dressing code

A dress code is a set of rules, often written, with regards to clothing. Dress codes are created out of social perceptions and norms, and vary based on purpose, circumstances, and occasions. Different societies and cultures are likely to have different dress codes, Western dress codes being a prominent example.

Teenage pregnancy

Teenage pregnancy is pregnancy in a woman 19 years of age or younger. A woman can get pregnant if she has vaginal sex with a man at any age after she's begun having regular monthly periods.

Secondary school students

A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. ... Secondary schools follow on from primary schools and prepare for vocational or tertiary education. Attendance is usually compulsory for students until age 16.