Poor
performance of students in (SSCE), can be associated with indiscipline in
secondary school, which has assumed as a learning proportion, and is attracting
the attention of government, parents, school authorities, NGOs, individuals and
co-operate bodies. The term indiscipline is synonymous to disobedient, to
constituted authority
Pat (1968), defined indiscipline as
disobeying, or going contrary to rules and regulations guiding a given
organization, thereby causing problems and suffering to people within the
organization.
Akinboye (1980), stated that
indiscipline is a major problems of Nigerian educational system. He further
stated that, the indiscipline behaviour of this youths, result from a
combination of factors that are intrinsic and extrinsic. He therefore define
indiscipline in secondary school as the action and inactions of secondary
school student which regulate the school rules and regulations, and which in
turn are criminal to the grown and development of the students. Such actions
include destruction, cultism, rape, truancy, examination malpractices, poor
result in WACE/NECO or (SSCE), drug abuse, robbery etc.
Philosophical and psychological literature
on the concept of indiscipline, among secondary school students indicates that
the student are inherently the causes of their poor performance in (SSCE),
because of the indiscipline nature, among secondary school students. For
example, Socrates described the youths as people who do not respect their
elders, and also as tyrants. They cross their legs against their teachers. The
society at large witness instances of indiscipline behaviours, among students
and youths.
Adesina (1999), Maindilit (1977),
attributed indiscipline largely to the adjustment, problems of the adolescents.
The objectives of this research
work, is to critically review the root cause of poor performance of students in
Senior Schools Certificate Examination (SSCE), which indiscipline is one of the
cause the effect of lack of discipline and control on society’s life.
The future of the society lies in
the hands of school children whose characters, and future are being designed by
the school through their disciplinary systems, if a teenage in the school
persistently refuses to submit to schools discipline, he ends up a school
dropout, and most likely turns out a hardened criminal, and a minus to the
nation’s socio-cultural, and economic stability. It was not what the society
bargained for when establishing the public school system.
It will be readily admitted that
disorderliness, and lawlessness in the public school system, destroy the spirit
of oneness, purpose and progress in the community, and society. The school
ought to serve as the root cause of poor performance of student in (SSCE).
There is nothing that interferes or
counteracts the school life, and work as well as its educational values,
disorderliness or lack of discipline and control. No meaningful success in
terms of school purpose and goals can be achieved in a disorderly atmosphere.
In short, no real educational function is possible. A school or a class beyond control
impedes meaningful teaching and learning, as well as development in the
immediate community and society at large.
Being associated with mass education
and all manner of discipline, the school is automatically associated with power
and authority to control, to instruct, and to shape the society in any form it
wants it to be. The school accomplishes this task through its disciplinary
process. Discipline in schools determine performances of students, the
developmental level of the society in terms of the moral, social, spiritual,
political and economic standard.