THE CAUSES AND REASONS OF STUDENT UNREST IN
SECONDARY SCHOOLS
A STUDY OF KUMBOTSO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
OF KANO STATE
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter is reviewed under the
following sub-headings: conceptual framework of students’ unrest, review of
empirical study, causes of student unrest, effect of student unrest, ways of
controlling students’ unrest and summary of literature reviewed.
2.1 Conceptual
Framework of Students Unrest
Conceptual framework according to Longman Dictionary
(1995) is a formal based on idea. Also an idea about what something is like, or
general understanding of something. It is a process in which some one forms a
plan or idea. Conceptual framework of students’ unrest has to do with ideas on
how students unrest come to be originated or started.
Student unrest is as old as the
school itself (Spit, 1999), He hold the view that students have been demanding
for one thing or the other at any particular point of their demands are not
accomplished the students will try to react negatively against the authorities.
In his own view, Aguene (1999) noted that students’ unrest can only take place
when the school authorities does not meet with the demands of the students in
the school when their reaction is violent, it give rise to unrest in the
school. According to him, students’ reactions and demonstrations had resulted
to so many other things lime, destruction of live and properties in the
schools; it has also disrupted the academic programme of the school where there
is no peace.
In 1960, in the United State of
America, a particular student demonstration as they felt increased oppressed in
realizing that their University was becoming synonymous with frustration
dependency in decision an fear lived in a value vacuum Omm, (1998), the
demonstration claimed lives and properties and many were wounded.
Aguene (1999), have also noted that
schools in Nigeria have laso witnessed serious students unrest, the continued
that in the year 1993 about 50 female students of girls secondary school
Marhurdi were ejected from their hotels for demonstrating in the mused over
alleged invasion of their privacy by the male security guards at their school.
In 1993, according to Olumoju (1994)
report that in Edo State, the students of Boys’ High Secondary School
demonstrated over the conciliation of June 12 election. He further said that
the students became hostile to the teachers who came with ion to their hostels
to conduct a research for multi dress banned in the school which made the
students to grow annoyed in the school Onum (1993) pointed out that the
students of St. Augustine Grammer School Nkwere in Imo State attacked and
assaulted with dagger and broken bottles on the students of St. Catharine
Secondary School Nkwere on the family reason that the girls sang a song that
St. Augustine School did not like.
Colfero (1994), interviewed group of
secondary school students in Russia and got this remark, “we don’t like the
representative of democratic society, we do not know what kind of society we
would replace them with but they must be destroyed, so we must go through the
experience of revolution. He observed that students are therefore challenging
the whole fabric of the present society that tries to cover them, they do not
limit their demand to a few or minor reforms but call for radical transformation.
Thomas (1998:4), stated that the
centre point of the old ways are not good enough by “just talking and listening
will not do the job, today students wants actions. He said that traditional
extra curriculum programme will not staidly students. Benevolence will fall
short, today students want a piece of power to change the old system.
Austin (2000) observed that
students’ unrest has originated from the villages, the communities to schools.
According to him, some cases of unrest is head on the attitude a child
inherited from their villages, communities down to schools as transfer of
aggression, which is a very dangerous of unrest because the life of the child
is hardly to predict.
Amdi (1992) stated that students’
unrest in our secondary school are as a result of poor home upbringing. He said
that any parents who defined their children’s fault rather learning up with the
teacher to correct the student are the major factors in high rate of students’
unrest in secondary school today.
Spiff and Yakassai 91997) have the
same view that students’ unrest is motivated from outside, sometimes by the
politicians who meets students especially those whom power is given. The say,
“that students crises has anterior motivates and interior motives and has more
than they meet the age”.
Kpdelinye (1998) commented that,
increase in the rate of students unrest is related to increase in school
population and the society to which the students belong the uphold the view
that the school will achieve very little in character training if students come
of it from different home and village where floating of authority, moral laity
and even criminal activities were the order of the day. This is to say that
children who are not given proper home training could go length causing unfavourable
situation in the school ranging from building to the highest criminal
activities like murder cases according to Kodetinye.
I Harant (1987), warned that “ a
teacher who is training to teach without inspiring the child with the desire to
learn is hammering on a cold iron”.
In the researcher’s observation, he
discovered most teachers in Kumbotso Local Government Area do not prepare their
lesson very well before entering the classroom for their lesson. Some of them
uses half of the period for irrelevant story telling that are not even in
connection with the topic he has prepared. Harant holds the view that some of
the causes of students unrest is mostly caused by some tutors who many items
want to teach and read word to word from the textbook or even use lecture
method to teach students who are not due for it, without considering individual
differences.
Abiodum (1990) view that some
teachers in secondary schools uses their positions to intimidate the female
students into submission for sex relationship. He further explained that eh
teacher may be friend the female students and have indecent acts with them
while some visit the female students and have indecent acts with them, while
some visit the female dometires at odd hours, some male students and male
teachers struggle over the female students notices that teachers are interested
in having immoral act according to Abiodum, there will be no respect for the
teacher even in some secondary schools the male students confront the teacher
openly. The non-challant attitude on the part of the male teachers resulting to
students’ unrest.
Anderson and Dyke 91994) posited
that “because students are not allowed to provide their own code of conduct as
this will supplement the school code of conducts which they always acted out
violently in protest, they cited some examples of such code of conduct like
“because it is my right to have free speech, assembly, press and religions.
Olumogu (1991) in his graded essay
proved that insufficient food and accommodation leads to students unrest. He
said that students are not given accommodation by some of the secondary school
authorities after they paid for it and food equally. And at times they will
accommodate 4,5 to 6 students in one room and some of these improper arrangement
for the student result to students’ unrest, Ikegu (1997) suggest that students’
unrest in our secondary school is caused by had planning and poor
administration by the principal through lack of youth leadership style devoid
of social and handicapped communication techniques. He further point out the
administrative techniques if skillful charmed to the night forget most of the
improper behaviours and violent demonstrations in the schools, parent,
Government accused the principals for their inability to manage the available
resources like libraries, laboratory. Equipments supplied to schools rotting a
way under the sun and rain without being put into proper use. He further
explained that most at times, books sent to schools for students used are find
in personal libraries of the principals of school and lead to students’ unrest.
According to Nunss (1993) ‘frequent
violent behaviour incidents were not just a matter of erring students but a
matter of poor interaction between staff and students”. He observed that it is
true that some teachers, instead of helping students to learn by assignment or
by giving them good moral up bringing and no impact or correction is made by
them. This has often show their aggressiveness or annoyance through violent
behaviours against the teachers.
Fredona (1996) complained on the
mood through which the existing government and private schools in Nigeria. He
further observed that this had become a very big problems in Nigeria because
schools no longer follow the school curriculum in teaching regards to area to
be covered in a team or in a semester. They rather devised a means of making
money by introducing extra moral class or normal teaching period and made it
compulsory to the students.
With the researchers observation
based on the above points from different author about students’ unrest, I
believed that the students’ primary aim in entering into secondary schools or
colleges is to pursuers in order to qualify for gainful employment and tries to
block or frustrate the attainment of them students from the foregoing. It seems
that various researchers have been carried out on the cause if students’ unrest
as highlighted above.
The researchers still observed that
these causes revolved around the administrator and ministry of education who
failed to proved the facilities to the schools, the principals and staff and
finally, on the students themselves principal style of administration as
regards decision making management of available learning materials and seeking
more adequate infrastructure like laboratories, libraries, classroom and sport
facilities.
In addition, not much attention had
been paid to adequate teaching by teacher and staff, students relationship. It
is in view of this that the researchers more into this area of study to find
out whether the above factors are some of likely causes of students’ unrest in Kumbotso
Local Government Area.
2.2 Review
of Empirical Studies
Oremi and Ogbuka (1995) researched
on the effects of students’ unrest on the academic performance of students’ in
Igbenidion local Government Area in Edo State.
Their
findings are:-
(a)
That teachers are
not available to teach at when due,
(b)
The students
depend on the teachers as their source of knowledge
(c)
That there was
total indiscipline in the school.
(d)
That student in
Igbenidion Local Government Area cannot think independently to solve problem.
All the findings of the study Kumbotso Local
Government Area in Kaduna State.
Onum (1998)
studies on the proper management of available resources in waying students
unrest in Khana Local Government Area in River State.
His finding includes:-
(1)
There were
communication gap between the teachers and the students.
(2)
There were
inadequate provision of food items in the schools.
(3)
Not involvement
of students in decision making in the school bringing about students’ unrest.
(4)
In disciplinary
attitude of the school, management is the cause of students unrest,
maltreatment and ignorance of staff of principal advise generate hatred and
criticism among students.
Abiodum (1989), in his book titled, a youth and the
society revealed that students unrest in secondary school should be solved if
the followings:-
(a)
Eradication of
Tmproper exploitation of students by collecting unnecessary levies.
(b)
That the
principal, teachers and non-academic staff should be friendly to the students
while executing their jobs.
(c)
The government
and interested private persons should come to aid in providing social
infrastructure in the schools
In the same view, he researchers are of the opinion
that what happen in Khana Local Government Area of Riser State should be taken
care of by Kaduna State Government in Kumbotso Local Government Area.
The
research is focused to find out if any other bases apart from above mentioned
ones and solution to put abrupt to students’ unrest in secondary school in Kumbotso
Local Government Area in Kaduna State.
2.3 Causes
of Student Unrest
Students’ unrest is caused as a result of disagreement
between the student and the authorities, it could be between the students and
the teachers; students and the principals of the different schools and the
staff (Abiodum0, he further noted the vital factors that cause students’ unrest
in school include the following:
Exploitation of students
Negative attitude from the principal, teacher to the
students’ inadequate facilities in the schools,
Lack
of proper management in schools.
Lack
if democratic leadership in some principals and teachers among others.
A. Exploitation
of the Student
Exploitation in its dictionary meaning is taking an
advantage over someone, unfair treatment in order to get money. According to
Abiodum (1992), students even without considering the conditions of the
students or their parents who send them to school.
B. Negative
attitude from the principals, teachers to students:
Petesa (1992), noted that this is when the principals,
teacher instead of seeing the students as their own children, they rather see
them as children of others and in this course have no feeling for this children
by teaching them anyhow. When this happens the students may decided to turn
against the principals use to develop love affection with some male students
who turn against the male students as the case may be. This as a matter of fact
leads to students’ unrest.
C. Inadequate
Facilities
Abievo (2001) out that in inadequate facility in the
school is one of the vital instruments of students’ unrest. Take for instance a
school where there is no library, laboratory, games equipments dormitory,
light, water among other can cause students unrest. The students’ device a
means of letting the authority know the lack in the school in order that it
will be provided for them they seek redress to the government by a way of
demonstration which could lead to cost of lives destruction of properties, among
other according to Augustine (1992).
D. Security
of the Students;
To secure is to keep safe, to
protect something security of the students very important by the principal,
teaches as the major role to the students. Mike (1994) noted that insecurity of
the school, it could be among students, among students and community or among
students and the teacher, authorities which might affects government
activities. He further explain that government spent so much on the issue of
security of make some that lives of her citizen safe that is why they employ
security guard in the school. Various principals, administrator, teachers
should imbibe the spirit of saving lives of their students because it could
lead to serious problem in he school.
E. Lack
of Proper Management
Tayor (2000) noted that management should be governed
by science developed from each operation, which cookers should be selected and
trained for proper actualization of the objectives.
Taylor’s idea of separating planning from performance has facilitated. He
further explained that management be plan. Taylor observed that most workers
should be dong and do another thing and this invariably lead to wrong
management. He went further to say that lack of proper management in the school
administrative work always cause a very big problem between teacher and the
principal, or between the vice-chancellors and the lecturers and the students
and the school authorities. These problems lead to students unrest in schools.
Neal (1994), lead to proper management
means doing the right thing at the wrong time and imitating a particular idea
wrongly to where it is not suppose to be used; He equally said that some
teaches and some school administrative manage wrongly even to the students’ tot
eh extend that some teachers and principals doesn’t consider individuals
differences while teaching. This is because some teachers are not been trained
in the filed and that is why they had managed and administered wrongly. He said
that, it is the common problems that students of a particular school used to
have with their authority which if not handled carefully, it will become a very
big problems between the students’ and the school authorities and this lead to
students’ unrest in the school.
The University of Ibadan had a
serious demonstration for inadequate management of their school which they were
complaining to their schools authority and nothing was done about the
situation. This is because there was no new infrastructure in the school and
the students were not properly taking care of due of the poor management of the
school. And there was nothing the students could do than to riot in the school
(Idowu 1986).
F. Lack
of Democratic Leadership in School:
Democratic leadership
in an organization means a system of fair and equal treatment of every one in
an organization and their right to take part in making decision.
Lack of democratic leadership in
secondary school is a very serious problems to the look not. This is a
situation where the teacher, principal as a leader are autocratic n nature
whereby they doesn’t create room for interaction between the students and the
teachers or the principals (Ngwo 1995), He noted that, this had been a problem
between the students and the schools authorities, either in the university
level or at the secondary level, mostly when a particular decision is been made
without the consent of the students representatives whom they elected as their
leaders. In such situations, students normally demonstrate against the
authorities.
Teris (1998), Students’ unrest “has
cause more harm to the society when the society failed to acknowledge the
presence or the interest of the students in the society. He point out, that why
there is students union government in the university who represent the interest
in many decision making of the university which without them, there would be
continuous problem in the educational system in the university level. This is
also applicable in the secondary school when lack of senior project of the
school.
2.4 Effects
of Students’ Unrest
Akpan (2002) pointed out that the
leadership potential of tomorrow are modeled in the school environment and if
our younger should be taken to street in violent demonstrative it means that
the future of our great nation is black. Again, he said that if the nation is
to grow generation to another, the incidence of students’ unrest in secondary
schools has to be brought to minimal level.
Olumoju (1996), in his own view that
students are deprived the opportunity of receiving instruction under peaceful
atmosphere and production of good result which is the aim of controlling into
school. He continued that principals, teacher will find it very difficult to
have a smooth running of the school management and uninterrupted instructions.
Government and parent cannot justify the high amount of money they spent in
school so many students loose their lives during students’ unrest in school,
many school properties are been destroyed in the school.
According to Fatiregun (1992) he
reported that in University of Ife in 1981, four students were killed and
properties worth millions of naira were destroyed during students demonstration
over the retirement of three lecturers in the school. He explained that
students’ unrest disrupt students academic programmes.
Nwogu (1992), hold the view that
students’ unrest have resulted to the destruction of laboratories libraries
even turning down the school building beyond repair which is likely to affect
many people even the academic programme of the school. He pointed one that the
current mood of unrest and dissatisfaction on the part of students particularly
for educations if properly utilized, it could be a firm foundation for the new
kind of school system.
In all he said that the focus of
dealing with school rebellion should not just be how to deal with school
students activities, but how to use the opportunity offered by the situation to
affect fundamental and meaningful changes in the character of educational
system.
2.5 Ways
of Controlling Students’ Unrest
Auston
(2000) in his own view noted that government have provided a conducive
atmosphere in schools which would enable the students to learn with the view of
getting result which will justify the huge expenditure on the students
education from their parent and government. According to Auston , he says that
following the condition government gave to public school, any school involved
in causing unrest in schools should be sacked.
He equally mentioned that government
have provided a conducive teaching and learning conditions which could enable
them maintain educational objectives for her citizens and that is why education
is taken a lion share in the national budget every year. There is the need to
justify this huge expenditure through good possible the learning atmosphere is
devoid of any unrest in secondary school even beyond the level. No wonder Nuns
(1993) pointed out that government in 1986 recommended the teaching of
Agricultural Science in secondary school even tertiary institutions for
facilitate for supply in the school and entire society.
Also that food tutor should be
formed in school with staff and students as member. He also said that school
prefects should be the representative of students in decision-making. Equally,
the principals should be given the power to discipline staff if the need be.
Guidance service should be introduced in secondary school to reduce
aggressiveness, the tendency towards delinquency behaviour and reduce unrest in
secondary schools.
Nunss , equally said that students
should be allowed to participate in all the issues deliberated in school that
could cause unrest in schools.
2.6 Summary
of Literature Reviewed
Finally the conceptual framework of
students unrest had been clearly stated above which has to do with agreement
and disagreement among two parties, students’ unrest is said to have started
right from the family where there is disagreement between the children and
their parents, this care application schools when there is misunderstanding or
disagreement between the teachers, principals and students, it leads to unrest.
This is common to every universities but the limitation in only in the
secondary schools, in Kumbotso Local Government Area. Over exploitative measure
on the students, undesirable attitude of school authorities and the teachers
towards the students.
Ask of democratic leadership in some principals and
teacher among others.
There are numerous effects of students’ unrest on
academic performance of the students are, poor grades of result, examination
malpractices and drop out school among others.
Some of the ways of controlling students unrest in
school include: adequate management of the available facilities, which the
government provided for the schools, for the schools.
Disciplinary measure should be taken by the government
against the schools among other.
The literature concludes by
reviewing studies, which were carried out on the effects of students’ unrest on
the academic performance of students, and proper management of the school and
students’ unrest. There is no work yet, to the researcher’s knowledge on
analysis of students’ unrest, causes, effects, and control in secondary school
in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kaduna State. It is the existence of this
gap that led to this study, and upon this background, there is need for this
study to fill the gap.