CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      Background of the study

The problems the average teenage or youth in secondary schools in Nigeria has reached an alarming rate thus leading to the urgent need for effective counseling to help guide and nurture these young minds to avoid been overwhelmed by these problems which may lead them to making costly mistakes for their future. It has been very glaring that Guidance and Counseling which helps in the identification of teenage problems and rendering possible support were necessary has been lacking in our educational system especially in the secondary schools, until recently, this discipline has been grossly omitted in the system. Due to the absence of career guidance, many students have not got the proper skill to function effectively among her contemporaries. A good number of students have not been able to examine their potentialities and attempt to find career that will bring them job satisfaction; this may be attributed to either not Listening to a guidance counselor not receiving counsel at all. It is therefore imperative to expose students to various methods or ways of solving their problems, this cannot be over emphasized. It has been discovered that most schools do not have a functional guidance and counseling in solving teenage problems rather what exist is a miniature office occupied by teaching staff who offers skeletal guidance occasionally to students a wall as still teach his/her complete weekly periods, hence not having time for the guidance and counseling services.

In view of this schools are encouraged to have a solid and functional guidance and counseling program being headed by qualified counselor to meet the individual needs of the students. The family is the child’s first place of contact with the world. The child as a result, acquires initial education and socialization from parents and other significant persons in the family. Agulana (2000) pointed out that the family lays the psychological, moral, and spiritual foundation in the overall development of the child. Structurally, family/homes is either broken or intact. A broken home in this context is one that is not structurally intact, as a result of divorce, separation, death of one of parent and illegitimacy. According to Frazer (2004), psychological home conditions arise mainly from illegitimacy of children, the label of adopted child, broken homes, divorce and parental deprivation. Such abnormal conditions of the home, are likely to have a detrimental effect on school performance of the child he asserts. Life, in a single parent family or broken home can be stressful for both the child and the parent. Such families are faced with challenges of inadequate financial resources (children defense find 2004). Schults (2006) noted that if adolescents from unstable homes are to be compared with those from stable homes, it would be seen that the former have more social, academic and emotional problems. Rochlkepartain (2003) is of the opinion that the family and its structure play a great role in children’s academic performance. Levin (2001) states that parents are probably the actor with the clearest un-dimentionals interest in a high level of their children’s academic performance. To some extent, there is simple evidence to show the marital instability brings about stress, tension, lack of motivation and frustration obviously, these manifestations act negatively on a child’s academic performance. Johnson (2005) asserts that children of unmarried parents /separated families often fail and are at risk emotionally. However, this may not be completely applicable in all cases of broken homes. Some children irrespective of home background or structure may work hard and become successful in life. Moreover, Ayodele (2007) stated that the environment where a child finds himself/herself goes a long way in determining his learning ability and ultimately his academic performance in school.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL PROBLEM

The poor academic performance of the teenager in examinations in secondary schools should not be blamed on either the teaching pattern of the child’s lack of receptiveness to teaching it may have been caused by the enormous problems confronting the teenager which in most cases may not be noticed by teachers and thus these problems has adversely affected these youths in secondary schools and has made them join bad peers in other to confide in someone which most of the times has led to the increase of cultism, prostitution and other vices  in secondary schools which has by extension led to the decline in the product of teenagers who graduate from the secondary school annually.

1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The major aim of the study is to examine teenage problems in secondary schools in Niger state with the aim of rendering an effective counseling to eradicate if possible these problems faced by the teenager. Other specific objectives of the study include;

1.   To examine the need for effective counseling in secondary schools.

2.   To determine the impact of counseling services on teenage problems in secondary schools.

3.   To recommend ways of improving counseling to teenagers in secondary schools

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.   What are the problems of teenagers in secondary schools in Niger state?

2.   What is the need for effective counseling in secondary schools?

3.   What is the impact of counseling services on teenage problems in secondary schools?

4.   What are the ways of improving counseling to teenagers in secondary schools?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0: there is no significant impact of counseling on the problems of teenagers in Niger state.

H1: there is a significant impact of counseling on the problems of teenagers in Niger state.

H0: there is no significant relationship between broken homes (divorce) and students’ academic performance

H2: there is a significant relationship between broken homes (divorce) and students’ academic performance

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study would be of immense importance to the leadership of secondary schools in Nigeria as it would reveal the need for adequate counseling services in our secondary schools in other to tackle the problems faced by teenagers. The study would also benefit students, researchers and scholars who are interested in developing a further study on the subject matter.

1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study is restricted to the survey of teenage problems in Niger state secondary schools and the need for counseling.

LIMITATION OF THE 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.

 1.8 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

Divorce

Divorce, also known as dissolution of marriage, is the termination of a marriage or marital union, the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving

Adolescent

Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to legal adulthood

Counselor

A school counselor is a counselor and an educator who works in primary schools and/or secondary schools to provide academic, career, college access/affordability/admission, and social-emotional competencies

 1.9 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters for easy understanding as follows Chapter one is concern with the introduction which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlights the theoretical framework on which the study it’s based thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion and recommendations made of the study.

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