CAUSES OF DROPOUT AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN EDO STATE. ‘WAY FORWARD’

DEPARTMENT OF VOCATIONAL AND

TECHNICAL EDUCATION,

FACULTY OF EDUCATION,

AMBROSE ALLI UNIVERSITY,

EKPOMA, EDO STATE

BY

UZOR FAITH

MAT NO: PTP/EDU/VAT/08/00006

BEING A RESEARCH PROJECT PRESENTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION, AMBROSE ALLI UNIVERSITY, EKPOMA

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE EDUCATION B.SC (ED) ACCOUNTING EDUCATION 

MARCH, 2014.

ABSTRACT

        This study is based on student’s dropout among secondary school students and the way forward in Edo State. The focus of the study is to investigate the causes of student dropout. The research tools implored to collect data for this project work were questionnaire for the principals, staff and students of the schools concerned. Recommendations were made on how to solve some of these identified problems.  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page                                                                 i

Certification                                                             iii

Dedication                                                               iv

Acknowledgement                                                    v

Abstract                                                                   vii

Table of contents                                                     viii

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

Background of the study                                          1

Statement of the problem                                         3

Purpose of the study                                                4

Objectives of the study                                             6

Significance of the study                                          7

Scope of the study                                                   8

Research questions                                                  9

CHAPTER TWO

Related literature review

Concept of dropout                                                  11

School influence                                                      12

The home background                                             15

Impact of indiscipline                                              16

Impact of poverty                                                     18

Impact of mass media                                              20

Peer group influence                                                21

Parents educational attainment                               22

Poor academic achievement                                     25

Socio-economic factor                                              25

Consequences of dropout                                        27

Summary of literature review                                   29

CHAPTER THREE

Method of study

Research design                                                       31

Population of the study                                            32

Sample and sampling techniques                            32

Instrument for data collection                                  32

Validity for instrument                                             33

Reliability of instrument                                          33

Data analysis                                                           34

CHAPTER FOUR

Data analysis and presentation                               35

Research question one                                             35

Research question two                                             36

Research question three                                          38

Discussion of the finding                                         39

CHAPTER FIVE

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations

Summary                                                                 41

Conclusion                                                              42

Recommendations                                                   43

References                                                               47

Appendix I                                                               49

Appendix ii                                                              50

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

        Drop out as defined by Heritage illustrated dictionary (1970) is to withdraw from participation in a game, club, school organized society. A person who quits school before completing a course of institution or one who has withdrawn from a given social group before the achievement of the set out goal for admission is said to have dropped out.

        According to the oxford elementary dictionary for Nigeria, drop out is defined as ‘someone who does not want to work and who leaves his or her school colleges, job and soon without completing it.

        Most students in schools fail for a great many reasons. This failure is as a result of one thing or the other. Close to forty five percent (45%) of those who began secondary schools, drop out before they finish for one reason or the other, there are many of such students than we think, that if our standard is raised much higher as some would have us do, we will find very soon just how many would be drop out except for a handful who may or may not be good. These set of students refused to develop more than a tiny part of the tremendous capacity for discipline, learning, understanding and the art of creating of which they made full use of during their early studentship.

        This problem of drop out is gaining much ground in Nigeria today especially. In Edo state. The drop out now go about to be a menace in the society of which they belong. Among them are the pocket pickers, smoker of different weeds, rapist, prostitutes and robbers. They even get themselves drugged so that they would be motivated enough to carry out their evil and immoral plans on innocent citizens. This problem has eaten deep into our society that the aim of training or sending children to school nowadays by parents are unfulfilled and discouragement.

        The problem caused by these drop outs motivates the researcher to find out the causes of these drop outs which has become a part and parcel of some schools Edo state. The suggestions and recommendation arising from the study will help solve this problem in future, so that parents themselves will achieve the aim of education.

Statement of the Problems

        The major problem of this research is the cause of student drop out in secondary school in Edo state. The problem poses the following questions

1.  Does drop out occur in these school?

2.  Is the home usually responsible for drop out?

3.  Does bad company or peer group influence drop out?

4.  Does bad school planning organization and administration encourage drop out?

5.  Does bad teaching method encouraged drop out?

Purpose of the Study

        Dropping out of school has become a societal problems in some local government areas in Edo state. It has been setting into a stumbling block on the economy and the political recognition of this areas. Some local government has been under developed for the fact that 65% percent of the people in each local government in Edo State are rural dweller and the opportunity they have educationally is very limited and the urban dweller are faced with the society problem of smuggling and farming since they know that this two jobs will fetch them an immediate gain. On the other hand the 35 percent that live in the urban areas in Edo state and have educational opportunity still have drop out living view to complete their education and fight for the right of the people in essence the few are not enough to fight for the course of the race.

        The society or the whole Edo state is faced with a lot of problem ranging from underdeveloped to youth untimely death from smuggling or armed robbery to politics associated problems, unwanted pregnancy form female aspect and early marriage which some time ht the rock, this is very peculiar in every cases where it occurs.

Objectives of the Study

        The objective of this research centers on digging into the root causes of drop outs in secondary schools in Edo state. Its effects on the society and possible solution, given to prevent future occurrences for the use of teachers, parent, guardian and a host of others who may have their interest at heart. Since it’s doubtful whether the few professions counselor present can handle the problems of drop outs at this crucial time. This project would want to investigate among other things.

1.  To examine the causes of drop out.

2.  To investigate if family size of a child would affect him negatively in the cause of his education.

3.  To examine the peer group could contribute to child drop out in school.

4.  To investigate the societal related factor as a contributing factor to child drop out of school.

5.  To examine if the school environment could contribute to drop out relate Edo state.

Significance of the Study

        Dropping out of school has became a societal problem in Nigeria because of its alarming rate which is also setting a stumbling block against the economic, society, education and political development of this country.

        There has been various reports on the drop out, among secondary school who dropped out yearly. As a matter of fact, those parents, teachers, counselors, law enforcement criminologist and all other agents who have experienced prolonged contact with what is happening in our society would not deny the fact that drop out in our schools has became rampant.

        We hope that this research work will help to ascertain the nature of prevalence of drop out and have a positive reduction of drop out among secondary school in Edo state.

        Furthermore, the study will also proffer a variety of workable solutions or specific techniques to adopt in dealing with the drop out at the concluding part of the study.

        This project would serve and be useful to researchers who might want to carry out further research on other drop out problems.

Scope of the Study

        This study observe among other thing the number of secondary schools in various local government areas in Edo state. If the numbers of school is enough to take care the primary school levers.

        To sample out some school within each or some local government in Edo state, that is can represent the total school in Edo state. The samples were evenly distributed to cover the whole local government in Edo state or have clear picture of the representation so as t0o make the work realistic and valid, probably the reasonable solution might be found.

Research Questions

1.  What are the causes of school drop out?

2.  What are teachers and students perception of the causes of school drop out?

3.  What ways can we remedying the situation in Nigeria?

CHAPTER TWO

Related Literature Review

        This chapter will be treated under the following subheading:

·        Concept of drop out

·        School influence

·        The home background

·        Impact of indiscipline

·        Impact of poverty

·        Impact of mass media

·        Peer group influence

·        Parents educational attainment

·        Poor academic achievement

·        Socio economic factor

·        Consequences of drop out

·        Summary of literature review

Concept of Dropout

        The term dropout of school has been psychologically used to describe the young school leavers, who prematurely move out of the school due to one reason or the other. School drop out is a social problem emanating from rapid technological change increasing automation and ever greater specialization. According to Rumbergo and Thower (2000) drop out, particularly the early drop out is likely to be seriously disadvantaged in the social and economic world.

        Musen (1980) opined that both sociological and psychological factors appear to be involved on the adolescents leaving school prematurely. He emphasized that the dropout rate is higher among the poor than among the rich or well I to do and it’s higher in ethnically segregated youth living in urban and rural slums.

        The adolescence period is a relatively new invention of technological societies that allows individuals to become trained and educated for complex jobs. According to US bureau of census (1980) seventy five percent of the adolescents in the United States use this period of their lives to complete high school and about a third of these earn a fur year degree of twenty years of age.

School Influence

        School is the second home for children. It is supposed to be an institution that educates personalities, if the students are not taught well in school, it could lead to drop out, hence students should be ‘motivated’ in and outside the classroom activities. A motivated child will always want to read more by going to library after school, he will not want to be free from his books.

        Shertzer and Stone (1995) also proved that years of research have focused on personal characteristics of high school drop out. They stated that although these research findings are often in conflicts, the views that most commonly emerge school drop outs are having unrealistic aspirations and work attitudes, displays a faced of toughness, possess impaired and confused self concept, rejection of social valve and cultural goods destruct and suspect to constituted authority and failures in school subjects.   

        Onanuga (2000) argued that the problem of drop outs is equally acute in Nigeria secondary schools, many children enter secondary school with the purpose of obtaining school certificate that will enable them go to higher institution or at least earn a living, but owing to lack or poor direction from teacher misguidedness, wrong choice of subject and so on. They failed to obtain these certificates and finally drop out of the school. He further stated that association with drop out from system is the problem of drop out from ones set in the school system in resulting in reputation. Many children according to him, repeat classes or fail out of their set in the school not because they have no brain or not intellectually inclined, but often because of lack of proper adjustment to the school environment. A break in communication between children and the school, the child not knowing exactly what is required of him or her by the school. It could be as a result of wrong use of poor interpretation of the instrument of measurement used for test or examination upon which promotion is based.

The Home Background

        Carrantes 1978 stated that family relationships and home climate of the drop out are relatively unhappy. Carrantes conducted a large scale study between drop outs and the graduates and their families, the subjects in both groups were white adolescent males who were matched for several factors such as sage, academic ability and family income. According to him, from the analysis of the responses of the drop outs, he was able to judge that the over whelming majority saw their family members as failing to accept each other as individuals, there seemed to be little communication and understanding among the family members, the family lacked solidarity and congeniality and in general it was perceived by the drop outs as unhappy ones.

        And also talking about the home background factors like low status in social class education deficiency poverty and belonging to large family could bring backwardness and drop out in a child contributing to the effect of home Gold (2001) states that parents of low status are at a disadvantage in trying to control their children, this is a fact because the expectation of the children are not met by their parents, who cannot buy writing materials, books or even school uniform for him or her child, such a child would be exposed to humiliation and would be frustrated, thus this could lead to drop out.

Impact of Indiscipline

        Indiscipline in the society has led to many drop outs in schools and thereby increasing the wave of armed robbery and prostitution among young boys and girls in Nigeria. The pathetic situation is that majority of these dropouts are mostly from well to do homes because they lack that aspect of discipline in them, they don’t face their studies in which they were sent out for by their parents, instead they join gangs, many parents are showing immature attitude towards parenthood and finding it extremely difficult to combine the modern way of living to the upbringing of their children, the problem is that most parents are juvenile and they find it difficult to cope with the trend of living, they are of the opinion that once they can provide material requirement for their children, the emotional aspect of development in human personalities like indiscipline among the children would have been solved.

        Parents are expected to lay a solid foundation for the personality formation of their children that is, if a child grows up in a home where material wealth is emphasized in place of moral and good name, the child will grow up to be greedy, arrogant, selfish and indiscipline which will soon lead to dropout. Duke (2006) in his contribution ‘attributed indiscipline among students to indiscipline in the society, peer group, school, mass media and individual which contributed to a large degree to student’s dropout.

Impact of Poverty

        Studies revealed that poverty and social deprivation have a negative impact in school performance of some children. Ogunjobi revealed that poverty manifest itself in children in the form of malnutrition which can trigger off several disease, lack of books and educative motivating materials and gadgets at home may also lead to a poor academic performance which consequently may lead to dropping out of school, she further emphasized that a child who lacks the necessary materials, writing materials, poorly fed and who get little or no encouragement from his or her parents are prone to dropping out of the school system. It would be reflected in the child’s appearance and dressing because most of them come to school in worn out uniform, bare footed and some without proper uniforms, according to Maysand Richl (2003) they are exposed to greater risk of having poorer grades than other students and more likely to drop out.

        A child who lack necessary materials can hardly progress at the same rate with the one who gets all necessary care and attention from his parents, to this end, the unfortunate situation may eventually lead to backwardness in class and in other activities, thus making the child to repeat a class and if there is no improvement, this will lead to dropping out of school.

Impact of Mass Media

        The high impact rate at which students visit film houses, watch films (violent films) and play computer games nowadays is alarming, when the child starts watching too much films, he may be tempted not to go to school, instead he goes about practicing what he or she has watch.

        West (2000) said that many commentators have criticized that mass media, television authorities for showing films on crimes and violence which could lead to drop out in an attempt for the child trying to imitate the action in the film. He said that by making criminal activity new and by using crime as a theme for popular plays and films, the media gives wrong values of issues which young people may emulate and this could make them less serious with their studies and eventually lead to drop out. 

Peer Group Influence

        Peer group has contributed greatly to drop out among secondary school students, whereby the child is face with great negative influence from friends.

1.  Who are not school oriented

2.  Friend much older or much younger

3.  Friend who have weak self image

4.  Friend with negative orientation

5.  Friend with negative background and upbringing

6.  Friend with differed gratification pattern

7.  Friend with resentful of al authority

8.  Friend who are not approved by parents.

9.  Students who have friends or family members who dropped out (s. Changel & Smink (2001).

Parents Educational Attainment

        Adaba (2001) opined that the parents of school dropout are less well educated than the parents of those who graduate. Van Dyke and Hoyt found that sixty seven percent of the parents of the school dropout but only thirty of the parents of graduates had not completed high school.

        Another study carried out by Ayodele (2007) showed that seventy nine percent of the mothers and eighty percent of the fathers of dropouts had themselves not graduated from the high school. Bada and Ayodele (2007) opined that the ability of parents to participate in the teaching process is increasing as the general educational level of the adult population rises. According to them, parental education as revealed by several studies in Europe and America decides the family life style, the income occupation and the social life; they believe that there is a very strong relationship between occupation and education. They further stated that form many studies have shown that even when children of comparable intelligence are compared, social class background make a great deal of difference in the achievement of the children. This is true because of the fact that parents from weathier families tends to be better educated and can therefore be of greater assistance both materially and intelligently to their children, the reason for this being that educationally qualified parents to a very large extent motivate their children parents to a very large extent motivate their children at home, this they do by providing academic, promoting gadgets, payment for extra lesson, assisting the children in their take home assignments and a host of others.

        Psychologically too Riley and Riley proved that these children are more likely to aspire to reach the highest level of education attained by their parents and even to improve on that so that parents level of education tends to be on an incentive to their children. In fact parents level of education influences them to force their profession on their children, especially parents in law and medical profession.

        In recent reports have shown that mothers level of education is all that is important to give their children better and sound educational achievement. According to Kazimi, mother’s level of education is important because while fathers are roaming around trying to find money for their families, mother come back from work and settle down with their children and assist them with their work. He concluded the educated parents are likely to be able to afford educationally stimulating books that will motivate their children to do well academically.

Poor Academic Achievement

        Students with poor academic achievement, poor grades, history of course failure and history of retention (repeating one of more grades) are most likely to dropout. Students with low academic engagement (time on task, credit accrual) are also at higher risk of dropping out. Thompson Hoffman & Hayward (1990) Scanlon & Melard (2002).

Socio-Economic Factors

        A number of family characteristics have been found to be associated with the school dropout rates. The situation is a complex one, however and it is unlikely that these characteristics are directly and casually related to school withdrawal. Moreover many of these factors reflect more basically on the family that militate against success and persistence in school. The most general family characteristics related to school dropout is that of social economic status.

        Sewell (2000) in a survey of socio__economic background of children in selected schools, had indications that the rate of dropout may be related to parents education occupation and number of wives the father has, he postulated that the children from polygamous home seen to have higher dropout rate than those from monogamous homes, children from less educated parents, also he argued that the children of craftsmen and artisans seemed to have a higher dropout rate than other categories of occupations.

Consequences of Dropout

        The attendant problem of dropout cannot be over emphasized, dropping out of school has become societal or better still a world wide problem: dropout among secondary school students can lead to:

i.            Early marriages

ii.          Insecurity in the society, due to robbery

iii.        Unwanted pregnancy

iv.         High rate of abortion

v.           Human trafficking and drug trafficking

vi.         Breakdown of rules and regulations and so on.

Conclusively, the ill fated dropout now takes it upon themselves to make life very difficult and worthless for those who have toiled and made their way through to the last stage of their education by disturbing their peaceful life with robbery and other unwarranted misbehaviours, the problems of dropout has also ensured a lot of disunity among many families, also dropping out of school can lead to student to become delinquent, according to Stone (1999) delinquency is recognized as a pervasive social problem, according to him delinquency behaviour patterns can be found in all part of the American society the assertion is not different from that of Nigeria. Delinquency and unemployment have led most Nigeria robbers and hired assassins, even majority of the students in school feel that you can only be assured of adequate security. If you join a secret society and carry guns the whole country is no longer safe as parents do not trust their own children, unwanted pregnancies, youthful marriages, trial marriages and divorce are no longer new in our society.

Summary of Literature Review

        From the literature reviewed above one will be able to conclude that dropout phenomenon is a global problem, which needs urgent attention.

        According to different authors from the literature review, the causes of dropout ranges from school influence, the home background, impact of indiscipline, impact of poverty, impact of mass media, peer group influence, parents educational attainment, poor academic achievement, socio-economic factor and to the consequences of dropout. Each of the above listed factors has contributed in no small measure to the causes of dropout problem in our society, dropping out of school not only affect the individual, but also the society, dropping out of school has result in long financial losses not just for the individual but for the society as a whole.

        Dagenais et al (1999) opined that employment problems, family relationship problem, health problem, school related difficulties, anxiety and responsibility for raising children are some of the effect of dropout problems in our society, all these and many other more have affected the individual concerned as well as the society adversely.

CHAPTER THREE

Method of Study

        This chapter discussed the following subheading:

1.  Research design

2.  Population of the study

3.  Sample and sampling techniques

4.  Instrument for data collection

5.  Validity of instrument

6.  Reliability of instrument

7.  Data analysis

Research Design

        This research was carried out on simple technique, it involve distribution of questionnaire for the purpose of collecting the data so as to give summary of the true picture of the expected outcome of the research question, this is used in order to answer the question of dropout rate, effect and remedy in Edo state.

Population of the Study

        The population for this study comprises of students in some selected secondary school in Edo state.

Sample and Sampling Techniques

        A random sampling technique was used in this study, it involves using a self designed questionnaire in collecting data from the respondents.

Instrument for Data collection

        In this study, the major instrument used is the structured type of questionnaires, where the students were given four points scale to respond to, which included

Strongly Agree (SA) agree (A) Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree (SD)

The questionnaire will be grouped into two (2) section (section A & B) section A contains question relating to the respondent personal information while section B is on the question relating to the research questions.

Validity of Instrument

        In order to determine the validity of the instrument, the researcher gave the questionnaire to her supervisor who study and make necessary corrections before it was administered out to the subject sampled.

Reliability of the Instrument

        For the reliability of the instrument, the test-retest method was used in finding the stability of the statement from the sampled students. A correlation co-efficient of 0.75 was obtained meaning that the statement is very reliable.

Data Analysis

        Since this study deals with nominal categories in which data collected consisted of frequency count that was tabulated in the appropriate cells, the result of the analysis was discussed vividly in chapter four.

CHAPTER FOUR

Data Analysis and Presentation

        This chapter presents the analysis of data collected, its interpretation and discussion of the findings.

        Data obtained from questionnaire administered in the students were analyzed using the mean and standard deviation method.

Research One

        What are the causes of school dropout?

Table 1: Mean score of respondents on the causes of school dropout

s/n	Items	X	SD	Decision
1	Frequent strike action in school	3.19	0.13	Agreed
2	The school environment is not conducive for learning	3.14	0.94	Agreed
3	The library and laboratory are not well equipped	3.48	0.10	Agreed
4	Lack of adequate teaching staff in school	3.61	0.16	Agreed
5	Peer group influence	3.43	0.13	Agreed
6	My parents have no interest in education	2.66	0.27	Disagreed
7	Broken home	2.75	0.19	Disagreed
8	Death of parents	3.73	0.10	Agreed
9	Lack of society in the school	2.74	0.51	Disagreed
10	High cost of education	3.0	0.08	Agreed

        In the response to research question 1, table 1, shows that all the respondents that rated the item 1,2,3,4,6,8 to 10 has agreed with a mean (x) rating ranging from 3.04 to 3.73 while 6,7 and 9 items was disagreed with a mean (x) rating ranging from 2.66 to 2.75 which means that most of the respondents agreed that the items presented are contribution factors to the increase of drop in secondary school in Edo state.

Research Question Two

What are teachers and student perception of the causes of school dropout?

Table 2: Mean score of respondents on teachers and students perception of school dropout.

s/n	Items	X	SD	Decision
11	Repetition of classes	3.19	0.09	Agreed
12	Poor academic performance	4.06	0.95	Agreed
13	Poverty level of parents	3.18	0.09	Agreed
14	Love of money	3.19	0.12	Agreed
15	Lack of learning equipment and facilities	3.24	0.08	Agreed
16	No provision for sport and other extra curricular activities	2.17	0.49	Disagreed
17	Indiscipline at home	3.33	0.09	Agreed
18	Effect of mass media in school	3.36	0.22	Agreed
19	Long distance to school	3.03	1.42	Agreed
20	Students who receive disciplinary action in school	2.83	0.31	Agreed

In the response to research question 2, table 2, shows that all the respondents that rated the item 11,12,13,14,17,18 to 19 has agreed with a mean (x) rating ranging from 3.03 to 4.06 while16 and 20 was disagreed with a mean (x) rating ranging from 2.17 to 2.83 which means that most of the respondents agreed that the items presented are contribution factors to the perception of teachers and students on the causes of school dropout in secondary schools in Edo state.

Research Question Three

Ways of remedying the situation of dropout

Table 3, Mean score of respondents on ways of remedying the situation of dropout in secondary schools

s/n	Items	X	SD	Decision
21	Reduction of high cost of education	3.15	0.06	Agreed
22	Provision of learning facilities and materials	3.43	0.13	Agreed
23	Provide scholarship awards in post primary schools	3.95	0.33	Agreed
24	Re-admit dropout students	3.48	0.19	Agreed
25	Creation of jobs for parents	3.61	0.16	Agreed
26	Provision of security in schools	3.16	0.13	Agreed
27	Proper orientation and counseling to students	3.2	0.09	Agreed
28	Reduction of strike action in schools	3.04	1.41	Agreed
29	Orphans should be sponsored free	3.15	0.06	Agreed
30	Creation of more secondary school	3.19	0.09	Agreed
31	Provision of schools for married women	2.58	0.28	Disagreed
32	Employment of adequate teaching staff	3.57	0.24	Agreed

In the response to research question 3, table 3, shows that all the respondents that rated the item 21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30 and 32 has agreed with a mean (x) rating ranging from 3.15 to 3.95 while item31 disagreed with a mean (x) rating ranging from just 2.38 which means that almost all the respondents agreed that the items in this table contribute to the ways of remedying the situation of dropout in secondary schools in Edo state.

Discussion of the Findings

        In the response to research question 1, table 1, shows that all the respondents that rated the item 1,2,3,4,5,7 and 8 has agreed with a mean (x) rating ranging from 3.04 to 3.78 while 6,7 and 9 items was disagreed with a mean (x) rating ranging from 2.66 to 2.75 which means that most of respondents agreed that the items presented are contribution factors to the increase of drop in secondary schools in Edo state.

In the response to research question 2, table 2, shows that all the respondents that rated the item 11,12,13,14,15,18 to 19 has agreed with a mean (x) rating ranging from 3.03 to 4.06 while item 16 and 20  was disagreed with a mean (x) rating ranging from 2.17 to 2.83 which means that most of the respondents agreed that the items presented are contribution factors to the perception of teachers and students on the causes of school dropout in secondary schools in Edo state.

In the response to research question 3, table 3, shows that all the respondents that rated the item 21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30 to 32 has agreed with a mean (x) rating ranging from 3.15 to 3.95 while item 31 disagreed with a mean (x) rating ranging from just 2.38 which means that almost all the respondents agreed that the items in this table contribute to the ways of remedying the situation of dropout in secondary schools in Edo state.

CHAPTER FIVE

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations

Summary

        From the study of the problem of student dropout in secondary schools with particular reference to the schools in Edo state, the researcher came out with the following resolutions.

        From the analysis in chapter four, which examined

1.  The causes of school dropout

2.  The teachers and students perception of the causes of school dropout and finally

3.  The ways that can remedy the situation of dropout

It shows various factors which are responsible for students dropout and the data collected shows evidently that they do influence dropout in schools.

Conclusion

        Based on the results of the study on the causes of dropout among secondary schools students in Edo State, it can therefore be concluded that;

1.   Bad method of teaching contributes greatly to student’s dropout.

2.   Home background contributes immensely to student’s dropout.

3.   Peer group influence has a large bearing on the students dropout.

4.   Bad school administration has been found to bring out students dropout.

All these are responsible for the causes of dropout in secondary school.

Recommendations

        On the basis of the above findings and conclusion of this study, the following recommendation were made

1.           The system of education should be remodeled to meet the needs of the individual and the nation. It will therefore be necessary to introduce self reliance education stating from the primary school which will enable holders of primary school leaving certificate or the West African school Leaving Certificate to fit in properly into different aspects of job or occupation of their choice.

2.           Guidance and counseling personnel’s should be posed to secondary schools to help solve problems of students.

3.           Teachers should use good methods in teaching the students. The teacher should be made to know their duties, they should give instructions that will make the student develop properly, physically, mentally, morally, socially and intellectually. To achieve this, seminars should always be organized for the teacher termly to enlighten them on different types of methods.

4.           Teachers should be made to know that a cordial atmosphere in the school must be created. The channel of communication must be open. This will help to check bad group, rumors and unlawful demonstration which usually result into many dropouts.

5.           The authority should not regard the students as people without reasoning faculty.

6.           Complaints about food, shortage of teachers or lack of school materials and facilities should be handle with sense and care. There should be cordial relationship between the principal, staff and students which will enhance effective functioning of the school.

7.           Students should be involved in some areas of school administration.

8.           There should be made to participate in activities like extra moral and intramural physical activities which foster team spirit, love, cooperation, personal discipline and character training.

9.           Parents should make more effort in providing for their children, show love and interests because a child who lack love from his parents will grow to be a truant, they should show good example to their children because children who see their parent fighting at him or indulging in an ugly behaviour may thing that is the right way to live.

10.       Finally, children should be made to realize that the future of this country depends on their hands and that the society will always appreciate their good progress.

The above recommendation, if viewed critically and utilized property will not only bring to minimum the causes of dropout, but will eradicate the problem entirely from the society and particularly in secondary schools in Edo state.

REFERENCES

Akinboye, J.O (1982) Guidance and Counseling Handling Adolescent and Youth Problems Ibadan, Claverianum Press.

Adams, I.F (1977) Problems in Counseling A Case Study Approach New York: Macmillan.

Charles, R.S and Beverly, R.G (1978) How Many Students will Dropout and Why North Central Association quarterly, 53, 12-315.

Duke, E.E (1990) Indiscipline in Schools Canada Onterio. Macmillan and Company.

Harlod, W.B (1979) Social-Economic Class and the School Counselor Selected Reading Ed. Bruce Shelleyc Stone, Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Holf, J. (1985) How Children Fail, Holland a Pengium Book.

Iden (1980) The Underachieving School Lagos, Federal Ministry of Information Printing Division.

Oduh, A.W (1990) Influence of Peer Group on Incidence of Juvenile Delinquency Implication for Counseling in Isoko L.G.A of Bendel State M.ed Research U.N.N.

Okoye, C.A (1988) Discipline in School and Sports Benin City, Bendel State Ministry of Education.  

Ohuche, R.O (1989) Development of Primary Schools Teachers Education in Nigeria vol. 1 Summer    Publishers Limited.

Scott, (1975) The Social Psychologo of Education, Engle Wook. Cliffs, New Jessy, Prentice Wall Inc.

West, J.D (1987) The Young Offenders Great Britain Cow and Lay Man Limited.

APPENDIX I

LETTER OF RESPONDENTS

Department of Vocational,

And Technical Education,

Faculty of Education

Ambrose Alli University,

Ekpoma Edo-State

Dear Respondent,

        I am final year student in the above mentioned Department and institution; I am carrying out research on Causes of Dropout Among Secondary School Students in Edo State. Way forward?

        The information supplied will be treated in strict confidence however your honest expression of opinions of each question is highly solicited and appreciated.

        Thanks for your anticipated co-operation.

Yours faithfully,

Uzor Faith

APPENDX II

QUESTIONNAIRE

Instruction: Please kindly tick the appropriate answer within the box

SECTION A: BIO DATA

Name:………………………………………………………………...

Name of school:…………………………………………………….

Sex: male (  ) female (  )

Religious: Christian (  ) Islam (  ) pagan (  )

Age 8-15 (  ) 16-20 (  ) and above (  )

Parent’s occupation………………………………………………..

SECTION B

Key note

Strongly Agreed      -       SA

Agreed                     -       A

Strongly Disagreed -       SD

Disagreed                        -       D

Research question: What are the causes of school dropout?

s/n	Items	SD	A	SD	D
1	Frequent strike action in school
2	The school environment is not conducive for learning
3	The library and laboratory are not well equipped
4	Lack of adequate teaching staff in school
5	Peer group influence
6	My parents have no interest in education
7	Broken home
8	Death of parents
9	Lack of society in the school
10	High cost of education
11	Repetition of classes
12	Poor academic performance
13	Poverty level of parents
14	Love of money
15	Lack of learning equipment and facilities
16	No provision for sport and other extra curricular activities
17	Indiscipline at home
18	Effect of mass media in school
19	Long distance to school
20	Students who receive disciplinary action in school

Research question on ways of remedy the satiation of dropout in Nigeria

s/n	Items	SD	A	SD	D
1	Reduction of high cost of education
2	Provision of learning facilities and materials
3	Provide scholarship awards in post primary schools
4	Re-admit dropout students
5	Creation of jobs for parents
6	Provision of security in schools
7	Proper orientation and counseling to students
8	Reduction of strike action in schools
9	Orphans should be sponsored free
10	Creation of more secondary school
11	Provision of schools for married women
12	Employment of adequate teaching staffs