| dc.description.abstract | The aim of the study was to investigate the role of parents in drug abuse prevention in
Nairobi Province Public schools. This research was prompted by review of literature which
revealed that parents had not played their role effectively in drug abuse prevention rather
they had left that to the school especially the teachers while drugs are within the home
environment and not in schools. This motivated the researcher to go ahead and carry out the
study.
Descriptive design was used in carrying out this study. The target population was all parents
who had children in public secondary schools but the accessible population was parents in
Eastlands areas of Nairobi Province. The sample consisted of 63 parents drawn from the
Parents Teachers Association and 21 teacher counsellors. All the schools in the Eastlands
area of Nairobi Province took part in the study and were chosen purposively. Only Form
Two, Three and Four parents took part in the study for it took place in first term when Form
Ones had not reported, thus not represented in the P.T.A. Questionnaires were used to collect
data which were analyzed by use of descriptive statistics such as frequencies and
percentages. This was done by use of SPSS software packages.
The findings revealed that 92.2% of the parents were aware of the existence and increase of
drug abuse in public secondary schools. 78.5% of parents were only aware of the legal drugs
such as tobacco, miraa and alcoholic drinks but were ignorant of the drugs referred to as
illegal such as marijuana, cocaine, heroine, valiurn, hallucinogens and inhalants being in schools. 43.1 % of parents indicated the major factor that led students into abusing drugs was
peer pressure. 82.4% of the parents agree that measures taken by both the school and parents
are not effective. 84.3 % of parents indicated that their children were aware of the effects of
drug abuse, while mends are considered to be the major source of drugs by parents 41.2 %.
Lastly the study revealed that teachers knowledge and perception of parents' role in drug
abuse prevention was that parents had not played their role effectively 94.1 %. In fact, they
blame the parents for neglecting their children and leaving the fight against drug abuse to the
schools. All in all, both the parents 43.1 % and teachers 29.4 % agree that parents should
have open dialogue with their children to discuss the dangers of drug abuse.
These findings conclude quite a large percentage of parents 92.2% were aware of the
existence and increase of drugs in schools there was need for them to be aware of the types of
drugs used by the students. There is also need to establish the sources of these drugs as well
as other contributory factors that lead students into drugs like wrong role models from
parents as review of literature has shown. Parents also need to assist the schools in curbing
drugs for majority of them agree that measures taken by the schools are largely ineffective.
The teachers indicated that parents had not played their roles effectively hence there is need
to get fully involved by creating time to discuss the dangers of drug abuse with their children.
This is because open dialogue has been found by this study and also by review of literature to
be the most effective measure in drug abuse prevention. | en |
