The impact of drug abuse on school indiscipline among secondary school students in Ribe sub-location, Kaloleni District Coast Province, Kenya. A case of Ribe boys' high school
Abstract
The use and abuse of drugs by students can be seen as a way of coping with problems, anxieties and the uncertainties of growing up. On the other hand prolonged drug abuse is very dangerous because it can damage vital organs, such as the liver, pancreas, brain and heart. Developing young bodies and minds are vulnerable to such damage, which is sometimes irreparable. The study was to highlight the impact of drug abuse on indiscipline among the students in high school. The study involved extensive research on drug abuse.
This led to the use of various data collection techniques such as questionnaires, interviews and observations. Stratified random sampling method proved advantageous because of the population size of the school. A total of 98 people were selected for the study as a sample size from a population of784. Drug abuse among secondary school students is of a particular concern since they engage in drug abuse at an early age. The study also aims at empowering the custodians .of the 1earners (students) with necessary skills to enable them deal with the impact of drugs.
The study findings revealed that drug abuse among Secondary school students a major cause of indiscipline not only in Ribe Boys' high School, but in Kenya. This is evidenced by the rising cases of unrest in the schools, destruction of school properties, poor performance, poor relationship between teachers and students, poor relationship between parents and their children among others.
This study has established that the commonly abused drugs in Kenya include: Tobacco, Miraa (Khat), Cannabis sativa (Bhang), Heroin (Brown Sugar), Solvents such as glue, gum, and petrol, barbiturates and Tranquilizers such as Mandrax, Ruche and Valium, but it revealed that cannabis sativa and alcohol were the most abused drugs in secondary schools. In Ribe Boys' high school, the most commonly abused drugs are alcohol and bhang.
Further research could be carried out to establish why the secondary students are abusing drugs even when they are aware of the negative impact arising from the vice. A research also be carried out on why Kenyan Police are not able to control and eradicate the abuse of drugs and yet they have all the resources to curb this phenomenon.
Publisher
UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI
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