| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this study was to find out how students in public boarding secondary
schools are able to access drugs while in school. The study also sought to investigate the
role of teaching staff, non-teaching staff, parents and school neighbors in assisting the
student's access drugs. The study also sought to find out where drugs are hidden once
they are smuggled into the school compound and to establish the drugs abused by the
students. This study also sought to establish the reasons for drug abuse by the students.
Literature review in this study was organized under the following sub-headings: a brief
history of drugs, drug abuse in learning institutions, myth or fact? Ways of accessing
drugs and hiding places in boarding schools, classification of abused drugs and reasons
for drug abuse. From the literature review, a conceptual framework was designed
The study was ex-post-facto in design and the targeted population consisted of head
teachers, teachers and students in public boarding secondary schools in Nairobi province.
The research developed three sets of questionnaires as research instruments. SPSS was
used to analyze data
The research found out that some students in public boarding schools in Nairobi abuse
drugs. The most abused drugs are alcohol, cigarettes, bhang and miraa. These drugs are
readily available and are therefore easily accessed by the students. Other drugs that the
students abuse include cocaine, tobacco, kuber, madrax, OeD and glue.
According to research, the alcohol neighbours are the major source of drugs. The sources
include the touts, neighboring kiosks, barber shops and cobblers. The people identified as
providers of drugs to the students within the schools are the gatemen, cooks, matron,
school messenger, school nurse, the school cateress, teachers and the shopkeeper at the
schools canteen.
The main entry point of drugs according to research is the school fence. The students get
the drugs from the outsiders trough the school fence while the staff who provide the
drugs pass the m on the student sin the pretence that they are school necessities.
The research also found out that one the drugs are smuggled into the school compound,
the students hide them in various places which include bushes or flower beds within the
school compound, bags and boxes, in the ceiling, in between pillows and mattresses, in
the socks, in their desks/lockers and in between the sanitary towels in the case of girls.
The major reasons as identified by respondents for drugs abuse is peer pressure. The
other reasons include parental influence, stress at home and in school, leisure/pleasure, to
gain courage, curiosity and influence of the mass-media. All the schools included in the
research study have rules and regulations that prohibit use and possession of any drugs
within the school.
The recommendations of the research include:
a) Random physical check should be organized in the schools to flush out drug
peddlers and users in schools
b) Teachers and other staff members should not use drugs in the school compound
c) Visitors to the schools should be monitored to prevent them from passing drugs to
the students
,
d) Meetings for both parents and students should be organized to create awareness
on the dangers of drugs abuse.
The following research areas are suggested for further research:
a) A replication of this study using a longer sample and wider scope of schools in
the country in order to get an overall perception on drug abuse
b) In order to explore further on drug abuse, a study on the effect of drug abuse on
the performance of students can be carried out in other schools.
c) A study on the effects of drug abuse on students behavior can also be carried out. | en |
