| dc.description.abstract | Drug abuse is a major challenge to societies and authorities in the world. A considerable amount of research has examined the impact of parental alcohol misuse on children’s development. The research reveals that children can and do suffer from a range of maladaptive outcomes spanning all areas of development, including the cognitive, behavioural, psychological, emotional and social domains. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of drug and substance abuse among parents on pupil’s school participation. This study focused on participation of primary pupils in curriculum and co-curriculum activities in Abothuguchi division, Meru County, Kenya. Specifically, it examined the influence of parents who abuse drug and substances, learner characteristics (age, gender and peer influence) on school participation and influence of school factors on primary pupils’ school participation in Abothuguchi division, Meru County, Kenya. The study utilized a descriptive research design which entails the collection of quantifiable information from the selected respondents. This design is especially important given that there is large number of schools in Abothuguchi division.
The research targeted pupils in standard seven, school teachers, parents and school committee members in Abothuguchi division, so as to capture as much information as possible on the subject of investigation. The sample comprised Standard seven pupils, Teachers and Head teachers and school committee members. Structured self- administered questionnaires were used. The completed responses were then coded and entered into a spreadsheet and analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer soft ware.
The findings established that Sexual harassment is common among school pupils and majority Pupils having low self esteem. The study also found out that only few of the pupils had strong self esteem. Bullying is rampant in school due to indiscipline among learners; majority of pupils are bullied. Most of the pupils interviewed had witnessed wife beating. Truancy was also found out to affect performance of majority of respondents. Pupils’ influenced one another negatively. The study has concluded that majority of learners took up the responsibilities of the drunken parents at a very tender since their parents suffered from hangovers due to drug and substance abuse. The pupils were overworked in the evenings and were tired, fatigued from work assigned by their drug and substance abusing parents.
The study established that teachers did not give pupils homework and co-curricular activities. They viewed them as having little importance to education. On the influence of drug and substances abusing parents on their children’s school participation, it is important that guidance and counseling should be made compulsory and supported so as to give the children from the home with drug abusing parents hope and reason to work even harder in school. There is also need to establish rescue centres for those pupils who may be in dire circumstances. | en |
