Investigation Of Delinquent Behaviour And Academic Performance Of Students In Biology In Public Secondary Schools In Obudu Local Government Area Of Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated delinquent behaviour and academic performance of students in biology in public secondary schools in Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of this study, three hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The Ex-post facto research design was considered most appropriate for the study. The simple random sampling technique was adopted in selecting five public secondary schools and a sample of hundred students was used for the study. A twenty-item four point Likert scale questionnaire and students' achievement test in biology were the instruments used for data collection. The instruments were validated and tested for reliability before they were administered to the respondents. To test the hypotheses formulated for the study, Pearson product moment correlation statistical tool was used for data analysis. The results obtained from analysis of data and testing of hypotheses revealed that there is a significant relationship between truancy, drug abuse, lateness to school and academic performance of students in the study area. Based on these findings it was recommended among others that stringent measures should be adopted to discourage students from absenting themselves from school in order to improve their learning outcomes and subsequent performance.