An investigation into the relationship between drug abuse and performance in public secondary schools in Kirinyaga Central district in Kirinyaga county.

Abstract

Drugs and substance abuse is one of the major problems affecting secondary school students. This problem impacts negatively on the academic, social psychological and physical development among the abusers. This study is focused on the investigation of the relationship between drug abuse and poor performance in Kirinyaga Central District in Kirinyaga County. The findings indicated that the age of the student, class and the school being attended are significantly related to drug use by students; that drug use was more prevalent among form three students than form two and four students; that student level of awareness of the negative effects of drugs; the level of parental supervision and academic stress were significantly related to drug use. This study was guided by social cognitive learning theory by Albert Bandura (1986). According to this theory behaviour is determined by the persons thought processes, the environment and behaviour itself. The research looks into the common drugs abuse, the effects of drugs on performance and ways and means of mitigating the same. The study employed a descriptive survey design, and makes use quantitative study to collect information from the respondents on the effects of drug abuse on academic performance among students in public secondary schools in Kirinyaga Central District. In the study, six secondary schools will be randomly sampled. It also looks into the common types of drugs abused and the relationship it has on the performance. The study targeted school head teachers, teacher counselors and students. Questionnaires were administered to the principals, teacher counselors and the students. The Questionnaires had two sections on the demographic data and the other section on the topical issue. Statistical package for social science (SPSS) was used to for data analysis. The research is aimed at filling the gaps that exist on the effects of drugs on performance. The study will find out the impact of drug abuse on academic performance, the contribution of the community around the school principals and teachers to students’ poor performance. The findings further indicated that drug use was a serious problem in secondary schools in Kirinyaga Central District with male students getting more involved in the vice. The main sources of drugs were fellow students, slums near the school, touts and street boys. The study therefore recommends that urgent and deliberate measures be put in place by the government, the school administrators, religious leaders, civil society organizations, and parents to raise the level of awareness on the effects of drugs among students and society in general.