THE EFFECTS OF DRUG ABUSE ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SOME SELECTED SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KATSINA METROPOLIS

This Research is based on “Effects of drug abuse on students’ academic performance in some selected senior secondary schools in Katsina Metropolis”. The study has three (3) research objectives such as to find out the type of drugs that are commonly abused by the students of some selected senior secondary schools in Katsina Metropolis, to find out the factors influencing drug abuse among the students of some selected senior secondary schools in Katsina Metropolis, to find out the effect of drug abuse and addiction on the academic performance students in some selected senior secondary schools in Katsina Metropolis, to suggest the preventive measures of drug abuse in some selected senior secondary schools in Katsina Metropolis. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The study find out that the researchers found out that the Type of drugs commonly abused by the students of some selected senior secondary schools in Katsina Metropolis are Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana, Barbiturates, Syrup, Capsule, the researchers found out that the Factors influencing drug abuse among the students in senior secondary schools in Katsina Metropolis are Peer influence, Due to weak policies against drugs in school, Availability of drugs within the community, Family Background, Lack of Awareness and Education as in Table 4.6 above, the findings shows that the Effect of drug abuse and addiction on the academic performance students in senior secondary schools in Katsina Metropolis are Drug abuse leads to poor grades in school, Drug abuse affect in Repeating same class/ Exams, Students stay away from lessons and classes due to Drug abuse, Drug abuse leads to Suspension from school, Drug abuse leads to Low Concentration in Class, Drug abuse makes students less serious in their academic work, Drug abuse has negative effect on the memory and cognitive capacity of the student, the findings shows that the Preventive measures of drug abuse in senior secondary schools in Katsina Metropolis are Comprehensive Drug Education Programs, Provision of School Policies and Enforcement, Extracurricular Activities, Parental Education, Community Awareness Campaigns .The researchers recommended that Guidance and counselling teachers should be assigned in order to play an important role in informing students on the negative effect of drug abuse. Moral and religious instructors should intensify efforts to check drug abuse among youths especially in secondary schools. Government should introduce drugs education in post primary curricula. “Ignorance is a disease” is only when people are enlightened on the effect of drugs on their health that they will seek to avoid its illegal use or abuse. And Punishing the students supplying and abusing drugs through expulsion or suspension.