THE EFFECT OF BULLYING ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS

ABSTRACT

The project consist of five (5) chapters among the important content of chapter one include the introduction, background to the study, statement of problems, limitation of t he study, definition of terms and purposes of study. All these are some of the important issues discussed in the chapter. Chapter two was devoted to literature review, where different theories were put to proper explanation. Such theories as developmental theory and other theories. Facts and figures of bullying were also included in this chapter. Chapter three focuses on methodology of data gathered. Chapter four dealt on the analysis of data and interpretation of results, while chapter five dealt with the conclusion, summary, and recommendations.    

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY  

In schools, bullying occurs in all areas. It can occur in nearly any part in or around the school building, thought it more often occurs in recess, hallways, bathrooms, on school buses and waiting for buses, classes that require group work or after school activities. Bullying in school sometimes consist of a group of students taking advantage of or isolating one student in particular and gaining the loyalty of bystanders, who, in some cases want to avoid becoming the next victim. School bullying is a widespread issue that affects secondary school students in three essential parts of their lives; psychologically, educationally and professionally. Bullying is a sort of aggressive behaviour against others such as, verbal by calling nasty names, physical by kicking, pushing or tripping up and social by everyone stopped talking to you.

Academic achievement is the first aspect which influences bullying at school. therefore, bullied children live within fear, self-blame,  feel weak and it affects their personality traits and self-confidence, so this situation makes them unable to study well and they might hate going to school. Furthermore, they will lose their opportunities to participate with others or enjoy school activities. Hence, they will gain less academic performance and low educational attainment. There is a strong relationship between bullying and school quality such as class size, lack of library, sports facilities. Both bullies and victims feel more negative about school, and persistent bullying may lead to stress and depression. Bullying can lead to anxiety, low self-esteem, hopelessness and isolation. Children miss lessons or are scared to attend school. They lose concentration when they do attend. Some of the effects last long after the bullying, until they are adults.       

One adverse effect of bullying is that it also leads to suicide. While suicide is rare in bullied children, the other effects of bullying are also devastating and last well beyond the time when the child is actually bullied. Many schools have a zero tolerance policy towards bullying, but sometimes have difficulty identifying the victims and the abusers because children are afraid to come forward. Bullying causes long-term problems such as depression and anxiety. In his essay “The long term effects of bullying”, psychologist Mark Dombeck relays his own bullying experiences as a child, as well as the experience of his patients and then, asserts that the anger, anxiety, and depression of that moment often lingers into adulthood, causing problems with keeping a job, forming relationship and even continued victimization in abusive relationship or work environment.

Students who are bullied cannot concentrate in schools, so their grades may be a warning sign that a student is being bullied. A child’s grade may also suffer if he or she misses a lot of school due to bullying. Children who are bullied will complain of headaches, stomachaches, and overall fatigue. This issues are usually caused by mental anguish that manifest in physical ailments. Students who are bullied often use physical complaints to get out of school. additionally, they may avoid infectious from holding crime during the day. A particularly unfortunate effect of bullying is that some children who are bullied go on to victimize and harass other children. In the same way that some student begin to bully at school because they are bullied at home, children who are bullied at school will begin to look for children more vulnerable than they are to bully. It is an effort to exert any power they may have over someone more vulnerable. A bullied children, may, at the demand of his own bully become a bully to another child. 

In the light of this problem, the study is designed to assist students, teachers, parents, and concerned bodies on how to avoid bullying in some selected secondary school in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State.

1.2STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

This research is aimed at finding the causes and proposing solutions to bullying in the school environment. The problem will investigate into bullying by some set of students and the victims. Whether there are better supervisions during recess, launch time, and break time, whether there are class rules against bullying and class meetings. Whether there are creative solutions to helps students by classroom teachers, whether there are talks with targets, bullies and their parents.  

1.3PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Having examined the problem to be investigated in the study, it is imperative to state the purpose of this study, hence these include;

i.            To find out the negative impact of bullying on students in schools in Edo State.

ii.           To find out whether students in Edo State are really bullied in schools.

iii.         To find out why the students are bullied.

iv.         To make recommendations on the ways to stop bullying.

v.          To find out the extent to which it has affected the academic performance in Edo State.  

1.4SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

This research will enable those concerned know how to deal with the problem of bullying and its obvious consequences on school children. These include;

i.            It will enable the victims know why they are bullied and how to avoid being bullied.

ii.           Schools in Edo State will now adopt measures stated to avoid bulling in their schools.

iii.         The effects of bullying on students in Edo State will be better solved in the overall academic performance enhanced.