DRUG ABUSE AND ITS EFFECT ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS LEARNING IN OBUDU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT The study sought to examine drug abuse and its effect on secondary school students learning in Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Three research questions and hypotheses were formulated and the study adopted the ex-post facto design with a population comprised of 2119 JSS 3 students in nine public secondary schools in Obudu LGA of CRS, Nigeria. The respondents were drawn for the study using stratified sampling technique. A questionnaire titled “Drug Abuse and Learning Questionnaire (DALQ)”was used for data collection. Face and content validity was established by the researcher’s supervisor and two experts in the field of Measurement and Evaluation and guidance and counseling respectively, from the Faculty of Education Cross River University of Technology [CRUTECH]. The reliability of the instrument was established with Cronbach Alpha reliability and the coefficient of internal consistency ranged from 0.78 to 0.78. The data was analyzed with descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential (Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation. The finding revealed among others that that alcoholism abuse has a significant negative relationship on secondary school student learning in English. Also, stimulant abuse has significant negative effects on secondary school student learning in English language it was also found that cannabis abuse has a significant negative effect on secondary school student learning in English Language. It was recommended among others that parents should enforce flexible policies at home. This will reduce undue pressure on the part of the students: Also, Parents should sincerely re-orient their children on the dangers of drug abuse on their health and others, since charity, they say begin at home.