Review of Related Literature
Review of Related Literature
Review of Related Literature
While every student may miss some school activities now and then, absence
becomes a problem when the student is away from school for many days.
social skills. Chronically absent students are at a disadvantage both socially and
academically. They miss out on critical stages of social interaction and development
with their peers, while simultaneously limiting their academic progress. This can
result in low self-esteem, social isolation, and dissatisfaction that could well have
negative effect on peer relationships, which can cause further absences. According
to Malcolm, Wilson, Davidson and Kirk (2003) teachers identified the effects of
friends which could lead to boredom and loss of confidence. Prolonged absence can
have deleterious effects for the child in later life. Students who are absent from
member of the community and a good citizen (Ferranti, 1993). The school has been
established as the agent of the society to mold the habits, interest, attitudes and
feelings of children and transmit the societal norms, culture, values and traditions
morality and inculcates discipline to the students. Despite this, some students still
truancy. However, the situation in our secondary schools regarding the issue of
absenteeism and truancy is pathetic. Absenteeism and truancy are presently major
problems facing our schools, and the damaging effects to students academic
child who often stays away from school without any good reason. Absenteeism is
regular persistent absence from work or school while truancy is an act of or practice
of deliberately staying away from school without any acceptance reason, whether or
not the parents or guardians know and approve of it (Fugleman & Richardson,
2001).
else or wandering around (Sayeler, 1997). A truant leaves home but does not reach
school, he escapes from school or class to engage in any other activities that catch
up his imaginations (Gabb, 1997). Gullatt and Lemoine (1997) also opined that
reinforcing activities outside the school, other than the home. Rothman (2001)
opined that truancy is an act of staying away from school without leave. Truancy
is a problem because the absent students cannot benefit from the various
programmes that the school offers. Effects of truancy include lower academic
achievements (Baker & Jansen, 2000) and criminal activities (Garry, 2001).
Truancy and absenteeism are signs of maladjustment that require
society (Abayomi, 2002). Truants increase their risk for dropping out of school and
high school dropouts are more likely to be unemployed or end up in prison than
There are four categories of truants; students being in school but absent in
class, students neither in classroom nor in Journal of Education and Practice. The
school but at home, those neither in the school nor at home, and those who absent
themselves from classes as a result of the difficulty in the school subjects or dislike
for the subject or teacher (Owodunni, 1996). Stoll (1993) submitted that factors
responsible for pupils truancy are many and varied. Lansdown (1990) viewed that
there is no point in seeking single factor explanation for a complex phenomenon like
truancy.
Factors influencing truancy fall into four broad categories; child/ personality,
family, school, and society/ community (Rohrman, 1993; Kinder, Harland, Wilkin &
Wakefield, 1995). Osarenren (1996) also discussed the causes of truancy among
school children under factors resident in the home, school environment, peer-group,
culture, and society. In the same vein, Gesinde (2005) has also identified the
absenteeism he/she would not go to school always as expected, many other things
that can also influence the interest of a child in education. A pupil may be ill or sick
and may be kept at home in good faith until the child is well and be able to move
about freely without any problem (Harrison, 1994). Peer Group Factor and Truancy
Though, many scholars (Rothman, 2001; Galloway, 1985; Gabb, 1997; Oerlemans &
Jenkins, 1998) have blamed the child for truancy behavior; the peer influence had
his days in the midst of his peers where he would be happier and more relaxed. And
this gives room for undue peer influence particularly in antisocial behaviors like
truancy. Owodunni (1996) opined that it is easier for student to yield to the pressure
from their colleagues than to obey the teacher and the school authority. Rohrman
(1993) opined that peers have an invaluable and influential role to play in providing
both the support and context necessary for the learning of new skills and that they
adults, adolescents attempt to model his behavior according to what represents the
standard of his peer group. Adebisi, (1996) gives a critical analytical influence of
The type of friends a student keeps plays an important role. For example
student from well behave homes may become truant or absence from school as a
result of mixing with bad students who are not discipline at home. Absenteeism and
miss so many lessons that he will as a result fall behind other children in the class.
She also stressed that the impact on each individual concerned and their academic
parents.`Truancy and absenteeism can lead to frustration in the sense that when a
child repeats a class for more than two or three years, he will get tired and become
frustrated.
Base on the analysis of Owen (2001) he stated that the truancy and
absenteeism may lead a child into drug addiction, and in most cases student that
absent from school, his or her Intelligent Quotient (IQ) would be going retarded and
such students would score below average in his class work because he missed all
the normal school lessons and all the academic school training which he is
supposed to have acquired. He would also associate with bad group that push him
anyhow. Anything they do he will also do without having any second thought over it
and this will eventually lure him/her into criminal activities such as stealing,
smoking, cultism, narcotics etc. all these will increase his confidence in his bad
behavior which eventually have bad impact on his academic success, his brain will
Home Factor and Truancy The home is a powerful determinant factor in the
behavior of children. Adedipe (1998) opined that children who are not adequately
Adebisi (1996) opines broken homes as a factor that causes truancy and
absenteeism in children because in most broken home there is no proper care for
the child. Eisenbory (1998) views truancy as the fear of being away from parents.
These delinquent youths ran away from home, and pose threats to the future
development of a nation.
According to Erickson and Curl (1996), some of the parents show no interest
most cases a child turn truant because parent do not show any interest in their
academic performance at a particular stage such a child may be easily lure into
truancy. School age children and teens who are unsupervised during the hours of
school are far more likely to use alcohol, drugs and tobacco, engage in acts of
criminality and other high risk behaviors, receive poor grades, and drop from school.
The behaviors that students exhibited that deviate from the social norms of
the school. It has caused serious problems to the smooth running of the school
system, the progress of the students and also the overall education program. There
are a lot of effects of truancy and absenteeism on a child and society in general.
Absenteeism and truancy may lead a child to become hardened criminal in future
life, if not curbed (Abayomi, 2002). When a child tends to get involved in acts such
as running away from school, he may not have time to concentrate on his/her
child. This will make such a child neglect his intended goals and if this happens,
such a child will not be able to concentrate on his/her education and his/her career
will come into a stand still. In a situation where a child is always playing the truancy,
such a child will be missing a lot of lessons and definitely will not know anything
being taught by the teacher. As a result, such a child will never achieve any goal in
sequential and organized way. This can have an effect on the progress of all the
students in the class. Families of habitually absent students can also suffer. For a
unemployment cycle that may run in the family. This also contributes to family
conflicts.
Society also suffers when school-age children are not in school. These
children may hang out on the streets. Since they have nothing to do, they resort to
petty crimes like stealing other peoples belongings and property. Others may
student keeps away from school for too long, he may grow up to be a liability to his
its students. One way of addressing this problem is to identify the causes of truancy.
Once they are singled out, understood, and analyzed, these issues may be
addressed with specific actions and measures. This will eventually result in the
as students have a higher absentee rate, but several studies indicate that
standardized test scores, state standards assessments, and even graduation rates
policies may be the most important factors in student performance in the classroom
(Mora, 200). In addition to its impact to its impact on students grades, absenteeism
has powerful effect on the school as a whole because missing school hinder
material in class (national Center For Education Statistics, 2002). A positive result
of decreasing absenteeism is improved learning for all students, including not only
for students who have higher absenteeism rates, but also for those with good
attendance patterns.
being in the classroom. Some states mandate attendance rates, sending a clear
Research and Accountability, 1997). In fact, many states grant schools the right to
deny credit based on student absenteeism (DeKalb, 2000) the need for curbing
students are put at risk for academic failure. Absenteeism is, in fact, one of the
earliest and most easily detected signs of an anti-risk student (Griswold & Patterson,
1998). Recognition is wide spread that a teacher cannot instruct an absent student,
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DeKalb, (2000) The problems of school Discipline a Basic Text for Comprenhensive
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Gullatt, D. & Lemoine, D.A. (1997). Assistance for School Administrator Concerned
Malcolm, Wilson, Davidson and Kirk (2003) School district leave policies, teacher
Ogun, A.S. (2002). Teaching Quality and Student achievement in Africa: the case of
Osarenren, N.A. (1996). Absenteeism and truancy. In E.O. Obe (Ed) School
Owen, W. (2001). Student Attendance and absenteeism. Dropping out how much do
Owodunni, A.A. (1996). A Survey of the Reasons for Truancy among Secondary
Ibadan.
Oyebanji, R.M. (1997). The school Attendance and Discipline Lagos: Nigerian
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