INFLUENCE OF PEER GROUP ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN SOME SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN OREDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Peer group can simply be said to be people of the same age and ability that is people who are knitted together by a feeling derived by a common concern as seekers of what was desirable for the group. The peer group is the child own friends, and equal member of the group often have common characteristics or interest. The peer group interests are short rage and temporary (Ezewu 2002). Moreso, the children changes their peer group membership as they for through different stages of development and can belong to a number of peer group at the same time (Ezewu, 2002). In some cases, members roles are less defined they change frequently in some, it may not be clear who is a member and who is not. In-group, the child holds a certain position and each he is expected to think and behave in a certain way. The peer group sets out certain standard for the group and they also have norms and values, which they follow. The peer group influences are more pronounced and noted in secondary school than in primary schools, partly because some of the children go away from home and stay in boarding schools where parental supervision and contact is very limited. The influence of peer group on the child is great both in and out of the school, because there is the tendency for members to be comfortable with the group norms and values. Sometimes peer group influence may lead to aggressive behaviour such as (rioting in school).

Peer group influence also prompt students to form clique with nicknames such as, Terror, Shark, Snake, Tempo, Blue Queen, Black angel etc. students are always anxious to initiate their peers whether good or bad, they would want to go to the church or mosque due to their peer influences. They may also join dierent clubs like Girls Guides, Boys Scout, Brigade, Red Cross, Savan, etc (Owuamanam, 2001). The peer group has their own “acceptance” which they have to consider before a child could be accepted or rejected from a group. Some of these characteristics that are likely to make a child to be accepted to a group are friendship, sociability and introversion. Much may also depend on what a particular group values as qualities in its members (Piaget, 1998). Formation of peer group may occur when frustration sets in as a result of conflict with family members, adult and societal norms. Effects are usually made to compensate for rejection and uses leisure profitably. Through the formation of peer group, the child will want to gain freedom from home in order to be loyal to the group. In another way, Adeola et al (2002) says, “formation of peer group may occur from each extensive interaction with others initiate relationship develop and by these contacts important attitudes and values are formed.

The attitudes may influence the child’s academic performance either positively or negatively. The negative aspect which could be detrimental to students academic work are the cases of group behaviour such as truancy, persistent lateness to school, juvenile delinquency, stealing, absenteeism from school, disobedience, laziness, disregarding school rules and regulations etc. On the other hand, the influence could be geared towards positive aspect of students academic performance for instance, the students could be influenced socially, psychologically, intellectually etc and all these boost academic performance e.g. forming reading group, going to the library, anxious to join others in answering questions in the classroom, and making friends with brilliant students especially in the area of mathematics, English language, social studies etc.