THE EFFECTS OF DIVORCE ON THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS IN NIGERIA SOCIETY

ABSTRACT

The study examined the effect of divorce on the academic achievement of students. The design of this study was “Survey type. Data were collected from five schools and were randomly selected from Abeokuta South local government area of Ogun State. A total number of Hundred (100) questionnaire were administered to Female and Male student of different age-grades, JSS 2-JSS3 were used as a sample. Questionnaire was closed ended likert-type technique that expressed degree of agreement or disagreement with the supplied statement. This research project finds out the negative eects of divorce on the students behaviour and academic achievement. Data was analyzed using simple percentage. Findings from the study according to the research showed that misunderstanding between husband and wife could lead to divorce; lack of parental advice during adolescent might leads to student poor academic achievement; student from the amicable settle of dispute or misunderstanding among the couple will lead to fewer cased of divorce in the society; keeping distance from the various in-laws will reduce misunderstand and divorce among couples. Finally, the researcher recommended that in order to discourage the habit of divorce in the society, spouse for advised to keep fathers and mother-in-laws brothers and sister-in-laws should learn to talk it over with themselves in order to hold firmly unto their marriage.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Marriage is universal institution known all over the world. It is a legal union of a man and a woman. Marriage can also be called matrimony or Wedlock. It is a socially or recognized union or legal contract between spouses that established right and obligations between each other, their children their in-law and their relatives. Marriage was designed by God to meet the problem of loneliness marriage is meant to last till death, even aer death because some of the surviving children of the spouses still retain the name of their dead parent. (Hargreaves 2002). Divorce is the legal procedure by which marriage can be formally ended. Divorce according to Wadlerstain (2003) is the termination of a re-organizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage thus dissolving the bonds of matrimony between a married couple under the rule of law of the particular country and/or state. Oxford learners dictionary (2001) defines divorces as the legal ending of a marriage. Divorce is now a common situation whereby couples no longer finds their union compatible and consequently separate. In most cases, student from this type of home suffer a great set back. A

situation where either of the parents is not with their children, many affect the upbringing of the children; most children born by divorce couple as a result of disjointed training of trouble parents (Owusu 2007). It is important to remember that, as divorces rates continue to increase, so does the likelihood that children of divorced parents may have greater risk adjusting in areas of social relations, self concept, bahaviour/conduct and psychological adjustment; according to Amanto and Keith (cited in vandervalk 2005). Hargreaves (2000) opined that children from one parents families may have more difficulties adapting their behaviours to teacher expectation than student from two parents household. Teacher reported negative behavioural changes in two thirds of the student aer divorce. These changes consisted of an increase in impatience, in attentiveness, unhappiness, lack of concentration are noticed by their teachers. According to Wallerstein and Corbin cited in Dykeman (2003), when children experience divorce, they may also experience a significant impact upon their school performance. Some children may experience Long-lasting emotional effect into their adulthood that damage their ability to preserve relationship H “Hatherington” (cited in Hargreaves, 2001) children may experience mood change anger and frustration while at school and children from divorced parent may be more disorderly in class, have less proficiency in study habits and be absent more frequently than children from two parents, families. Amato (Cited in Hargreaves 2009) suggested that children in one parent family may have more household to their stress level than children from two parent families. The result of parental divorce shapes children emotionally and may impact self-esteem, future relationships, dating and marriage (Simons cited in Dykeman 2003). Also Hetherington (cited in Hargreaves 2001), indicated children who have behaviour problems in the classroom tend to show less quality work in the class-room and have more unfinished home-work assignment. Hetherington further found children in a single-parent family may be likely to underachieve due to the family. Divorce is one of the most terrible thing that have affected the life of many children in our society today, even parents also will be seen in the life of those couple that are not happily married, they will be emotionally unstable isolated, lack of self confidence and emotionally self sufficient. Therefore, this project attempt to examined the causes of divorce in contemporary family and it effect on academic in achievement of student who often times as a possible alternative strategies at solving this problem to enhance unity and harmony in the institution of marriage.