THE EFFECTS OF EARLY PREGNANCY ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF FEMALE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS: CASE STUDY OF SOME SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ESAN NORTH EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Each traditional African society knows its sexual marriage values, morals and educates the young ones to maintain those values. Those who hold firmly to the idea of traditional value in the society should bear in mind that there is no such thin in Africa today. It is expected that the people of Ovia-North East Local Government Area will find its disserved place in dealing with the issue of early pregnancy on the academic performance of female students. What have been said in recent years regarding this branch of study have been ill timed in view of the worlds great need of sober and satisfactory truth. Nevertheless, doctors and scientists are doing all at their reach to enhance the growth and development in the different communities in Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State to meet the standard and aim of health in the society the researcher therefore decided to investigate the problem of early pregnancy on the academic performance of female students in Esan North East LGA of Edo State.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 

The major problem in this study is to investigate whether or not there are effects of early pregnancy on the academic performance of female students in Esan North East LGA of Edo State.

PURPOSE OF STUDY

The purpose of the study is to investigate the case of early pregnancy on the academic performance amongst secondary school female students in Esan North East LGA of Edo State, and suggest possible solution to the problem of early pregnancy on the academic performance amongst female students.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The researcher at the end of the enquiry will achieve the following:

1.           Investigate the causes of early pregnancy on the academic performance amongst secondary school female students.

2.           To arrest the activities of secondary school female students without leading to youthful exuberant like the spread of venereal diseases.

3.           To counsel secondary school female students that are promiscuous to deviant from early sex and engage in meaningful activities during leisure time.

4.           To encourage victims of early pregnancy to find solace in better activities towards purposeful goals.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This work is important to the reader in the sense that, it will portray how best to cater for the need of our children if we want them to grow into respectable human being and have respect and value for the society as useful individuals to themselves and the society at large. It will also create in the parents developed interest, curiosity to a certain degree to arrest the activities of their children when they are becoming too fashionable with expensive materials beyond what their parents can afford. It also intends to make the reader aware that early sex is the quickest and easiest way of contacting germs that causes the most deadly communicable diseases such as gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV?AIDS. it is also meant to reveal the fact that in either towns and communities or countries where early pregnancy is the order of the day, parents and guardians will know how best to grant their children freedom and face the consequences of such act either good or bad.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study is restricted to students in some selected secondary schools in Esan North East LGA of Edo State.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS 

1.           Is there any difference between early pregnancy and the academic performance of female students?

2.           Does parent’s attitudes towards education of the female child encourage early pregnancy?

3.           Does lack of parental upbringing encourage early pregnancy among female students?

4.           Is there any difference between peer group formation and early pregnancy among female students?

DEFINITION OF TERMS 

Early: sooner than usual or than expected

Pregnancy: A state of being pregnant

Offspring: A woman having in her uterus offspring in a stage of development before birth.

Venereal diseases: This refers to those diseases gotten from, sexual intercourse.

Promiscuous: Having many sexual partners.

Sex: Physical activity between two people in which they touch each others sexual organs.

Solace: A feeling of emotional comfort when you are sad or disappointed.

Female: Being a woman or a girl

Effect: A change that something causes in somebody.

Communicable disease: A disease that somebody can pass on to other people or communicate to somebody else.

Victims: A person, who has been attacked, injured or killed as a result of a disease.

Exuberant: Full of energy, excitement and happiness.