Abstract: This study was carried out to examine peer group influence and students’ academic performance in social studies in Esit Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The population of the study consisted of two thousand three hundred and fifty three (2,353) JSS1-JSS2 students. Simple random sampling technique was adopted to select the sample size of 200 students in the study. The main instrument for data collection in the study was Social Studies Achievement Test (SSAT), the data collected was analyzed statistically using independent t-test. Based on the data analyses in the study, it was discovered that there is a significant influence of loitering on academic performance of students in Social Studies. Also, there is a significant influence of truancy on academic performance of students in Social Studies. It was recommended that teachers should work co-operatively with the students so as to be able to know the kind of friends they keep which might affect their academic performance.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Generally, it has been observed that a group which a child belongs to influence his learning and studies. Peer group by definition, is an association of those within the same age-group, and the concept is applicable to both the adult and the young.
Various cultures have shown that a child right from infant to adolescent is faced with urge to belong and to and to be accepted by the group. One of the human needs is to acquire an affiliation to a group in the society. Peer group are common in the schools, homes and this play an important roles in the socialization of children in Nigeria.
According to ukpong (2008), at the schools, the most important influence on students’ behavior to learning is not always the teacher but fellow students. Students in the midst of their group transformed into the true picture of their behavior, they feel more comfortable among fellow students but feel morose at home or at the presence of their teacher.
Ibia (2007) added that peer groups have negative and positive influence on the academic performance of students’ in the learning of any subset matter. In terms of negative influence, peer group can lead fellow friend or group making them to lose control in the learning process, also through peer group, some students can deviate from their studies to something else which strongly influence their academic pursuit negatively.
Udoukpong (2012) asserted that peer group serves as information bearers to members as children from different culture and environment background come together pass information to one another and this may include adult values. Children from different ethnic group can interact and learn the ways of each other; peer group also teaches sex-role which they cannot learn from parents because they is a tendency for girls to team up with girls and boys with their counterparts more freely and their discussion, activities, plays will be sex oriented as part of socialization and education.
Nkang (2009) added that there is great influence of peer group on the academic of students, because when a child is in the school environment, he or she interact fully with their age mate and classmate, this give them an opportunity to learn either good or bad behaviors from the fellow colleague and at the same time, will discouraged their mates not to study and attend class, this in the other way round influences the academic performance of students in the learning of any subject matter.
PEER GROUP INFLUENCE AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SOCIAL STUDIES
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The low academic performance in schools has brought the need to investigate the factors influencing learning. The peer group influence is one of the factors that is causing low academic performance of students in schools. In Nigeria a lot of factors, ranging from peer group influences such as drug abuse, truancy, cultism and bounds breaking have been attributed the poor academic performance of students in social studies.
It was at this point that the researcher considered peer group influence and students’ academic performance in social studies in junior secondary school in Esit Eket Local Government Area.
Originally posted on May 19, 2021 @ 12:05 am