The effect of Sexual Relationships on Students Academic Performance
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
According to WHO (2016), adolescence is the period in human growth and development that occurs after childhood and before adulthood; and this period is applicable to boys and girls aged 10–19 years. It is the period of physical, psychological, social and mental maturity from childhood to adulthood. It represents one of the critical transitions in the life span. Besides, physical and sexual development, this period moves toward independence, identity, acquisition of skills and the capacity for Abstract reasoning and decision. While adolescence is a time of tremendous growth and potential, it is also a time of considerable risk during which social contexts exert powerful influences.
Due to the sensitivity of premarital sexuality, inadequate sex education and guidance and adolescent friendly reproductive health services, the adolescent girls face pregnancy at early age which affects their reproductive health, academic performance as well as their career development.
In Nepal, 52% of women in the age of 15-49 years are married by 18 years, as compared with 19% men. About 4% adolescent girls in the age of 15-19 get married by age of 15 years. Similarly, the median age at first sexual intercourse is 17.9 years among women and 20.5 years among men in the age group of 25- 49. On average, women initiate sexual intercourse almost 3 years earlier than men, mainly because women marry earlier than men (NDHS, 2016).
Nowadays, sex related media, internet, magazine, dating, glamorous and porn films are being watched by adolescents which may lead to initiate early sexual activities (Regmi et al., 2010). Although a few studies on early sexual behaviour do exist, study on the impact of early sexual behaviour on academic performance has not yet been undertaken in Nepal as far as our knowledge. It is assumed that early sexual activities impact on academic performance of students.
Studies reveal that students’ sexual relationship is on increase and common in most of Africa schools (Jones & Espey, 2008; Mgalla, et al., 1998). The trend is gradually changing and the incidence of student-adolescents’ or youths’ engaging in sexual relationship is high and may constitute problems (Ngalinda, 1998) including social, health and academic. Students’ sexual activity has resulted into increased cases of unplanned pregnancies, poor academic performance, and eventually school dropouts (Mlyakado, 2013; 2013a). However, studies in Nigeria have not seriously investigated the effects of sexual relationship on students’ academic performance. Most of previous studies in Tanzania have invested in studying factors affecting academic performance in general. Factors studied include such as teachers’ incompetence, student’s low motivation, teachers’ low morale, the level of sexual activity of students, etc. summarized in Timothy (2010).
Evidences from other countries may help to understand the existing relationship between students’ sexual relationship and academic performance. In the United States, a number of studies have shown that, teenagers who abstain from sex are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college than their sexually active peers (Sabia & Rees, 2009). Although American context is not comparable to Nigeria due to great differences of the two countries in socio-economic, educational and technological development, still this study lays a good foundation to understanding sexual behaviors and academic performance of adolescents in different contexts including Nigeria.
It has also been revealed that girls do better in school, get higher grades and can graduate from high school at a higher level than boys (Aryana, 2010). From the on-going, adolescent boys and girls exhibit differences in behavioural patterns regarding their relationship with their peers, time management and academic performance. This study will investigate the effect of Sexual Relationships on Students Academic Performance.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Reports have shown that there has been a downward trend in academic performance of in-school adolescents in Nigerian secondary school in general. Parents, teachers, Curriculum experts have also expressed considerable concern about this poor performance in external examination such as West African Examination Council. So also are teachers and school counselor. These groups of individuals tend to point accusing fingers on influence of negative peer pressure and poor time management as being responsible for poor academic performance. These factors are suspected for the luring of adolescents into engagement in negative habits such as excessive drinking of alcohol, smoking, of Indian hemp, engagement in unhealthy sexual behaviour, cultist activities and other maladjustive behaviours that distract them from academic pursuit.
These unhealthy behaviours of adolescents which in turn impacts poor academic performance make the researcher to ask why are Nigerian adolescent not very concern about the current trend on their academic performance in examination?
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The main objective of the study is to examine the effect of Sexual Relationships on Students Academic Performance. The following specified objectives will guide the study:
- To identify the kinds of premarital sexual relationship among the students
- To examine the causes of premarital sexual relationship among the students
- To examine the effects of premarital sexual relationship on the academic performance of the students.
- To identify the possible means of curbing this menace among the students so as to enhance and improve their academic development and performance in school
1.4 Research Questions
The following questions will guide the researcher and help to achieve the specified objectives:
- What kinds of premarital sexual relationship exist among the students?
- What are the causes of premarital sexual relationships among the students?
- How much have premarital sexual relationships affected the educational development and performances of our students?
- What are the possible ways of curbing premarital sexual relationship among the students?
1.5 Significance of the Study
The result of this research work will be useful to the government. Because it will make the government to discover the consequences of premarital sexual relationships on the educational development of the youths and the role it needs to play to curb this menace in our society. The students themselves will benefit from this research work as it will enable them to identify the problems associated with premarital sexual relationships with particular reference to their educational development.
It will also benefit parents, because it will point out the areas through which the parents have been influencing premarital sexual relationships among the youths and the quota they need to contribute to resolving the problem.
The teachers will also gain from this research work as they are the tutors of the Nigerian youths. It will also show their own roles in curbing premarital sex among the youths they are teaching through guidance and counselling services.
1.6 Scope of the Study
1.7 Delimitation of the Study
1.8 Definition of Terms
Effect: a change which is a result or consequence of an action or other cause.
Sexual Relationship: a relationship involving sexual intimacy
Secondary school: in between basic school and college
Students: a person who is studying at a university or other place of higher education.
Academic performance: the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their short or long-term educational goals.
