The relationship between drug abuse and learner behaviour in secondary schools in Parys

M.Ed.The secondary schools in Parys are characterized by serious erosion of academic performance and acceptable behaviour. Drug abuse is very rife. This state of affairs prompted educators to embark on a research in an attempt to revive the culture of learning at schools. The research investigated the relationship between learners' academic performance and behaviour. The research questions which emerged, were: • What is the relationship between drug abuse and learners' academic performance? • What is the relationship between drug abuse and the learners' behaviour? Data pertaining to the respondents was obtained from the incidents book, which is obtained by the school principal's permission. This data consists of the respondents personal information. However, the names of the respondents are not used in the research but are expressed in numbers. The second set of data was obtained from the class schedules. From the schedules, it was investigated whether a learner has improved or has declined in performance from the first date of the identification as drug abuser to the last date of identification. The research found that family set up serve to contribute to drug abuse. Learners who are taken care by other people who are not their biological parents tend to abuse drugs. The respondents comprised of females and males. The female respondents participated in abusing other drugs, but did not participate in smoking habit. This may be culture determined because it is acceptable in African culture for a male child to smoke when he turns 18 years, but girls are ridiculed. It is found that under educational category, whether a learner is a senior or junior, they abuse drugs in anyway. Drug abuse is not determined by the age of a learner. All learners who are respondents are in Grade 8 - 12 ages ranging from 13 - 22, and they all abuse drugs. Advancement in age in some cases may be the reason for drug abuse, drop out of school and other problem behaviour mentioned in the research. Distance from the school is also associated with drug abuse. Learners who walk 6 -1 0 km per day going to school and back, abuse other drugs and smoke cigarettes because of the ample time they have to experiment with various kinds of drugs (Note should be taken that only male respondents smoke cigarettes)