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EFFECTS OF ETHNO RELIGIOUS CONFLICTS ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN GOVERNMENT SECONDARY SCHOOLS
ABSTRACT
The study surveyed effects of ethno religious conflicts on the academic performance of students in Government secondary schools in Gassol and Bali local government area of Taraba State. Based on a detailed literature review, a total of five research hypotheses were formulated and tested on samples sizes of 169 in Bal iand 189 in Gassol representing the total population of 10 public secondary schools in Gassol and Bali local governments area of Taraba State. The instrument employed for the collection of data was the structured questionnaire. The methods of the analyses used were frequencies, percentages standard deviation, and mean t-test. From the data analyzed, the following findings were made; that school authorities do not render assistance to students affected by ethno religious conflicts to improve academically. Secondly, the strategies teachers employ in trying to reintegrate traumatize students affected by ethno religious conflicts are not enough. Also, that traumatized students make more noise, participate actively in extracurricular activities all in an attempt to reintegrate themselves into the school and society. Again, that teacher renders some basic assistance to students affected by ethno-religious conflict. Finally, political and traditional leaders do not assist these affected students by ethno-religious conflict with basic needs of life and ways to cope academically.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Human beings are born into societies where they are classified by ethnic group, race, nationality, and religion, which significantly influence their actions and behaviors. Getui (Tarimo and Manwelo, 2009) observed that any attempt to restrict one’s livelihood, freedom of expression, right to socialize, political representation, or right to exist leads to conflict. Ethno-religious conflict refers to situations where relationships between members of different ethnic or religious groups are characterized by a lack of cordiality and mutual understanding, driven by suspicion, fear, and a tendency toward confrontation in multi-ethnic and multi-religious societies. Human fallibility and the tendency to disagree lead to conflict, with the frailty of human nature allowing evil thoughts to incite violent acts against others. In Nigeria, religious intolerance and ethnophobia have plagued society for decades.
Taraba State has experienced significant ethno-religious conflicts. In 2001, ethnic conflict between Fulani herdsmen, Jukun, and Tiv people resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives and destruction of property worth millions. More recently, serious clashes between different ethnic and religious groups, including farmers and herdsmen, have occurred, particularly in the Gassol and Bali local government areas. These conflicts have led to severe hardship, poverty, and frustration among the affected populations, causing social and economic deterioration. Survival in these areas has become precarious, with individuals uncertain about their safety from one moment to the next.
According to the West African Examination Council (WAEC, 1999), factors contributing to poor student performance include inadequate school facilities, unqualified teachers, family and societal issues, and poor government policies and funding (Ajila and Olutola, 2002). In Gassol and Bali, the poor performance of secondary students in exams raises serious concerns. Interviews conducted by the researcher reveal that only about 30% of students who complete secondary school can read and write correctly. This indicates that the goals of the National Policy on Education, which aims to prepare individuals for useful living within society and higher education, are not being achieved.
Persistent ethno-religious conflicts are a major cause of poor student performance. These conflicts’ devastating effects are reflected in poor academic outcomes in class tests, assignments, and exams. Students affected by such conflicts often lack basic needs like food, water, shelter, and medical care, and many live in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, traumatized and unable to attend school or pay tuition. Additionally, schools’ facilities and structures are often destroyed or vandalized, making it difficult to create a conducive learning environment. Mass migration due to conflict leads to trauma and frustration, hindering students’ ability to achieve their goals and aspirations.
This research aims to address the devastating effects of ethno-religious conflict on students and explore ways to manage its impact on their social, religious, and academic lives in Gassol and Bali local government areas.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Persistent ethno religious conflict is one of the major factors contributing to low academic performance. Their resultant effects are low academic performance in internal and external examinations, West African Examination Council, (WAEC), National Examination Council NECO), trauma, financial difficulty, political alienation, insecurity, hunger and low enrolment into school and attendance due to vandalized facilities and structures. However, before the devastating impact of ethno religious conflict, school enrolment and attendance was very high, school structures and facilities averagely managed, academics performance improving periodically, economic and social activities normal with trust and mutual relationship among different groups within these the local government. The persistent occurrence of ethno religious conflict within these local governments is making the future and dreams of students in education a mirage, most especially their present psychological challenges in the (IDP) camps and the insecurity, which is stopping people from farming in these local governments and its adverse effect is economic hardship.
1.3 Research Questions
To be able to address the effect of ethno religious conflict: the researcher poses the following research questions:
What type of assistance do the school authorities render to students affected by ethno religious conflict? What strategies do teachers use to help students who are traumatized by ethno religious conflicts to improve academically?
- What efforts do students who have been traumatized by ethno religious conflict make to reintegrate into the school and society?
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How do teachers assist students who have been affected by ethno religious conflict financially?
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What efforts are political and traditional leaders making to remedy the condition of students affected by ethno religious conflict?
1.4 Hypotheses
The following hypotheses will be addressed in the study of the work, these are:
- There is no significant difference between mean response of school authorities in Bali and Gassol local government areas of Taraba State, in rendering assistance to students affected by ethno religious conflicts.
2. There is no significant difference between the mean response of teachers in Bali and Gassol local government areas of Taraba State in employ strategies to reintegrate traumatized students affected by ethno religious conflicts to improve academically.
- There is no significant difference between the mean response of students in Bali and Gassol local government areas of Taraba State, in striving to reintegrate into the schools and society after being traumatized by the devastating effect of ethno religious conflicts.
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There is no significant difference between the mean response of teachers in Bali and Gassol local government areas of Taraba State, in assisting students affected by ethno religious conflicts financially to cope with burden.
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There is no significant difference between the mean response of Political, traditional and religious leaders in Bali and Gassol local government areas of Taraba State in adopting strategies to minimize ethno religious conflicts in order to evade these devastating effects on students’ performance, social well being and economic development of the community.
1.5 Purpose of the Study
This research work, seeks to investigate the devastating impact of ethno religious conflict on the academic performance of students in Bali and Gassol Loacl gogernment areas. They specific purpose are:
It seeks to investigate how school authorities assist student affected by the devastating effect of ethno religious conflict It also seeks to investigate how teachers help students affected by ethno religious conflict to improve academically It set out to investigate the efforts made by students affected by ethno religious to reintegrate themselves back to the society It seeks to also investigate the financial assistance rendered to students affected by ethno religious conflict It set out to investigate the role played by traditional religious and political leaders to avert conflict, and assistance offered to student affected by ethno religious conflict
1.6 Significance of the Study
The work will be of benefit to students, teachers, parents and the community in knowing the devastating effect of ethno- Religious conflict and how to manage conflict. The finding of this research work will benefit schools and serve as a guide for public secondary schools especially within Bali and Gassol local governments of Traba State. This work will benefit students to know that ethno religious conflict is part of human limitations and the need to live peacefully.
This work will be of befit teachers and serve as a guide to adopting better ways of handling low academic performance of students as a result of trauma from ethno religious conflict. This work will be of benefit also to the government, political, traditional and religious leaders in knowing the extent of damage ethno religious conflicts inflict on people and students as a result of a leaders inability to govern properly. This research work will be of benefit to researchers on similar topic in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of masters’ degree in educational administration and planning.
1.7 Scope and limitation
This research work has Nigeria at heart but is limited to Gassol and Bali local government areas of Taraba State. However, the researcher used few secondary schools as examples for the work, which represent a wider outlook.
1.8 Research Method
This study adopted a survey research method. This research method studies both small and large population by selecting and studying samples chosen from population to discover the relative incidents, distribution and interrelation of sociological and psychological variables. (Tolubi 2001) This survey method seeks to investigate the devastating effect and the responses of teachers, school authorities’ political and religious leaders to students affected by ethno religious conflict in Gassol and Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State.
1.9 Definition of Terms
Ethnic The word ethnic is derived from the Greek word ethnos, which means a group of people who shared a common and distinctive culture. In its classical meaning, ethnic relates to a number of a particular ethnos (Thomas 17).
Ethnicity should be seen as a feeling of belonging to a distinctive cultural or linguistic group or a manifestation of ethnic consciousness in socio-cultural group or the manifestation of national consciousness, is not regarded as a bad thing within the community of nations. The cultivation of that feeling to serve negative ends cannot be regarded as the essence of the word. After all, ethnic consciousness can also be creatively cultivated to; serve positive ends in a multi-ethnic society (Thomas, 18).
Effects: According to the new international Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary of the English Language: effect is a result or product of some cause or agency: consequence. change that produces’ in one person or thing by another which often is perceived to be negative.
Performance: the act of carrying out or execution of the functions required of one (.Websters New International Dictionary)
Academics: scholarly related to school, college or university. Websters Comprehensive Dictionary.
Religion: “is mans awareness and recognition of his dependant relationship on a Transcendent Being, the wholly other, namable or un-namable, personalized or impersonalized, expressible in human society through beliefs, worship and ethical or moral behavior” Ekwunife (1990). It could also mean beliefs, precepts, values and actions of human beings which to some large extend shapes and guide their spiritual, economic, political and social life.
Ethno-Religious conflicts refers to those involving groups where religion is an integral part of social and cultural life, and religious institutions are representative, possess moral legitimacy, and mobilization potential. Where conflicting groups defined themselves along ethno-religious lines, religious identity can create sharp distinctions between parties, and increase group mobilization. Other distinguishing factors include: the high incidence of civilian casualties, suicide bombing, ethnic cleansing and action legitimized by religious, language, texts and images. Such conflicts are also often intra-states, in communities with long histories of tension and suffering from post-colonial deprivation or political or economic instability, religious leaders may attack incumbent government (Oreilana p.264, 2009).
Violence is the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or action, against a group or community, which either results in or has high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, mal-development, or deprivation. This definition associated intentionality with committing the act itself, irrespective of the outcome it produces. Generally, although, anything that is turbulent or excited in an injurious, damaging or destructive way, or preventing risk according, may be described as violent or occurring violently, even if not signifying violence by a person and against person, (Krug 1988 ). Violence in many forms is preventable. Evidence shows strong relationship between levels of violence and potentially modifiable factors such as concentrated poverty, income and gender inequality, the harmful use of alcohol, at the absence of self, stable and nurturing relationships between children and parents. Scientific research shows that strategies underlying causes of violence can be effective in preventing violence (Krug 6).
Conflict has many meanings in everyday life. To some, it refers to behavior or action. There is conflict where a trade union goes on strike or an employer looks out its employees. It is also conflict when two states are at war with one another, and whether battlefield events determine their relations. The actions constitute the conflict. If this were all, however, it would mean that a conflict ends of a conflict. Conflict is an interactive process manifested incompatibility, disagreement or dissonance within or between social entities. He also notes that conflict may be limited to one individual who is conflicted within himself the intrapersonal conflict (Wallensteen 3.1)