Effects of drug abuse on academic performance among secondary school youths in Garissa Municipality, Kenya

Abstract

Drugs are chemical substances, either synthetic or Natural when taken that alters the normal physiological functioning of the body. Drug abuse relates to excessive use of psychotropic substances resulting to changes in behavior and normal functioning of the body. The research study is aimed at investigating the influence of drugs abuse on academic performance among youth in Garissa Municipality. The research looks into the common drugs abuse, the effects of drugs on performance and ways and means of mitigating the same.

The study employed a descriptive survey design, and makes use quantitative study to collect information from the respondents on the effects of drug abuse on academic performance among students in public secondary schools in Garissa municipality. It also looks into the common types of drugs abused and the relationship it has on the performance, The research highlights the causes of abuse among them being peer pressure, frustrations at home and availability of drugs.

The study targeted school head teachers, deputy head teachers, teacher counselors and students. Census was used as the sampling technique since public secondary schools in Garissa municipality are few in number. Questionnaires were administered to the teachers head teacher, teacher counselors and the students. The Questionnaires had two sections on the demographic data am the other section on the topical issue. Before the actual research, permission was sought on from the ministry of education to interview the school head teachers and deputies. Statistical package for social science (SPSS) was used to for data analysis. The research is aimed at filling the gaps that exist on the effects of drugs on performance.