Antecedents of deviant behaviours in junior high schools in the Ayawaso-West Sub-metro in Greater Accra Region of Ghana

Abstract

Deviant behaviours among students pose a serious threat to teaching and learning in most schools, and has attracted the interest of educators and policy makers globally. The study sought to investigate the factors that contribute to deviant behaviours in Junior High Schools (JHS) in the Ayawaso West Sub-Metro in the Greater Accra Region. The study adopted the descriptive design. The population comprised 600 junior high school students in the Ayawaso West Sub-Metro. A sample of 234 students was selected using simple random sampling technique for the study. An adapted questionnaire was used for the study. Data were analysed using means and standard deviations as well as independent samples t-test. It was found that students engaged in several deviant behaviours such as mocking or teasing, offensive language, excessive noise making, examination malpractices and bullying. The study revealed also that deviant behaviours among JHS students are caused by factors such as disturbed family background, lack of well-structured Guidance and Counselling programmes in Junior High Schools, students’ habits of watching indecent or bad films and partiality of teachers. The study also found poor academic performance, lack of interest in school work, and failure in B.E.C.E. as some of the effects of student deviant behaviour. Based on the findings, it was recommended that teachers and school authorities should put in proper disciplinary measures to target specific deviant behaviours in schools.