SEXUAL IMMORALITY AMONG CHRISTIAN FEMALE STUDENTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study investigated “Sexual Immorality among Christian Female Students in Secondary Schools in Nigeria, using Kogi State as case study.” The involvement of teenagers, adolescents, youths and students in sexual immorality has become a serious problem and concern to parents, religious leaders, school authorities, government in particular and the society in general. The population of this study comprised of secondary school students and teachers in Kogi state. A total of seven hundred and fifty (750) respondents were selected as sample for this study. The sample size of students selected was four hundred (400) while the sample size of teachers selected was three hundred and fifty (350) randomly sampled across the three senatorial districts in Kogi state. The objectives of this study is to find out the causes of and effects perceived sexual immorality among Christian female students and to suggest possible ways of minimizing it. To achieve this purpose, a questionnaire containing four sections was developed and standardized. The questionnaire was structured based on the research questions, hypotheses and objectives. T-test was used in the analysis of the data, major findings observed in this study revealed that sexual immorality among Christian female students is caused by factors such as parental negligence, poverty, influence from peer group and watching of immoral video films. The study revealed that the effects of sexual immorality among Christian female students include unwanted pregnancy, abortions and spread of sexually transmitted diseases. In conclusions, parents/guardians should take special interest in curbing moral decadence among their female children, failure of which, will contribute negatively on their female children. The recommendations given include parents/guardians should keep a close watch on the type of friends their daughters keep and video films they watch at home. The government should improve the economy and censor magazines and video films that are immorals

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1         The Background to the Study

At the secondary school level, most female students are at the adolescent stage, a developmental period which can decide a person’s current and future health. This is because it is at this time that individuals begin to make independent decisions about health-risk and health-enhancing behaviour. According to Cha (2005), Physiological, psychological and cognitive changes associated with sexual dispositions are experienced during this period. Thus, it is not unusual for adolescents to have the physical characteristics of adults in early adolescence and yet have the limited psychological, social and cognitive development consistent with childhood. Risky premarital sexual behaviour, one of the major problems of adolescence, is a result of the developmental characteristics of adolescence.

No other single age group sustains the negative health outcomes from their sexual behaviour as the adolescents. Adolescent girls contribute 55% of all clandestine abortions in the country, and the national HIV sero-prevalence figure for age 15-19 years is 3.6% (Bankole, Oye-Adeniran, Singh, Adewole, Sedgh and Hussain, 2006 and Fatusi and Blum, 2008).Sexual immorality is an area which many people find strange because it is one of the most complex and most controversial areas to venture into in contemporary times. Many people would think of the discussion on sexual immorality as a taboo that culture or custom forbids. Adults in the community frown at sexual immorality because it is a taboo and it brings shame to the family and relations of girls who happen to be victims of the act.

What is most astonishing is that in Kogi state, Christian female students in secondary schools cannot be isolated from this contagion affecting adolescents. Sexual immorality among Christian female students in Kogi state secondary schools is a menace in the society. According to Omotunde (1987) the adults have created the conditions for the spread of sexual immorality by exposing the youths to temptations. This they do by selling pornographic films, books and sexually suggestive music which materials stimulate adolescents’ curiosity and engender their ability to experiment on what they see, read and hear. Coupled with the enhanced biological growth resulting from the chemicals from food crops, secondary school girls consider themselves adults capable of all sexual requirements. Often, the religious and cultural restraints are ignored. According to Adeola (2011), “there are many school girls out there who are going through difficult and horrible situations either because they did not know the problem or they thought the situation was not going to be that terrible. For many of the girls who are caught up in sexual immorality, it has been just a game of daring the impossible after knowing well that the horrors of falling into it are enormous”. This study, therefore, tries to find out the main causes of sexual immorality among Christian female students in secondary schools in Kogi state.

1.2         Statement of the Problem

There are many outcries against sexual immorality in the Nigerian society today. The involvement of teenagers, adolescents, youths and students in sexual immorality has become a serious problem and concern to parents, religious leaders, school authorities, government in particular and the society in general. Christian female students in secondary schools cannot be isolated from this contagion affecting adolescents. Parents can no longer speak for or trust their daughters as not being involved. The level of sexual immorality among some Christian female students has highly increased. Schools have become a comfortable place for sexual immorality for some female students. Wearing of seductive attires has become fashionable among teenagers. At the secondary school level, the virtue of virginity is becoming unthinkable, old fashion and abominable. Virginity among Christian female students is not as common as it was in years past. Today, some Christian female students are deflowered at a very young age. Some of them have become pregnant and have eventually dropped out of school; some of them have opted for abortion and in the process have either lost their lives or have their wombs damaged. Also, some of them have contracted deadly sexually transmitted diseases. How can this scourge be reduced such that Christian female students will abide by their religious injunctions? This among others are what this study is set out to investigate towards making some suggestions for reducing the effects of the sexual scourge among Christian female students in secondary schools in Kogi state.

1.3         Objectives of the study

This research aims at examining “Sexual Immorality Among Christian Female Students in Secondary Schools in Kogi State.” The study seeks to achieve its aims through the following objectives which are:

1. To find out the causes of sexual immorality among Christian female students in secondary schools in Kogi State.
2. To find out the effects of sexual immorality on Christian female students in secondary schools in Kogi State.
3. To suggest possible ways of minimizing sexual immorality among Christian female students in secondary schools in Kogi State.

1.4         Research Questions

1. What are the causes of sexual immorality among Christian female students in secondary schools in Kogi State?
2. What are the effects of sexual immorality on Christian female students in secondary schools in Kogi State?
3. What are the possible ways of minimizing sexual immorality among Christian female students in secondary schools in Kogi State?

1.5         Hypotheses

1. There is no significant difference between male and female Christian students opinion on the causes of sexual immorality among Christian female students in secondary schools in Kogi state.
2. There is no significant difference in the opinion of teachers and students on the effects of sexual immorality among Christian female students in secondary schools in Kogi state.
3. There is no significant difference between the views of teachers and students on possible ways of minimizing sexual immorality among Christian female students in secondary schools in Kogi State.

1.6         Significance of the Study

The study would help to enlighten the female students in secondary schools on the causes and effects of sexual immorality. The idea will be used to dissuade them from such behavioural patterns.

The  study  would  help  the  families  to  perform  their  roles  to  their  children effectively, train them in the way of the Lord and make adequate provision to meet up their basic needs. The  study would  help  the  schools  not  to  have  a  loose  administration  where students will be free to do what they like. The schools will enforce strict discipline and

engage  the  students  with  one  activity or  the  other.  When  the  students  are  engaged properly they will not have time to misbehave.

They study would help the ministries of Education to strengthen the inspectorate and monitoring unit to supervise schools and organize seminar for the students

1.7         Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This research work focuses mainly on the causes and effects of sexual immorality.

It concentrates on Christian female students in secondary schools in Kogi state. The study

would have been carried out in all the secondary schools in Kogi State but was restricted to senior secondary schools.

1.8         Basic Assumptions

This research work is based on the following assumptions:

1. That sexual immorality is on the increase among Christian female students in secondary schools in Kogi State.
2. That school authorities understand the implications of sexual immorality in relation to the academic and moral development of their students.
3. That Christian female students in secondary schools are ignorant of the effects of sexual immorality.
4. That sexual immorality is now common as a way of life in this modern day civilization.

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