Paper Presentation@ 4th Annual AICAID International Conference, UGA Athens GA.

1. THE ROLE OF POLITICS IN SECONDARY SCHOOL
TRUANCY
Abayomi Ayodeji
Adedokun

2. What is Truancy?
 No generally accepted definition for truancy exists
 Definitions of truancy are not universal, but contain
some related elements that one can use to
describe it
 Truancy is having unexcused absences from school
amounting to more than half of the school year
(Echebiwe, 2009; Huzinga & Thornberry, 2000;
Mlowosa, Kalimang’asi, & Mathias, 2014; Walls,
2003; Yeide & Kobrin, 2009).

3. What is Truancy? (Conts.)
 Many schools consider truancy as an act of
delinquency (Walls, 2003).
 The Education Act (Generally) required students
to acquire no more than five unexcused
absences within a school year (DoubleGist 2013).

4. Causes of Truancy
 Stakeholders ((Baker et al., 2001; Okwakpam &
Okwakpam, 2012).
 Government policies anchor this four-fold
problem: laws, decisions, attributes, and
behavior.
 Strategy of deceit by politicians
 Parents poverty level contributes immensely to
students’ truancy in secondary schools
 Teachers attitude towards teaching

5. Roles of Politics
 Politics of deceit
 Using students as political thugs
 Students engaged in crime by gaining politicians
support
 Diverting school budgetary allocation
 Incomplete school building projects
 Insecure learning environment
 Teachers use strike action to demand for their
rights

6. Impacts of Truancy
 Innocent students are used as political pawns
 Not following through the policies and laws on
truancy
 Students are lured to work as unskilled labor
 Reduction in economic productivity
 Increased spending on poverty alleviation

7. Impacts of Truancy (conts.)
 Increased spending on poverty alleviation
 High budget to curb crime
 Truncate government investments in other
nations
 Wasting money on problems that can be resolved
at developing stage

8. What expected of Government?
 Truthful about promises
 Follow through the policies and law
 Provision of learning environment (structures,
finance, and qualified teachers)
 Incorporating accountability / Taking
responsibility
 Eradicate unnecessary spending
 Promote interest of the people governed

9. Conclusion
• The issue of truancy can be reduced to its
minimum level if resources are rightly positioned
to tackle the phenomenon.
• Government attitude and behavior that formed
the obstacle that prevents the nation’s survival
need to be addressed.

10. Conclusion (Conts.)
• The nonchalant attitude of our leaders toward
follow through in the policies that control
educational institutions need to be cut off.
• Stakeholders need to arise and build the
educational system that will produce positive
change in Nigeria.

11. References
Baker, M. L., Sigmon, J. N., & Nugent, M, E. (2001). Truancy reduction: Keeping students in
school. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency prevention Bulletin.
DeKalb, (1999). Student truancy. Retrieved from http://www.ericdigests.org/1999-
4/truancy.htm
Echebiwe, M. C. (2009). Truancy among secondary school students: A monograph. Abia State
College of Education Arochukwu.
Goldstain, D. (2015). Inexcusable absences. Retrieved from
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/121186/truancy-laws-unfairly-attack-poor-children-
and-parents.
Huzinga, D. L. & Thornberry, J. P. (2000). Urban Delinquency Justices Bulletin, Office of the
Juvenile Justices and Delinquency prevention
Lipestt, A. (2007). Truancy rates rise in secondary school. Retrieved from
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2007/oct/25/schools.uk
Mlowosa, T. P., Kalimang’asi, N., & Mathias, B. D. (2014). The impacts of truancy in
academic performance among secondary school students: A case study of Kigambori
ward in Temeke municipality. International Journal of scientific and research
publications, 4(11), 1-5.

12. References (Conts).
Okwakpam, I. N., & Okwakpam, I. O. (2012). Causes and levels of truancy among secondary
school students: A case study of Rivers State, Nigeria. Problem of Education in the 21st
Century, 45, 51-62.
Okwakpam, I. N., & Okwakpam, I. O. (2012). Causes and levels of truancy among secondary
school students: A case study of Rivers State, Nigeria. Problem of Education in the 21st
Century, 45, 51-62.
Oluremi, F. D. (2013). Truancy and academic performance of secondary school students in
southwestern Nigeria: Implication for counseling. International Journal for Cross-
Disciplinary Subjects in Education (IJCSE), 3(2), 1424- 1428.
Walls, C. (2003). New approaches to truancy prevention in urban schools (ED480916) New
York: ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban education.
Yeide, M., & Kobrin, M. (2009). Truancy Literature Review. Prepared for U.S Department of
Justice. Retrieved from
http://www2.dsgonline.com/dso2/Truancy%20Literature%20Review.pdf

13. Questions
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