Moral decadence among students of fodoa community day senior high school in the kwahu west municipality

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the causes and effects of moral decadence among secondary school students. The continual occurrence of chaotic and sometime criminal behaviour not only by the examined population but also the students of this country in recent times has since began to give cause for concern, particularly to parents, school administrators and the Government. The study deals with moral decadence among secondary school students in Fodoa Community Day SHS. The study adopted a qualitative research approach which aimed at finding the effect of moral decadence on the academic performance and social life of secondary school students. The phenomenological design was used for the study. Fodoa in the Kwahu- West Municipality is the area of the study. Population of the study comprised the students of Fodoa Community Day. The study examined the implication of moral decadence on the academic performance of students in Senior High Schools in in the Kwahu- West Municipality. Four research questions were formulated to form the study. The population of the study was 300 students. A total sample size of seventeen (17) students drawn through the purposive sampling technique was used in the study. Semi- Structured interviews were used for data collection. The result of the study showed that the causes of moral decadence are Poor parenting style, poverty and bad peer influence among others. The implication of moral decadence to academic performance among students of Senior High Schools are an exhibition of illicit sexual behaviour affects the academic performance of students, parent’s negligence to their parental role has a negative impact on their academic study, indulging in prostitution affect the academic performance of students and environmental violence affects students’ academic performance. The study revealed that there are many forms of decadence among secondary school students. These forms include weed smoking, illicit sex, disobedience to authority and truancy and absenteeism. The causes of the decadence were revealed as having effect on their academic and social life, and possible strategies for restoring the problem. Based on the above findings, recommendations were made to restore good morals among the students. The study recommends the need for the schools to periodically organize seminars and workshops for students, vigorous counselling sessions should be held for the students and parents should be empowered through awareness creation on the risks of irresponsible parenting.