Investigating Drug Abuse and Their Effects on Learning Process, A Case Study of Kathiani Division Secondary Schools, Machakos District, Kenya.

ABSTRACT There has been great concern on the rising levels of drug abuse in secondary schools. For this reason the objective of this study was to find out the types, sources, effects of drug abuse, reasons and remedies to drug abuse in secondary schools. In this case the study was guided by the following research questions:- 1. What types of drugs are commonly abused by students in our secondary schools? n. Why do students abuse drugs? m. Where do the drugs of abuse come from? Iv. How do these drugs affect the students' learning process? v. How can we eliminate drug abuse in our secondary schools? Therefore the main objectives of this research were to investigate the type of drugs abused by students in schools, investigate the effects of drug abuse on learning process, identify the sources of drugs, as well as finding out the methods mostly used to curb drug abuse in secondary schools of the division. The researcher used questionnaires to collect data. He supplied the questionnaires to the head teachers, teachers, and students. He also used face to face interviews with the same groups of people. The head teachers, deputy head teachers, and teachers also provided him with any necessary records he required for reference. From this work he found out that the most commonly abused drug in secondary schools of the division, are tobacco, miraa (khut), alcohol, and bhang in that order. The sources of these drugs were found to be drug peddlers, fellow students, school workers, and to a very small eXtent by teachers. The drugs have effects such as poor performance in learning process, poor health including insanity and death, increased rate of school drop out, and indiscipline. The researcher found out that students abuse drugs due to cultural influence, peer pressure, stress and frustrations, easy accessibility to drugs, ignorance, curiosity, breakdown of family units, laxity in the learning institutions, and mass media. The methods used to curb drug abuse in the schools were found to be guidance and counseling, suspension of victims, expulsion, and parents' involvement.