THE EFFECT OF SECURITY ON ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES OF SCHOOLS IN ISI-UZO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

TOPIC IS SUITABLE FOR:
1-Department of  Sociology
2-Department of Educational Management
3-Department of Educational Psychology
4-Department of Educational Foundations

TOPIC:  THE EFFECT OF SECURITY ON ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES OF SCHOOLS IN ISI-UZO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

TABLE OF CONTENT
Abstract
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objective of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Research Hypothesis
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Scope of the Study
1.8 Definition of Terms
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.1 Conceptual Framework
2.2 Theoretical Framework
2.3 Empirical Review
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population of the Study
3.3 Sample Size Determination
3.4 Sample Size Selection Technique and Procedure
3.5 Research Instrument and Administration
3.6 Method of Data Collection
3.7 Method of Data Analysis
3.8 Validity of the Study
3.9 Reliability of the Study
3.10 Ethical Consideration
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Data Presentation
4.2 Analysis of Data
4.3 Answering Research Questions
4.4 Test of Hypotheses
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Introduction  
5.2 Summary .
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Recommendations  
5.5 Limitation of the Study
5.6 Suggestions for further studies 
References
Appendix

ABSTRACT
This study assessed the effect of Insecurity on Academic Activities in Secondary Schools in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State” examined the extent to which insecurity affects the academic environment, forms of insecurity threats disrupting academic activities, and the effect of insecurity on student engagement and academic performance. The objectives were to determine the influence of insecurity on teaching and learning, identify prevalent insecurity threats in the area, assess its impact on student participation, and evaluate its effect on academic performance. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The target population comprised all secondary school teachers in Isi-Uzo LGA. Using stratified and simple random sampling techniques, a sample size of 242 respondents was selected from the total population. A structured questionnaire was used as the primary instrument for data collection, designed on a 4-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation for the research questions, while hypotheses were tested using Chi-square, Pearson correlation, and logistic regression. Results showed that insecurity significantly affects the academic environment (χ² = 26.03, df = 3, p < 0.05), and multiple forms of insecurity threats such as kidnapping, herders’ attacks, and cultism disrupt school activities (Logistic Regression: Wald = 12.894, p = 0.000). Furthermore, insecurity negatively impacts students’ engagement in learning (r = 0.39, p = 0.000) and academic performance (r = 0.42, p = 0.000). All null hypotheses were rejected, confirming that insecurity has a statistically significant effect on various aspects of academic activities. Based on these findings, it was recommended that government should establish school-based security committees, introduce trauma-informed instructional models, deploy alternative learning options in high-risk areas, and engage youths in preventive community programs to tackle insecurity and protect the educational future of students in rural communities.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION (Preview)
1.1 Background of the Study
Development of human capital is the foundation of both social and economic development of nations and is this basis that nations have progressed. Throughout history, cultures have recognized the power of knowledge to transform individual strengths and drive societal progress. Innovation, leadership, and competitiveness in the economy are all supported by education in its broadest form, which is defined as the transfer of knowledge, values, and skills necessary to the growth of a person and a society (Agunbiade, 2024; Mojishola, 2025). As noted by Omodero (2024), no country can match the standard of its education system, a point that was also stressed by Omoroje et al. (2021) who emphasized that quality access to education in the country is among the key factors in filling the inequality gap and achieving sustainable development. Such centrality of education has made education to be placed by policymakers, educators and international organisations as a basic human right and a strategic means of national transformation.
Educational process is inseparably connected with the organized academic activities aimed at the development of the cognitive, emotional, and social development of the learners. They involve formal classroom learning, examinations, co-curriculum activities, laboratory sessions, and student-teacher interactions among other factors, and all these activities play a crucial role in defining academic prowess and overall learning (Constance, 2025; Omojemite, 2025). Yakubu and Ismail (2021) add that the learning outcomes and general academic path of students are defined by the continuity and quality of such engagements. In addition, Samaila et al. (2024) claim that persistent academic performance is one of the significant predictors of educational achievement among students in low-resource settings. Besides, consistent school attendance and consistent classroom participation are essential requirements to the delivery of the curriculum; any form of disruption; be it systemic or incidental, undermines the academic potential and the institutional performance of learners.
However, the effective realization of academic activities depends upon the safe and favorable setting. Insecurity, in its widest conceptualisation, refers to the existence of fear, threats or danger that interferes with peace, order and safety of individuals. In the case of education, insecurity can include armed conflict and kidnapping, terrorism, herder-farmer conflicts and banditry, which have worsened in parts of Nigeria (Oladunni et al., 2025; Abimbola & Oyebimpe, 2024). According to Attahiru and Yabo (2025) when schools are located in high-risk areas, they are particularly vulnerable to physical assaults, institutional insecurity, and reduced morale and compromised learning frameworks. Backing this school of thought, Yakubu et al. (2025) indicate that insecurity within and around school settings are most of the time a precursor to learning interruptions, withdrawal of pupils and overall degradation of academic performance, especially in rural and underserved communities. Owing to this, the education sector is burdened with a society that is faced with constant threats of life and livelihood.
The connection between insecurity and education outcomes has become an issue of study in the recent scholarship. Scholars examine the impact of violence and instability on the cognitive involvement of the students, their emotions and educational achievements. As an example, Omojemite (2025) discovered that the extended period of being exposed to insecurity is associated with absenteeism, low grades, and high dropout rates. On the same note, Abimbola and Oyebimpe (2024) stressed that insecurity, especially when prolonged, hinders the mental wellbeing of students and limits their academic concentration. According to this, Jude and Chibuzor (2023) noted that children living in unsafe communities tend to drop out of school, frequently displaced or afraid of being attacked. Usman (2024) denotes that the effect of these outcomes is more eminent in rural locations where other sources of education are either unavailable or inaccessible. Insecurity hence ceases to be a social or political issue but a direct education challenge to the efficiencies of the institution and the growth of students.
The other important aspect is the way insecurity affects direct participation of students in academic activities. The classroom focus, submission of assignments, preparation of examinations, and overall motivation towards learning are often impaired when learners work in conditions of fear and instabilities (Constance, 2025; Mutu, 2023). According to Saaondo and Akpe (2022), anxiety due to the insecurity may interfere with the concentration and memory retention. Also, Wanjara and Ogembo (2024) claim that psychological effect insecurity usually causes poor academic morale and loss of interest in systematic education, which decreases performance, especially in core subjects and restricts academic growth in the long run. Therefore, insecurity does not only interfere with the education process but it also reduces the readiness and capacity of students to engage in academic activities in a significant way.
The accumulative impact of insecurity on learning outcomes has also been documented very well in the emerging education literature. As Jacob (2022) emphasized, educational equity is compromised by the insecurity issue, which has a disproportionate impact on students in vulnerable areas and conflict regions across the globe. Adamu and Uleanya (2025) state that missed instructional time and the associated psychological trauma of insecurity are two major reasons that poor academic performance can be attributed to. On the same note, Attahiru and Yabo (2025) observed that insecurity has not only compromised the learning, but also the quality of education and the morale of educators, who often leave conflict areas in search of safety. The combining consequences place insecurity as one of the determinants of academic success of the students especially in the environments already disadvantaged by poverty and infrastructural deficits.
Isi-Uzo Local Government Area in Enugu State offers a dramatic and relevant case study against the broader national background of rising insecurity. Continuing violence between farmers and so-called herdsmen, increased rates of kidnapping, and general social turmoil have led to growing fears among the population over their own personal security and the future of education (Mojishola, 2025; Okafor et al., 2025). Due to the precarious security situation, most schools in Isi-Uzo take ad hoc actions, primarily in closing down their schools, limiting school hours, and reducing the number of students attending them, as a way of coping with threats. According to the scholars like Constance (2025) and Usman (2024), the vulnerabilities of rural schools in conflict areas are numerous, pointing to parental economic crunch, low teacher population, and limited instructional materials. Such economic consequences are especially prone to the territory of the Isi-Uzo where agriculture is one of the main subsistence plans, and the schooling is mostly paid by themselves. It is against this background that the current study will attempt to explain the occurrence and the nature of insecurity, and assess their impact on student participation and academic performance within the locality.

1.2 Statement of the problem
The problem of insecurity has become more and more detrimental in the educational process in Nigeria as a whole and rural communities bear the greatest share of the responsibility. The Local Government Area of Isi-Uzo in Enugu State is a perfect example of such trend with the spread of kidnapping, banditry and farmer-herder conflicts making education even more risky. Schools within the region experience erratic school attendance, frequent delays in academic schedules, and significant loss of interest in conventional learning, which is mostly due to intimidation that denies students and pedagogues the urge to stick to routines. Omojemite (2025) notes that these conditions often make schools reduce their working hours or even shut down the activities, causing severe learning loss. This is confirmed by Agunbiade (2024), who points out that insecurity disrupts life in the community and undermines the institutions that are supposed to facilitate growth such as schools. As a result, the dream of an optimum educational environment, which is a safe, non-disrupted and engaging one, is farfetched in Isi-Uzo.
The simultaneous economic effect of insecurity further makes the academic participation of students more difficult. In most Isi-Uzo communities, subsistence agriculture is the backbone of their household earnings, however, with constant encroachment of farmlands by so-called herders, parental buying power has been compromised. This financial pressure is reflected through the school fees, learning materials that were not accessed and the increasing challenges towards meeting the cost of daily commuting. Usman (2024) shows that the effect of this insecurity is a very low number of enrolments and an increase in the rate of dropping out, particularly in rural locations. Furthermore, the enrolled students have to struggle with the issue of chronic absenteeism caused by the fear of violence, whereas the psychological distress associated with the risk of being a victim of violence prevents the students in focusing on studying (Abimbola & Oyebimpe, 2024; Constance, 2025). It would be ideal to have students free of physical threat and financial worry in order to fully take up their studies but this remains a dream as far as many are concerned due to insecurity problems.
Even though some national studies have reported on the overall impacts of insecurity on education (e.g., Yakubu & Ismail, 2021; Samaila et al., 2024), little interest has been given to how it manifests in the southeastern rural context, as the case of Isi-Uzo. The literature that has been left behind is skewed towards the north or the city environments which have created a gap in terms of evidence of what is going on in the lesser talked about but rather problematic rural environments. As an example, Adamu and Uleanya (2025) explored the situation with school closures in northern states, but similar data in the southeast are limited. This gap in knowledge is especially relevant considering the increasing amount of reports of violence and displacement in rural areas of the region. The current research hence attempts to minimize this gap by breaking down the patterns and nature of insecurity in Isi-Uzo, assessing the impact it has on student participation and academic achievements, and providing evidence-based understanding that can be used to shape policy making in the region as well as support local intervention efforts.
1.3 Objectives of the study
The main objective of this study is to examine the effect of insecurity on academic activities of schools in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State. The specific objectives are to:
i.Identify the prevalence of insecurity in Isi-Uzor local Government Area
ii.Assess the various forms of insecurity threats which affects academic activities in Isi-Uzor local Government Area
iii.To determine the effect of insecurity on students engagement with academic activities in Isi-Uzor local Government Area
iv.To examine the impact of insecurity on the academic performance in Isi-Uzor local Government Area
OTHER PARTS OF CHAPTER ONE INCLUDE:
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Research Hypothesis
1.6 Significance of the study
1.7 Scope of the study
1.8 Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW  (Preview)
This chapter critically examines relevant literature that would assist in explaining the research problem and, furthermore, recognizes the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps. This chapter, therefore, focuses on the concept of security, the concept of academic activities, types and causes of insecurity in schools, the effects of insecurity on teaching and learning, etc. The chapter covers the following subheadings:
2.1 Conceptual Framework
2.2 Theoretical Framework
2.3 Empirical Review
2.4 Summary of Literature Review

CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY  (Preview)
Research Design: The study adopted a descriptive survey research design.
Population of the Study: The population of the study comprises teachers and school staff, school administrators, and parents and guardians across selected primary and secondary schools in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area.
Sample Size Determination: The study adopted the Taro Yamane formula to determine a sample size of 255 participants.
Sampling Technique: The study employed a multistage sampling technique, using purposive sampling to select schools affected by insecurity and stratified random sampling to select respondents.
Research Instrument: The study utilized a self-developed structured questionnaire as the instrument for data collection.
Methods of Data Analysis: The collected data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, and descriptive and inferential statistics. Chi-square, logistic regression, and Pearson correlation were used to analyze the data at a 0.05 level of significance.

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
MAJOR FINDINGS (Preview)
The analysis results were presented in tables. Based on the results obtained from the analysis, the following findings are made:

i. The study found that the level of insecurity in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area is high, as all the items recorded mean scores above the cutoff mean of 2.50, with the highest mean of 3.23. The corresponding hypothesis test showed a Chi-square value of 34.38 and a p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis.

ii. The study found that various insecurity threats significantly affect academic activities in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, as all the items recorded mean scores above the cutoff mean of 2.50, with the highest mean of 3.20. The corresponding logistic regression analysis showed that armed herdsmen attacks had a coefficient (B) of 1.104, an odds ratio of 3.017, and a p-value of 0.003 (p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis.

iii. The study found that insecurity significantly affects students’ engagement in academic activities in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, as all the items recorded mean scores above the cutoff mean of 2.50, with the highest mean of 3.17. The corresponding hypothesis test showed a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.52, t-value of 7.94, and p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis.

iv. The study found that insecurity significantly affects students’ academic performance in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, as all the items recorded mean scores above the cutoff mean of 2.50, with the highest mean of 3.12. The corresponding hypothesis test showed a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.49, t-value of 7.18, and p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis.

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter covers the following outline:
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary of the Study
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Recommendations
5.5 Limitations of the Study
5.6 Suggestions for Further Studies

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