Perceived effects of substance abuse on the academic performance of students from selected secondary schools in Moyo Town Council

Abstract

Substance abuse among the students has been a major problem to their academic performance, affecting various dimensions of their academic performance. Substance abuse disrupts cognitive processes essential for learning and academic success, often resulting to decreased academic motivation, increased absenteeism, and higher dropout rates. Little is known about the effects of substance abuse on the academic performance of students in Secondary Schools. In this dissertation I examine the perceived effects of substance abuse on the academic performance of the students from selected secondary schools in Moyo Town council. I describe the effect of substance abuse on students' attendance of classes as well as the effect of substance abuse on students’ level of participation in school activities. The study employed a phenomenological design with a qualitative research approach to explore the perceived effects of substance abuse on students' academic performance. The study was conducted from selected secondary schools in Moyo Town Council. A total of 20 participants were involved, including 18 primary participants who were students and two key informants. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and key informant interviews. For analyzing the collected data, content analysis method was used. I analyzed the data by manually transcribing the recorded interviews into text documents to ensure accuracy and efficiency. In the interviews and discussions carried out, participants mentioned that substance abuse led to punctuality difficulties, social and emotional issues as well as absenteeism. The students are intoxicated with different substances especially alcohol, they tend to struggle to keep up with school related schedules, coupled with emotional highs and lows which leads to absenteeism. Issues such as decreased engagement in class, decreased engagement in extracurricular activities, social isolation as well as health-related problems were cited as effects of substance abuse which affects students’ level of participation in school activities. Based on the findings, there is an urgent need for targeted interventions to address substance abuse among the selected secondary school students in Moyo Town Council. I recommend implementing comprehensive substance abuse prevention and intervention programs within schools, focusing on early identification and support for affected students. Establishing robust counseling services and promoting peer support groups are essential steps to help students overcome substance abuse and re-engage with their academic and extracurricular activities. These measures are crucial for mitigating the adverse effects of substance abuse and fostering a supportive and healthy academic performance.