TOPIC 8

SOME SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN EDUCATION TODAY

Much of what goes on in society disclosures into the school method, impacting students and their
learning and knowledge experience. School systems should identify what kinds of social
problems are of main anxiety, and educate students regarding ways to fight them. Parents and
teachers can cooperate on plans for reducing social issues in schools.
These are some of the social issues that impact on education.
Social, Marital, and Family Problems
What happens in a family at home or to the neighbors affects a learner’s propensity to
learn. Divorce, arguments at home, divorce, violence, and poverty are all issues that learners
bring to school. These issues distract learners and make it hard for them to concentrate on the
learning process. It is possible for teachers and administrators to help children from social
settings and families that are less than ideal. However, they can only be successful with the
cooperation of parents and guardians.
Adolescents
Adolescence or puberty is a challenging stage of the growth and development of children.
This is a period when teenagers undergo physical and physiological changes. Hormonal
changes, in particular, can take adolescents through an emotional roller-coaster, which can
make it difficult for them to learn effectively. Adolescent learners may experience mental
problems, such as anxiety and depression, which are not good for learning. Adolescents are
also known to experiment with substance use and may experience both learning and
behavioral disorders. Teachers and administrators need to be understanding and provide
learners with counseling during this difficult period that can make or break a person.
Juvenile Delinquents
Absenteeism, apathy, disrespecting teachers, and bullying are the norm in the education
system. These social issues are more prevalent in public schools than in private schools.
Juvenile delinquency is a major problem in schools and it can be attributed to a variety of
factors, including puberty, poverty, and the breakdown of family structures. Having an
effective life skills program, guidance and counseling programs, school clubs, and sports
programs can help to prevent and resolve juvenile delinquency. Once the problem is under
control, effective learning can take place.

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Social issues in education
Social issues refer to the situations faced by the people in which the achievement of genuine
goals of a community or group is not achieved due to difficulties at the level of the system. The
following elements are discussed under this topic: educational problems, religious conflicts,
poverty, inequality, and unemployment.
Educational problems
School drop-outs and wastage: school dropout rate is the proportion of children who discontinue
school after enrolling in the schooling system. Wastage of education is when the education
received is of little or no help to the person. Reasons for school dropouts and wastage are:
 Lack of awareness of the importance
 Academic problems: this relates to the resources required for education. Inadequate
resources lead to poor delivery of service and low education output.
 Presence of untrained professionals in the education sector: the presence of untrained
teachers and less technical people lower the standards of education.
Religious conflicts
Religious conflict is a process of social interaction involving a struggle over claims in resources,
power and status, beliefs, and other preferences and desires. Religious conflicts occur in the form
of intolerance of other religions, discrimination against members of other religions, religious
war, the intellectual conflict, and conflict between church and state. Religious conflicts can be
between religions (Inter-religions) and within religion (intra-religion/ inter-denominational
conflict).
Most conflicts arise from a desire for political power, a struggle for resources, ethnic rivalries,
and economic competition. Effects of conflicts are deaths and injuries, population displacement,
destruction of assets, and the disruption of social and economic systems.

Poverty
This lies under the cross-cutting social issues in education as it affects other areas of life. Poverty
denies individuals and families basic rights such as health, dignity, justice, basic comfort..etc. It
is a result of inequalities in society.
Poverty can be defined in three forms:

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Objective poverty: lack of material belonging or economic resources e.g. the inability to achieve
an adequate level of living
Subjective poverty: perception and experience of poverty as felt by a person.
Deprivation: lack of basic necessities for the survival of an individual. This can be in form of
inadequate environmental conditions, impoverished experiences, and characteristics of socially
disadvantaged sections.
Consequences of poverty:
 Malnutrition: this affects physical growth and psychological development.
 Socialization patterns associated with poverty are: inadequate stimulation, poor or no
schooling, lack of role models, lack of social and emotional support from peer groups
 Personality development: highly deprived children are likely to be neurotic and
introverted since deprivation is associated with withdrawal, immaturity, and social
maladjustment.
 Psychological development: there is a high correlation between poor mental health and
experience of poverty and deprivation.

Inequality
Educational inequality is the unequal distribution of academic resources such as teachers, books,
school funding, technology...etc. to socially excluded communities. These communities belong
to marginalized groups and are denied access to school resources.
Inequality leads to major differences or disparities in educational success. Inequality in education
can be in terms of gender, social stratification (rich versus poor), race, parental income, special
education… etc. Gender inequality in marginalized communities, boys are encouraged to go to
school as compared to girls.
Unemployment
Unemployment has the following personal and social consequences:
Severe financial hardship and poverty; debt; homelessness; family tension and breakdown;
boredom, alienation; shame and stigma; increased social isolation; crime; erosion of confidence
and self-esteem; atrophying of work skills and ill health.
Population Problems- problems like social conflict, social beliefs, economic hardships, and
mortality rates are major social issues in education. Learners exposed to these population

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problems find it hard to attain a better education. For instance, a high mortality rate increases the
number of school-going orphans who eventually become unable to further their education.
Birth rate- higher birth rate increases family size that in turn affects the level of education due
to increased poverty. Promoting female education means reducing the birth rate and women can
raise their children more effectively. Many underdeveloped countries are characterized by high
birth rates and low education attainment due to increased poverty.
Health- poor health not only lowers educational attainment but also affects educational stability
and interferes with class attendance. For instance, learners with health problems like chronic
illness may not attend school regularly or find it difficult to concentrate in class. These health
issues directly affect the academic performance of a learner in school.
Minority group- learners from minority ethnic groups are evaluated as slow learners when
compared to learners from majority ethnic groups. Students from minority social groups have
hinderers to accessing sufficient sources of learning, low self-esteem, and unequal opportunities
in the education system. Quality education is offered based on cultural affiliation as well as the
family level of income.
Class conflict- social-economic competition among communities in a social setting hurts
education. Social conflicts such as violence, insecurity, inequality, limited resources, and racial
stratification affect learners in public schools. Class conflict in a school setting is where there are
limited competing resources like time and teacher's attention hence disadvantaged learners

Effects of HIV and AIDS on Education

HIV/AIDS has profound effects on children’s learning experiences. Children living in a world of
AIDS experience many challenges. As parents, guardians, and members of communities
increasingly become infected by HIV/AIDS and eventually succumb to diseases, children are
increasingly lacking basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, health, and even education.

Children are subjected to many psycho-socio impacts of HIV/AIDS such as stigma, fear, worry,
depression, and hopelessness. All these impacts negatively on their learning and development.

Children’s learning is affected by HIV/AIDS in many ways. Their participation is affected in that
pupils themselves get infected and some of them infect others.

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Attendance and performance in schools are also affected. Pupils drop out of school while some
die of HIV/AIDS-related causes ailments.

These effects are amplified especially by pupils’ lack of love and guidance as well as material
support as parents and guardians also get infected by HIV/AIDS.

The teaching force is also affected by HIV/AIDS. Teachers’ participation and performance in the
learning process are extensively affected. Some of the teachers are infected and therefore, are
increasingly unavailable to the pupils. Some pupils also fear being taught by infected teachers
thinking they could be infected as well.

Teachers’ participation in school is also compromised by HIV/AIDS-related commitments in the

community. Others also die from HIV/AIDS-related causes and without replacement hence the
loss to the educational system.

Resources available to support education are increasingly diverted to meet HIV/AIDS-related

needs. This deprives the learners of the necessary resources they require for proper learning in
school.
Children suffer psycho-social challenges as a result of HIV/AIDS, and communities and
institutions working with children should be sensitized to the needs of these children.
Communities should integrate safe procedures into those social-cultural practices. There should
be immediate interventions in schools through guidance and counseling for infected and affected
children. Mechanisms should be put in place for follow-up in the implementation of HIV/AIDS
in schools. Schoolchildren should be educated in life skills, peer education, and counseling.
There is a need for information and messages that are targeted at and appropriate for children.

Effects of Substance Abuse on Education

Young people who persistently abuse substances often experience an array of problems,

including academic difficulties, health-related problems, poor peer relationships, and

involvement with the juvenile justice system. Additionally, there are consequences for family

members, the community, and the entire society.

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Academics
Declining grades, absenteeism from school and other activities, and increased potential for
dropping out of school are problems associated with adolescent substance abuse.
A low level of commitment to education and higher truancy rates appear to be related to
substance use among adolescents.
Cognitive and behavioral problems experienced by alcohol- and drug-using youth may interfere
with their academic performance and also present obstacles to learning for their classmates.

Physical health
Injuries due to accidents, physical disabilities and diseases, and the effects of possible overdoses
are among the health-related consequences of teenage substance abuse. Disproportionate
numbers of youth involved with alcohol and other drugs face an increased risk of death through
suicide, homicide, accident, and illness.

Transmission of HIV/AIDS primarily occurs through exposure to body fluids of an infected

person during sexual contact or through sharing of unsterile drug-injection equipment. Another
primary means of transmission is from mothers to infants during pregnancy or the birth process.

Many substance-abusing youth engage in behavior that places them at risk of contracting
HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases. This may include the actual use of
psychoactive substances or behavior resulting from poor judgment and impulse control while
experiencing the effects of mood-altering substances.

Rates of AIDS diagnoses currently are relatively low among teenagers, compared with most
other age groups. However, because the disease has a long latency period before symptoms
appear, it is likely that many young adults with AIDS were actually infected with HIV as
adolescents.

These limited examples illustrate the catastrophic health-related consequences of substance

abuse among adolescents. Besides personal and family distress, additional healthcare costs and
loss of future productivity place burdens on the community.
Mental health

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Mental health problems such as depression, developmental lags, apathy, withdrawal, and other
psychosocial dysfunctions frequently are linked to substance abuse among adolescents.

Substance-abusing youth are at higher risk than nonusers for mental health problems, including
depression, conduct problems, personality disorders, suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, and
suicide. Marijuana use, which is prevalent among youth, has been shown to interfere with short-
term memory, learning, and psychomotor skills. Motivation and psychosexual/emotional
development also may be influenced.
Peers
Substance-abusing youth often are alienated from and stigmatized by their peers. Adolescents
using alcohol and other drugs also often disengage from school and community activities,
depriving their peers and communities of the positive contributions they might otherwise have
made.

Families

In addition to personal adversities, the abuse of alcohol and other drugs by youth may result in
family crises and jeopardize many aspects of family life, sometimes resulting in family
dysfunction. Both siblings and parents are profoundly affected by alcohol- and drug-involved
youth. Substance abuse can drain a family's financial and emotional resources.

Social and economic consequences

The social and economic costs related to youth substance abuse are high. They result from the
financial losses and distress suffered by alcohol- and drug-related crime victims, increased
burdens for the support of adolescents and young adults who are not able to become self-
supporting, and greater demands for medical and other treatment services for these youth.

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