Secondary school Adolescents’ knowledge of Corruption in Nigerian Society: Implications for Counselling and Value Reorientation

Abstract

Corruption is a global phenomenon whose degrees of prevalence as well as the measures being taken to address it vary from one nation to another. Nigeria is not an exception in the “struggle” with corruption. The aim of this study therefore was to investigate secondary school adolescents’ knowledge of corruption in Nigerian society with its implications for counselling and value reorientation in society. It examined secondary school adolescents’ perspectives on practices constituting corrupt practices in Nigerian society. The study further determined secondary school adolescents’ attitudes towards corrupt practices in Nigerian society. It also examined their perspectives on how corrupt practices can be curbed in Nigerian society. The study adopted a survey design. The population of the study comprised all the senior secondary school students in Osun State, Nigeria. The sample size comprised 200 senior secondary school students selected across Osun Central senatorial district in the State, using a simple random sampling technique. The Researchers developed a questionnaire titled Adolescents’ knowledge of Corrupt Practices Assessment Questionnaire (AKCPAQ) which was used to collect data for the study. Percentages, mean, standard deviation, ranking and weighted mean were used to analyse the data. The results showed that secondary school adolescents in Nigeria lack adequate knowledge of practices that constitute corrupt practices in society. Also, majority (84.0%) of the secondary school adolescents expressed unfavourable attitudes towards known corrupt practices. The results further showed that corrupt practices in Nigeria can be ended if people at all levels of authority discharge their responsibilities with integrity and government caters for the citizenry as it should. The study recommends among other things that the sensitization of secondary schools’ adolescents on behaviour and practices that constitute corrupt practices in society.