FACTORS INFLUENCING TRUANCY BEHAVIOUR AMONG PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN IKENNE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OGUN STATE

Abstract

This study investigated factors influencing truancy behaviour among public secondary school students in Ikenne Local Government Area, Ogun State, motivated by rising truancy and its negative effects on academic performance and discipline. Three hypotheses guided the research. A quantitative survey design was used. The population comprised 1,441 Senior Secondary School Three (SSS3) students in public schools in Ikenne. A sample of 303 was determined with Krejcie and Morgan’s formula. Multistage sampling (purposive, proportionate, and simple random) selected respondents. Data were collected with a validated structured questionnaire (reliability = .85) and analysed with SPSS. Multiple regression tested hypotheses at p < .05. Findings showed personal factors significantly influenced truancy (R² = .230, F(2,300) = 44.856, p < .05). Self-efficacy had a positive significant effect on truancy (β = .304, t = 5.704, p < .05), while motivation had a negative significant effect (β = -.477, t = -8.959, p < .05). Family factors also significantly influenced truancy (R² = .305, F(2,300) = 65.871, p < .05); family conflict positively affected truancy (β = .279, t = 5.108, p < .05), whereas parental monitoring had a negative significant effect (β = -.362, t = -6.619, p < .05). The combined influence of personal and family factors was statistically significant but small (Adj. R² = .023, F = 4.488, p < .05), explaining 2.3% of variance in truancy. The study concluded that personal and family factors significantly influence truancy among public secondary students in Ikenne. It recommended that school administrators, parents, counsellors, and stakeholders strengthen students’ motivation and self-belief, and promote effective parental supervision and healthy family relationships to reduce truancy.