INFLUENCE OF ARMED BANDITRY AND KIDNAPPING ON PRIMARY SCHOOOLSCHILDREN IN KADUNA STATE: IMPLICATION FOR SCHOOL COUNSELLING

Abstract

The paper focused on the influence of armed banditry and kidnapping on primary schools children in
Kaduna state: Implication for School Counselling. Descriptive research design was employed for the
study. The population comprised of all the primary school teachers in Birni Gwari Local Government area
of Kaduna state. The sample was made up of 180 teachers from some selected primary schools in the local
government. Simple random sampling was employed in the selection of the sample. The instrument used
for data collection was a self designed questionnaire titled “Perceived Influence of Armed Banditry and
Kidnapping Questionnaire” (PIABAKQ). The instrument was validated by an expert in Guidance and
Counselling and an expert in Primary Education both from the Federal College of Education, Zaria. The
instrument was pilot tested using test-re-test method. The data obtained were analyzed using Pearson
Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) which yielded coefficient of 0.78 to ascertain the reliability of the
instrument. Frequency count and percentages were used to answer the two research questions. The
findings of the study revealed the ten (10) most perceived influences of armed banditry and kidnapping on
primary school pupils in Kaduna state where pupils regarded schools as unsafe place, they are being
traumatized due to the kidnap/killing of family member or friend by the bandits, fear of unknown is
rampant, pupils no longer interested in school work among others. The paper recommended that all
stakeholders in education must effectively and creatively come together to help in reversing the current
state of insecurity in schools in order to avoid a catastrophic collapse of educational sector.