Drugs and substance abuse among secondary school students in Kenya: prevalence, effects and management strategies a case of Eldoret town.

Abstract

Managing of drugs and substance abuse among students in secondary school is vital as one of the national goals of education in Kenya is to provide for the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes that will enhance acquisition of sound moral values and help children grow-up into self-disciplined, self reliant and integrated citizens. The study identified the types of drugs and substances commonly abused, the reasons and effects for abuse and the strategies being used to manage the menace. The study was guided by the Social cognitive learning theory by Albert Bandura, which states that behavior is determined by the environment and a person’s thought processes and pattern of actions. The study utilized descriptive research design and both probability and non probability sampling techniques were used. Stratified sampling technique was applied to get eight different schools from the area of study; purposive sampling was used to select eight Principals, eight teachers of Guidance and Counseling, while both purposive and simple random sampling was used to select two hundred and twenty form four students studying Christian Religious Education and sixteen teachers of Christian Religious Education to participate in the study. Data was collected by use of questionnaires and interview schedules. Descriptive statistics was utilized to analyze quantitative data; while qualitative data was classified into themes based on the objectives of the study. The results indicated that there is a high prevalence of drug and substance abuse among students in Secondary Schools in Eldoret town and its environs. Various Strategies have been put in place to manage it and are effective to same degree. A combination of all strategies and consistent application of those strategies is what is required to drastically reduce the menace of drugs and substance abuse among students in secondary schools.