STAFF AND STUDENTS PERCEPTION ON IMMORAL DRESSING. A CASE STUDY OF FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION OSIELE IN ABEOKUTA ODEDA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OGUN STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

            Indecent appearance has come to characterize the dress pattern of many students on the campuses of higher institutions of learning in Nigeria. There is hardly any higher institution of learning in country that is not faced with this nauseating problem.

  Egwinc (2010) referred to indecent dressing in a more specific term s the attitude of some one male or female that dresses to show off parts of the body such as the breasts, buttocks or even the underwear particularly those of the ladies that need to be covered

 According to Gushee. D.P (2004) indecent appearance is improper and inacceptable dressing which is so provocative and offensive because it reveals the high rate of moral decadence in the society of our time.

  Okoro.W (2006) Opines that indecent dressing is a social malady that cuts across many countries of the world. Indecent dressing is caused by various factors such as poor parenting peer group wrong use of internet, fading values as well as demonic influence.

 World encyclopedia Beitannica (2005) indicates that some of the most basic function of dressing are to provide warmth and protection to beautifying or enhance sexual appeal and to supply information about the wearer (like age, sex, social status occupation) e.t.c but students on campuses as turn dressing to another thing.

            Adediran, A. (2011) Opines that more than ever before in the most recent time the insanity manifestation in the mode of dressing (of ladies in particular) on the campuses of most tertiary institution if not all is alarming and this calls for an urgent attention.

            Issacson, L. (2000) observes that provocative mode of dressing of female students on campuses has led to violence theft gang activities and the like on campuses. This view is also supported by a concerned American Christian Newspaper “The word of the lord” (August 27, 2000). It suggests that the law of the land should be made to take care of not only rapists, but also of the females that incite them, that such accomplices should also be jailed for solicitation as prostitutes or for indecent exposure.

            Aramide E. (2006) says that indecent mode of dressing is a problem because it is an “Evil wind” that blows no god to the school, the community and the society at large. It therefore does more harm than good for the society.

            Stella, M. (2008) explained that indecent dressing is known to be recognized hindrances to the conducive learning environment. Thus, leading the teachers and students into vices. She further explained that the beautiful ones are always properly and decently dressed, but the ugly insecure unintelligent and shapeless ones are the ones who flaunt those worn out stretched marked over sized body parts that should be left covered. She also explained that the way students on these campuses of learning particularly the female ones dress seductively leaves much to be desired. What the girls called skirts that they struggle to sit down find difficult in climbing machines cross gutter as well as picking anything from the ground. Apart from the skimpy and tight fitting nature of these dresses they are again transparent revealing certain parts of the bodies that under normal dressing patterns ought to be hidden away from the glare of people.

            In the case of boys, their pattern of dress is different. It makes them to look so dirty and very unattractive with un kept hairs and dirty jeans having pocket of holes deliberately created around the knees and lower parts of the trousers allowed to flow on the ground because they go through their heals into their legs as socks. The waist of their trousers are lowered and fastened tightly at the middle of the two bottom lobes to reveal their hands particularly the left one cupping their invisible scrotum as if they will fall to the ground, many of them because of how they dressed had at one time or the other become victims of rape lured into prostitution used for ritual purpose unable to complete their education or training and also engaged in other ancillary social moral problems like cultism and lying to mention these few.

            Oseni A.O (2008) opines that indecent dressing is the major causes of the various assent and sexual harassment recorded in the society over time. As a result of civilization Nigeria ladies dress half naked to occasions all in the name of “fashion” and this is contrary to the prestige placed on African woman. For instance Nigeria ladies derive pleasure in wearing cloth such as mini-skirts, bumber short, armless, e.t.c and as a result of this many innocent guys have been arrested along with armed robbers just because of the way they dressed. Indecent dressing is an habit embraced by all ages in the society. It has been inculcated by both the young and old. It is common among celebrities particularly artistes. These set of people while on stage will want to look unique and in the process turned themselves into lunatics.

They wear tattered jean with holes, tight fitting shirt some go to the extent of wearing ordinary pants while on stage an all this is the cause of juvenile delinquency most of the under age children engaged in early sex as a result of what they watch on television as well as what they saw among their older siblings.

Winner Slfc (2010) says most religions like Christianity and Islam, regard immoral dressing as a sin. He further explains that in Christianity we know from the bible in genesis 3:21 the bible made us to understand that God gave Adam and his wife clothe just to cover their unclotheness, therefore unclotheness was a sin. But today our youth especially ladies crave to show their unclad state to the public without fear while the guys dress like women forgetting the punishment attached to it, this was also supported by prophet Obadare in a congress in (2004).

            The problem of immoral dressing on campus has become rampant and government and school authorities have tried to solve the problem but all efforts had been in vain.

            Though people have worked hard on this topics in which some stones were left untouched hereby making such works incomplete and inadequate but in conclusion this particular research work is designed to make correction to mistakes made by the previous researcher in order to make it adequate and efficient. Hence, this research works will therefore work extensively on staff and students perception on immoral dressing without leaving any space untouched.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

            The rate of indecent dressing among the Nigerian institution of learning is causing a lot of concern to education stakeholders. There has been increase in dropout rate, carry over rate and outright failure rate among the students and some attempt by the Government and public to control it has yielded no fruits.

This research work intends to look into the staff and students perception on immoral dressing in federal colleges of education.

1.3       PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

            The major purpose of this study is to identify the staff and students perception on immoral dressing in higher institutions of learning and to suggest ways by which the general public and school authority curb it.

1.4       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is very beneficial to Nigerian government who will be encouraged at efforts made in the institution of learning to ensure that the stated goals and objective of the institution are met. The institutions will enjoy non-distractive environment in their pursuit of aims and objectives of the institution. There will be hope of improving on their self image and hope for stakeholder to see well dressed students and pupils in primary and secondary institutions. They will also be glad that African culture is exhibited in the students modes of dressing and also bring them facts and steps on how to curb the wide spread of immoral or indecent dressing in other to have a better society.

1.5       RESEARCH QUESTIONS.

The research is interested in findings answer to the following research questions.

(1)   What are the causes of immoral dressing on campuses?

(2)   What are the implications of immoral dressing on the society?

(3)   How does immoral dressing affect the performance of students in higher institution of learning?

(4)   What are the consequences of immoral dressing on student?

(5)   What are the possible solutions to curb immoral dressing among the students in higher institutions of learning?

1.6       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study examined the staff and students perception on immoral dressing among students in college of education. The study is restricted to seventy (70) students from five (5) schools in Federal College of Education Osiele and the five schools are: School of Education, School of Arts and Social Sciences, School of Languages, School of Sciences and School of Vocational and 30 Staff from all schools.

1.7       DEFINITION OF TERMS

STAFF                                   The officers chiefly responsible for the internal operation of an institution or business.

STUDENTS                          A learner or someone who attends an educational institution for the purpose of his/her educational achievements.

PERCEPTION                     The organization identification and interception of sensory information or apprehending by means of the senses or by of the mind.

IMMORAL DRESSING     A deliberates exposure of one’s body to the public which is offending against recognized standards of decency