Citation:Nurudeen Saka-Olokungboye; Ebunoluwa Hope Ehinola; Joseph Olanrenwaju Ilugbami ;Olaleke Olateru – Olagbegi (2022) The Effects of Male and Female Cohabitation on Academic Performance of Nigeria Tertiary Institutions Students: A Case of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria, International Journal of Education, Learning and Development, Vol. 10, No.1, pp.44-61
Abstract: Cohabitation has gained notoriety in Nigeria tertiary institutions and has continued to attract scholarly attention in recent time. This deviant behavior comes in various guises and aliases among Nigeria tertiary institutions students where the menace is widely spread. It is commonly referred to as ‘campus marriage’, ‘couple’s life’, campus coupling’, marrying for marriage’ etc, a nomenclature invented to give this deviant and wholesome act an acceptable norm amongst youths in Nigeria tertiary institutions. This study, therefore, investigates the effects of cohabitation on Academic performance of students of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria. The study adopted an exploratory design-method and a total of 360 National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) students were randomly sampled from the six faculties of the polytechnic. Rational choice theory was employed to explain why individual is more likely to undertake actions that they perceive to be best option and one that would immensely be to their own advantage. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistic-percentages and frequency. The study reveals that 72.8% of the respondents live outside the institution due to shortage of hostel accommodation, thus they cohabit. The study found out that 92.45% of the respondents agreed that cohabitation increases risk of unwanted pregnancy among cohabiting students especially females, which may affect their academic performances. Also, 86.2% agreed that frequent and unrestrained sexual activities could affect academic performance of cohabiting students. Based on the findings, it was therefore, recommended that Management of the institution should provide adequate hostel accommodation for students, parents and guardians should pay frequent unscheduled visit to their children in school and regular sensitization programme should be done for students on the danger of cohabitation by the Polytechnic management.
Keywords: : Academic Performance, Cohabitation, Rufus Giwa polytechnic, Tertiary Institution, social malaise.
