Influence Of Student Support Services On Students’ Academic Performance
[A CASE STUDY OF COLLEGE OF EDUCATION IKERE EKITI, EKITI STATE]

These social behaviours of the students are capable of throwing the institutions’ name into a mud if necessary steps are not taken. Student unrest had become a general and persistent phenomenon in most of Nigerian higher institutions and it thus, defame the quality of the institution’s certificate. Some scholars have tried to define students’ unrest, thus:
    Edem (1993) defined violent students’ unrest as “the growing and widening discontent and resentment which offers culminated open revolt and unruly behaviour by students against the management of their institution and the government.
Durowade (1999) advanced that students unrest embrace violent demonstration and disturbances by the secret cult (campus terrorist) activities. Also, students makes trouble in form of demonstration; whether peaceful or violent in chanting of derogatory  slogan against constituted authorities, Carrying of placards bearing messages, Boycott of classes, Blockading of roads, Threat of life, Wanton destruction of property, et cetera.
    From the above definitions we can deduce that student’s unrest is an unruly behaviour exhibited by the students against the management of their institutions or the government to press home their demand. Some scholars have adduced some reasons behind students unrest in the tertiary institutions of Nigeria. Edem (1993) and Durowade (1995) identified efforts of inflation as a factor that precipitated students’ unrest. The effect of inflation on the welfare of the students and other vital educational facilities are very alarming. we witnessed several demonstrations by students in Nigerian educational institution because of poor food, inadequate water supply, poor sanitary conditions, congestion in hostels and hall of residence, poor or inadequate transportation. They also attributed student’s unrest to the mismanagement of funds and maladministration on the part of the school authority as it will surely affect their welfare. Based on this assertion, we can say that student’s unrest are caused by the state economy of the country and mismanagement of funds on the part of the leaders and those in the authority. Government policies and decisions on certain issue equally aggravated student unrest.
    There is need to carefully examine the causes of students unrest in all the higher institutions in Nigeria in order to provide lasting solutions to the students militancy, revolt and demonstrations. One of the major behavioural problems facing educational institutions is cultism. The activities of the secret cults in Nigeria’s educational institutions dated back to 1952 when Wole Soyinka who was a student at the University of Ibadan founded the pirate confraternity which was then popularly referred to as association of sea dogs. In 1967 the panama pirates were formed in the University of Lagos, while the Dragons in the University of Ife and later spread to other tertiary institutions. Today, the main activities of these cults are violence. They are always at logger head with each other.
    Etsu-Nupe (1997) defined cultism as a form of organization in which activities of members are exclusively kept away from the knowledge or view of others. Their meeting and activities are held in obscure places at odd hours, particularly at night, their activities generally clash with the accepted norms and value of a normal society. Etsu-Nupe (et al) further maintained that the main activity of secret cult is to create tension that could lead to protest and demonstrations on campuses. Secret cult act as interest groups and always, try to break laid down rules and regulations of the institutions for their selfish gains.
    Drug abuse in educational institutions could be attributed to lack of proper screening of candidates during admission. Etsu-Nupe (et al) argued that cult members in most cases are on hard drugs (cocaine, heroine and Indian hemp) the main purpose of which is to boost their courage in executing given assignment.
    Drug abuse itself is improper use of drugs without regard to accepted medical instructions. The improper use of drugs later leads to addiction which in turn interferes with an individual physical health. If a student’s physical health is negatively affected he may not be able to cope with academic activities. It also increases cases of indiscipline in tertiary institution. Adesina and Ogunsaju (1984) were of the opinion that it is essential to maintain discipline in schools in order to create atmosphere conductive for effective learning.
    Goodman (1982) defined drug as any substance which when taken into a living organism may modify one or more of his functions. For the purpose of this study, drug abuse among students is taken to be the use of drugs among the students without medical prescription. Akpan (1998) affirmed that the students’ population is rapidly increasing, while the infrastructural amenities are declining in supply and their stock depreciating, hostel facilities are also in deplorable states. Therefore, inadequate provision of student support services in the college has forced the students to have frequent and traumatic experience which is the major reason why students of various Nigeria Colleges of Education campuses incessantly demand an overhaul of the entire system.