Source

Introduction

Many countries have been infested by social problems perpetrated consciously and unconsciously by her people. Possibly originating right after the beginning of man, social problems seem to have eaten deep into the fabrics of the world's societies.

Meaning of Social Problems

According to Oxford Advanced Learners' Dictionary, the word "social" is defined as "living in groups" not separately, of people living in communities, of relations between persons and persons; or it can be defined also as that concerning the organisation or group of, and relationship between communities. This definition can simply be expatiated by the fact that man lives and mixes up with the members of his family, playmates, age-grade, club members, schoolmates, church members, dance groups, etc. He is a member of his village, town, local government area, state, and country. All these prove that man is a social being and, thereby, constitutes one problem or the other in society.

On the other hand, the problem refers to anything that is difficult to deal with or understand. Problem, as far as this study is concerned, refers to social vices that cause instability in our country. Social problems, therefore, imply the incidence of morally bad happenings among a group of people.

Contemporary social problems in
Nigeria and some other countries include:

1. Examination malpractice.
   2.Cultism
2. HIV/AIDS
3. Armed robbery
4. Kidnapping for money
5. Prostitution
6. Drug addiction
7. Corruption
8. Financial crimes.
   (i) Money laundering
   (ii) Embezzlement of public funds
   (iii) Advance fee fraud (419)
   (iv) Counterfeiting of currency
9. Divorce/broken marriages
10. Homosexuality and Lesbianism
11. Human trafficking
12. Assassinations/Murders 14. Immodest dressing
13. Thuggery/Touting
14. Election rigging
15. Fake goods production and
    copyright theft
16. Certificate forgery and quackery
17. Smuggling
18. Abortion
19. Rape
20. Tribalism
21. Drug trafficking etc.
    We will now discuss some of these problems.

Examination Malpractice: This refers to cheating in respect of examination so as to gain undue advantage before, during, or after any examination. This is an offence punishable by law in my country, Nigeria, and some other countries of the world. The punishment for perpetrators of this act who are mainly students, teachers, invigilators, supervisors, mercinaries, etc. In Nigeria is 21 years imprisonment. Even some schools and parents are sometimes involved in this dishonest act of examination malpractice.

In Nigeria, the forms examination malpractice takes include:

(i) Copying other students' work.
(ii) Coming into the examination hall with textbooks, keypoints, copied materials, etc.
(iii) Impersonation (bringing somebody to write an examination for you).
(iii) Teachers who claim to be invigilators assist the students by giving them answers to questions
inside the hall (collusion).
(iv) Some lecturers in higher
institutions accept money from students to pass them (sorting).
Some beautiful girls are helped to pass by paying in kind or cash to the lecturers.
(vi) Cult members intimidate lecturers
to pass them, or the lecturers may
lose their lives.
(vii) Parents encourage their children
in exam-malpractice by giving them huge amounts of money to register for these examinations in special centres (magic centres) where answers to questions are written for them on the chalkboard or dictated to them. The centres collude with supervisors and others in charge of the examination.

Examinations are written for candidates who are not present in the examination hall, with the knowledge of the principal, supervisors in charge, and staff of the school where the examination is being conducted.

As a result of the above facts and more, students now pay little or no attention to their books and tutors. Hence, they graduate with the grades and degrees they can not defend.

We should shun examination malpractice, and pay full attention to our books and teachers, the school guidance counsellors to learn good study habits and subjects to offer in examinations, for us to be more fulfilled and satisfied with the quality of our lives, as well as become more constructive members of the Nigerian society.

Cultism: Cultism in our secondary schools, institutions of higher learning, and society is one of the social problems facing this in some countries. It is evil. At this level, we should concentrate on secret cults in secondary schools and institutions of higher learning. Some students are devoted to this practice, thereby indulging in all sorts of crimes in school and even outside the school. Such crimes include killings, rape, stealing, robbery, and intimidation of students and lecturers who are not members. They use charms and arms in their activities. Sometimes, two different groups of cultists clash, resulting in the killing of one another and innocent students. Lecturers and teachers are victimized by the members of the cult for not passing them in examinations they failed or did not write at all. Students who are cult members do not pay attention to their books, and, sometimes, when they are caught in this act of cultism, they are expelled from school by the authorities. We should shun cult activities in our schools or society since they make our lives useless as human beings and damage the image of our schools and society.

HIV/AIDS: HIV means Human immuno- deficiency Virus or Human Immune Deficiency Virus.

AIDS is a deadly disease caused by a germ called human immune deficiency virus (HIV). It is called HIV because the virus thrives only in humans. The terminal stage of HIV infection is called Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The disease destroys the body's ability to fight infection, because it breaks down the body's immune system (destroys the soldiers of the body, as it were) and leaves the affected person exposed to various disabling and life
threatening illnesses.
AIDS is a social problem, since it affects the quality of life of man (human beings).

Modes of transmission:
(i) Sexual intercourse.
(ii) Contact with HIV-infected blood and blood products, e.g., two persons using one toothbrush or by blood transfusion.
(iii) From an infected mother to her child, before or during or after birth
or delivery.
(iv) Sharing of skin piercing instruments or objects like razor, needles, syringes, etc.

Symptoms: One can not know a person who is infected with HIV by mere looking at him or her. The only way to find out is through blood tests, unless the condition of the infected person has degenerated to AIDS, that is when you can guess. But you are not sure. So, the only way to know is through blood tests. But the symptoms or signs of AIDS are:
(i) Constant fever for upwards of one month.
(ii) Chronic diarrhoea that may last for
more than one month.
(iii) Loss of weight without any explained cause.
(iv) Persistent/long-standing cough Recurrent skin infections.
(v) Enlarged lymph glands, and
(vii) Thrush.

However, some of these symptoms may also occur in other illnesses that are not -HIV/AIDS.

Prevention of HIV/AIDS:

(i) Abstinence and maintaining mutual fidelity between partners who are not infected.
(ii) Total abstinence for unmarried
people (100% effective).
(iii) Avoidance of casual sex because it increases the risk of being infected.
(iv) Blood and other products of blood that are meant for transfusion should be avoided.
(v) Before marriage is contracted, blood tests are suggested for the intending couple.
(vi) The use of condoms during sex is not
quite safe.

We can not contact HIV through the following ways:

1. Handshaking with an infected
   person.
2. Sharing of clothes with an infected
   person.
3. Eating with an infected person.
4. Using cups or plates used by an
   infected person.
5. Sleeping on the same bed with an infected person.

We should not discriminate against people infected with HIV/AIDS. They need care, love, affection, attention, and assistance or support from us and other people in society.

Conclusion

A social problem can also be referred to any condition or behavior that has negative effect or consequences for large numbers of people in the soicety and that is generally recognized as a condition or behavior that needs to be addressed.
Examination malpractice, cultism and HIV and AIDS are common social problems that had negative consequences on a large number of people in the world today.
Say no to Examination Malpractice, shun cultism and be morally clean so as to be free from HIV and AIDS.
See you in class next week.