CYBERCRIME AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON SECONDARY EDUCATION IN THE TAMALE METROPOLIS OF THE NORTHERN REGION OF GHANA

Abstract

This research is about the study of cybercrime and its implications on secondary education in the Tamale metropolis. Cybercrime activities have several implications on the various facets of students’ academic career at the Senior High School level and hence the main objective of this study was to examine the implications of cybercrime on secondary education. Differential association and general strain theories anchor the study. The 120 participants (respondents) in the study were SHS students (40 of them were involved in cybercrime activities), key informants (8) and internet café operators (4). Cross-sectional design was used for the study. This helped to triangulate both qualitative and quantitative methods. Data were analysed using SPSS version 21 to estimate the frequencies, percentages and the Kendall’s coefficient of concordance. Audio files were also transcribed and analysed to achieve the objectives of the study. The simple random, purposive and snowball techniques were used to select respondents. The study reveals that the major causes and motivating factors that are responsible for the involvement of individuals in cybercrime according to respondents varies and it is determined based on different factors such as peer group influence, unemployment, easy access to internet, weak laws and corruption. From the study results, a sizeable number of cybercriminals in Ghana falls within the youthful age. None of them indicated there is a law in the statute books that addresses these types of crimes and hence its illegality and punishment by law. Some of these Sakawa guys cater for themselves and their siblings’ education from basic to tertiary level with the aid of the cybercrime activities. In conclusion, cybercrime has a negative impact on secondary educational attainment since some of them have abandoned their education.