ACKNOWLEDGMENT

There are so many people that I am indebted to, in the process of completing this
work. First of all, thank God for surrounding me with such kind people, some of
whom, I have only met on the cyber world.

My utmost gratitude goes to my supervisor, Dr Abdul Shukor Shaari for the

constructive comments and suggestions and for making things that were muddy
so easy and clear, Dr Arsaythamby who has relentlessly taught me what
statistics and SPSS are all about. My sincere thanks to Dr John Laurence for
realizing my dreams and being a constant drive throughout the two years of my
struggle. A special gratitude to my beloved husband, Nachepan, my daughter,
Nashwini who is my inspiration, my wonderful mum, my siblings, my nieces and
nephews who had to tolerate and tango with my mood swings while being
preoccupied with this requirement to complete my MeD, without them I could
not have survived. Not forgetting the assistance of my new found friend, Jessie
who came in handy in assisting me to complete this dissertation. My cousemates,
especially Precilla, Siti, Arni, Sidah, Rini and Manniseh, thank you so much for
all your constant encouragement, advice and help.

Finally to my late father, I did it, Dad! Thank you for believing in me.

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 ABSTRACT

This research is conducted to identify the main factors that cause truancy among
secondary school in Lahad Datu, Sabah. The research is a survey research whereby,
researcher administered questionnaire to the sample during a meeting with the school
counselor. The independent variables investigated in this research are family, teacher
and classroom instruction, peer and students attitudes while the dependent variable
investigated is the truancy among secondary students. Research sample was selected
using purposive sampling method in which the sample are truants according to the
daily class file report and class teacher’s attendance report across Form One to Form
Five students. Data collected from the survey will be analyzed using Statistical
Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 12.0 by descriptive statistics. The average
of mean score value will be used to identify the main factor causing truancy among
students of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agaseh while percentage and frequency
values used to analyzed the students demographic information.

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 ABSTRAK

FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MENYEBABKAN PONTENG DI KALANGAN PELAJAR

SEKOLAH MENENGAH

Kajian ini dijalankan bagi mengenalpasti faktor utama yang menyebabkan pelajar
sekolah menengah ponteng di Lahad Datu, Sabah. Kajian ini merupakan suatu
kajian tinjauan iaitu soal selidik diberikan kepada sampel semasa perjumpaan
dengan kaunselor sekolah. Pemboleh ubah bebas yang disiasat dalam kajian ini
ialah, keluarga, guru dan pengajaran dalam bilik darjah, rakan sebaya dan sikap
pelajar sementara pemboleh ubah bersandar yang dikaji ialah ponteng di kalangan
pelajar sekolah menengah. Sampel kajian dipilih menggunakan persampelan
bertujuan yang mana sampel merupakan pelajar yang ponteng mengikut fail laporan
harian bilik darjah dan laporan kehadiran guru kelas dari Tingkatan Satu sehingga
Tingkatan Lima. Data yang dipungut daripada tinjauan akan dianalisis
menggunakan “Statistical Package for Social Science” (SPSS) versi 12.0 dengan
statistic deskriptif. Nilai purata skor min akan digunakan untuk mengenal pasti faktor
utama yang menyebabkan ponteng di kalangan pelajar Sekolah Menengah
Kebangsaan Agaseh sementara nilai peratusan dan kekerapan digunakan untuk
menganalisis maklumat demografi pelajar.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents Page

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT i

ABSTRACTS ii

ABSTRAK iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS iv

LIST OF FIGURES x

LIST OF TABLES xi

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTIONS

1.1 Research Background 1

1.2 Statements of Problems 3

1.3 Objectives of Research 5

1.4 Research Questions 5

1.5 The Significance of Research 6

1.6 Limitations of Research 7

1.7 Operational Definitions 8

1.7.1 Factors 8
1.7.2 Truancy 9

1.8 Conclusions 10

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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEWS

2.1 Introductions 11

2.2 Conceptual Definitions 11

2.2.1 Factors 11

2.2.2 Truancy 12

2.3 Erik Erikson Psychosocial Theory 14

2.4 Thorndike’s Law of Effect 18

2.5 Maslow Hierarchical Needs Model 20

2.6 Contributing Factors of Truancy 26

2.7 Poverty within Family Causes Truancy 30

2.8 Peer Influences One’s to be Truant 33

2.9 Teachers and Learning Methods in Classroom 34

2.10 Rewarding as a Mean to Promote Attendance 38

2.11 Theoretical Framework 40

2.12 Conceptual Framework 41

2.13 Conclusions 41

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introductions 43

3.2 Research Design 43

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 3.3 Population and Sampling 45

3.4 Research Instrumentations 46

3.4.1 Questionnaire 46

3.4.2 Validity and reliability if instruments 48

3.5 Pilot Study 49

3.5 Research Procedures 51

3.6 Data Analysis Procedures 51

3.7 Conclusions 52

CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH FINDINGS

4.1 Introductions 53

4.2 Respondents’ Demography 54

4.2.1 Transportations 55

4.2.2 Parents Incomes 56

4.2.3 Number of Siblings 57

4.2.4 Socioeconomic status 58

4.3 Rates of Class Truancy and School Truancy 59

4.4 Data Analysis 63

4.4.1 Identifying dominant factors causing 63

truancy

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 secondary students

4.4.2 Identifying the differences in rates of truancy 66

between socioeconomic status of students

4.4.3 Identifying the differences in rates of truancy 67

Between genders of students

4.4.4 Identifying the differences in rates of truancy 68

Between students ethnic groups

4.5 Conclusions 70

CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Introductions 72

5.2 Rates of Truancy

5.3 Factors Causing Truancy among Secondary Students 74

5.3.1 Family background and environment 74

5.3.2 Teachers and school systems 76

5.3.3 Peers, identity and sense of belongings 81

5.3.4 Attitudes influenced by self-actualization 83

5.4 Relationship between Students Demography 84

and Truancy

5.4.1 Relationship between SES and truancy 84

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 5.4.2 Relationship between genders and truancy 86

5.4.3 Relationship between ethnics and truancy 88

5.5 Implications of Research 89

5.6 Recommendations 91

5.7 Conclusions 92

BIBLIOGRAPHY 93

Appendix A 99

Appendix B 102

Appendix C 104

Appendix D 106

Appendix E 108

Appendix F 109

Appendix G 110

LIST OF FIGURES

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Figure Page
Figure 2.1: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs 21
Figure 2.2: Research theoretical framework 40
Figure 2.3: Research conceptual framework 41
Figure 3.1: Flow chart of procedures 51
Figure 4.1: Mean of rate of truancy for each ethnic 70

LIST OF TABLES

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Tables Page

Table 4.1: Students profile based on gender and ethnics 55

Table 4.2: Students’ mode of transportation to school 56

Table 4.3: Analysis of parents’ income per month 57

Table 4.4: Respondents’ number of siblings 57

Table 4.5: Socioeconomic status 58

Table 4.6: SES of secondary students of Lahad Datu 59

Table 4.7: Distribution of respondents according to the types 59

of truancy

Table 4.8: Class truancy rate for each school and the average 61

total rate of class truancy

Table 4.9: Rate of school truancy for each school and average 62

total rate of school truancy

Table 4.10: Mean scores of rate of truancy between genders 64

Table 4.11: Multiple regression analysis of discrete-point 66

Exercise

Table 4.12: Summary of ANOVA 67

Table 4.13: T-test of rate of truancy between genders 68

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Table 4.14: Summary of ANOVA test and post-hoc multiple 69

Comparisons

xi