OpenMind Journal of Multidisciplinary Innovation & Development
Vol. 1 Issue 1 (Nov-Dec) – 2025
Research Article
Leveraging Education to Tackle Substance Abuse among Secondary School Students: Implications for Social Studies Education
Edinoh Kingsley, PhD.1,*, Dr. (Mrs.) Awah Oluchi F.2, SHOFOYEKE Adetunji Stephen, PhD.3
- Social Studies/ Civic Education Unit, Test Development Department, National Examinations Council (NECO) Headquaters , Minna, Niger State.
- Academic Programme Department,National Commission for Colleges of Education, Abuja, Nigeria
- Faculty of Education,University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria.
Abstract
Student substance abuse is a growing public-health and educational concern that undermines learning, social development, and future prospects. Education, especially Social Studies can play a central role in prevention by building resilience, civic responsibility, critical thinking, and psychosocial skills. This empirical paper examines perceptions of causes, sources, and effective interventions for student substance abuse, drawing on a cross-sectional mixed-methods survey of 250 secondary-school students and 50 teachers/policymakers, plus focus-group discussions. Findings show that peer pressure, easy availability of substances, family dysfunction, and gaps in school-based prevention are perceived as leading causes. Respondents rated counselling services, school-based prevention curricula (with Social Studies integration), and extracurricular engagement as among the most effective interventions. The paper argues for a whole-school strategy that integrates Social Studies content with psychosocial support, parental engagement, community partnerships, and supply-reduction measures. Policy and pedagogical implications for curriculum reform, teacher training, and monitoring are discussed.
Keywords: Substance Abuse, Education, Social Studies, Prevention, Students, School-Based Intervention
Research Article
Leveraging Education to Tackle Substance Abuse among University Students in North-central Nigeria: Implications for Counselling.
Ruth Asemota1, Prof. Yusuf Ahmadu2, Edinoh Kingsley,Phd.3*, ATTAH, Gabriel Ejike, PhD.4
1,2 & 4 Faculty of Education, University of Abuja, Nigeria
3*Social Studies/ Civic Education Unit, Test Development Department, National Examinations Council (NECO) Headquarters, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria
Abstract
Substance abuse among students poses a serious threat to academic performance, mental health, and national development. This study investigated how education can be leveraged to tackle substance abuse among students and examined the implications for counselling practice in Nigerian tertiary institutions. Employing a mixed-methods design, data were gathered from 300 undergraduate students using structured questionnaires and open-ended items. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation, while qualitative responses were thematically analyzed. Results showed that educational interventions significantly enhance students’ awareness and preventive attitudes toward substance use (𝑥̄ = 3.40). A strong positive correlation (r = 0.68, p < .05) was found between educational exposure and students’ preventive behavior. Counselling was identified as a critical factor in promoting self-control, life skills, and positive behavioral change. However, inadequate curriculum integration and weak institutional support limited the overall effectiveness of these efforts. The study concludes that education, reinforced through proactive counselling and community collaboration, is an effective mechanism for preventing substance abuse among students. It recommends strengthening substance education within school curricula, continuous training of counsellors, and building partnerships between educational institutions, families, and community organizations to sustain behavioural reform and student well-being.
Keywords: Education, Substance Abuse, Counselling, Preventive Behavior, Students, Nigeria
Research Article
Improving Nigerian Public Universities’ Integrity Through Artificial Intelligence (AI) Monitoring Systems
Leonard SHAIBU1,*, Iyabo Similoluwa ADEYANJU2
1&2 Faculty of Education, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State-Nigeria
Abstract
Various problems—from exam malpractice to corruption to ineptitude —undermine the integrity of Nigerian public universities. The study examines the potential introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies as monitoring systems designed to enhance academic integrity. By identifying and investigating issues such as assessment irregularities, the scale and nature of academic fraud, and social and political corruption, AI technologies can offer advanced mechanisms for the pre-emptive detection and deterrence of misconduct, thereby restoring public trust and educational outcomes. This research emphasises the need to establish AI integration by developing requisite infrastructure, systematic human capital development, and a robust ethical framework. The study ultimately advocates for a more holistic approach for strategic visioning, stakeholder participation, and continuous evaluation to build an environment conducive to ethical scholarship in Nigerian public universities. Other recommendations include establishing national policies on AI applications in education, training at various levels, and a concerted effort by educational stakeholders to enhance the quality of higher education systems in the country. Deploying AI applications with due diligence and ingenuity will rebuild academic integrity and operational efficiency, fostering a risk-averse and proud education ecosystem in Nigerian universities.
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Improving, Nigerian Public Universities, Integrity, Monitoring Systems
Research Article
Transcendentalism in America: A Hermeneutic Analysis of the Shreemadhbhagavadgeeta
Bharat Prasad Badal (PhD)1,*
Trustee: Pashupati Area Development Trust, Pashupatinath, Kathmandu, Nepal
Abstract
The truth is science, so the God (the one and only truth) is science and beyond. This research explores Transcendentalism in America: A Hermeneutic Analysis of the Shreemadbhagavadgeeta, focusing on the philosophical convergence between Eastern spirituality and American idealism- truth as the representation of God. . Through the hermeneutic framework of Hans-Georg Gadamer and Paul Ricoeur, the study interprets the Bhagavadgeeta not merely as a religious scripture but as a transcendental philosophy of self-realization that resonates with the American Transcendentalist movement led by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. The analysis emphasizes key Gītā concepts—ātman (self), karma (action), yoga (discipline), and moksha (liberation)—and interprets them alongside Transcendentalist ideals of intuition, nature, moral autonomy, and the immanence of the divine. Using textual hermeneutics, this study reveals a philosophical dialogue wherein Krishna’s discourse to Arjuna mirrors the Transcendentalist quest for inner awakening and self-reliant moral truth. Both traditions affirm that truth is accessible through direct intuition and disciplined consciousness rather than external authority. The research concludes that the Shreemadbhagavadgeeta anticipates many of the ideals later articulated by American Transcendentalists, presenting a universal message of spiritual independence, harmony with nature, and ethical responsibility. This hermeneutic reading enriches cross-cultural philosophy by establishing the Shreemadbhagavadgeeta as a living text whose transcendental vision continues to inspire contemporary spiritual and intellectual discourse all over the world. The source of global transcendentalism is the Shreemadhbhagavadgeeta.
Keywords: Eastern philosophy, Hermeneutics, Self-realization, Shreemadbhagavadgeeta, Transcendentalism,
Research Article
Modern Religious Views in W. B. Yeats’ Poetry
Sajal Sarkar1,*
Assistant Professor (Former), Department of English, The Millennium University, Bangladesh
Abstract
William Butler Yeats (1865–1939) stands as one of the most influential poets of the modernist era, whose works reflect a profound engagement with religion, mysticism, and spirituality. This paper examines the modern religious perspectives in Yeats’ poetry, focusing on how he reshaped traditional faith systems into a syncretic spiritual philosophy that merges Christianity, occultism, and Celtic mythology. Through close readings of poems such as ‘The Second Coming,’ ‘Sailing to Byzantium,’ and ‘The Tower,’ this article explores how Yeats reconceptualized religious experience in the modern world—not through orthodoxy, but through the imagination’s power to restore the sacred in an age of disillusionment.
Keywords:
W. B. Yeats; Modernism; Religious Symbolism; Irish Mysticism; Spirituality; The Second Coming; The Tower; Theological Dualism; Occultism; Modern Religious Thought; Symbolist Poetry; Esoteric Tradition; Myth and Faith; Yeats’ Vision; Crisis of Belief