Survival strategies of non-resident University students

Abstract

This research presents findings of a survey carried in hostels of Makerere University in Kampala about survival strategies of non-resident university students. The university comprises of many hostels which include; Nafisa, Garden courts, Nana, God is able, Phionah and Akamwesi hostels. The general objective of this study was to find out the survival strategies of nonresident university students of Makerere University in Kampala. The data was collected from the residents in hostels taking a sample of 100 respondents. An interviewer- administered questionnaire was basically used as the research instrument. Variables considered were the problems faced by students. These were insufficient money, congested classes, poor meals, too much course work, Inflation, Sickness and poor sanitation.

Majority of Makerere university students stay in hostels and a number of them in mixed hostels around Kikoni. The analysis also showed that out that 54% of the respondents were females and 46% were males. Majority of the respondents were aged between 23 and 27 with 48%, followed by those aged between 18 and 22 with 46% and lastly 28 and 32 with 6%. implying that majority of university students are aged between 23 and 27. 27%which is the majority of the students get food by buying from the restaurants. 21.6% of the nonresident university students get food by cooking, 18% of students get food from home, 8.1% of nonresident university students miss out meals because they cannot get some even remain in the library at the time of eating and 6.3% get their food from their halls of residence. The research also found out that 37.2% of the NUS survive on money from their parents and guardians, 26.9% survive on government money or money from their sponsors, 20.5% survive on the small-scale businesses, and 15.4%of the students survive on their jobs these are mainly master’s students. 32.2% of students have the problem of insufficient money,16.1% have a problem of poor sanitation in their residences, 15.3% have a problem of congested classes,13.6% have a problem of poor meals, 8.5% face a problem of sickness and this affects one’s performance. Therefore, for favorable survival at campus, the researcher recommends parents and guardians properly and avoid bad practices like prostitution.