A comparative analysis of the factors that affect academic performance of BSTA and BBS students at Makerere University : a case study of BSTA and BBS finalists 2020

Abstract

The study was designed to compare the effect of the factors that affect the academic performance of BSTA and BBS students at Makerere University. Emphasis was put on establishing the relationship between the students’ social, demographic and economic factors on the students’ academic performance. Data on all the relevant factors was collected using a well-structured questionnaire adequately tested for it’s for efficacy in collection of the relevant data. This was then issued to a sample of BSTA and BBS finalists selected for the study. Stratified sampling method was adopted in the selection of this sample coupled with the use of the Yamane’s formula owing to the finite nature of the population. Data collected was then analyzed using Stata software and analysis done at univariate, bivariate and multivariate stages. The results of Univariate analysis showed a relatively similar distribution of the students’ demographic factors and economic factors but inequity in the distribution of their social characteristics among the two groups, BSTA and BBS. By comparison of the results of bivariate analysis, class attendance and number of points obtained in UNEB at A-level proved to be significant predictors of students’ academic performance in both groups. However, study effort and type of ownership of A-level school only proved to be significant predictors of the students’ academic achievement in the BBS group and had no significant relationship with CGPA of BSTA students. The results of the bivariate analysis led to the rejection of the null hypothesis of difference in the effect of the students’ social characteristics on their CGPA between the two groups and thus concluded that there is no difference in the effect of students’ social characteristics on CGPA for BSTA and BBS students. On the other hand, the study results led to failure of rejection of the hypotheses of difference in the effect of the students’ demographic and economic factors on CGPA between BSTA and BBS students displaying a contrast in the effect of both the students’ demographic and economic characteristics on CGPA for both BSTA and BBS students. The results of the multivariate analysis indicated that the most relevant factors that influence students’ academic achievement were captured in this study as the variables examined explained 60% of the variations in BSTA and 50% of the variations in BBS. Based on the findings of the study, the most significant recommendations developed include; the teachers should encourage students to invest more effort in their academics while in High school so as to obtain better grades at High school, the students should attend all lectures when at University, investing more time into their academics and endeavoring to reside on or near the University premises for improved academic achievement at University.