The relationship between students’ characteristics and academic progress in quantitative economics.
Abstract
This study was designed to investigate the relationship be student`s characteristic and academic
progress of quantitative economics at Makerere University. Emphasis was put on trying to
establish the relationship between student`s characteristic, family background, social economic
status, and academic progress of quantitative economics at Makerere University. The study
employed the use of correlation design to establish the nature of the relationships. The validity
and reliability of research instruments was established and data was collected from 109 students
selected from the third-year students including both day and evening class of quantitative
economic class from school of statistic and planning Makerere University using the simple
random sampling method. To analyze the data, the Pearson`s rank correlation coefficient
statistical tool was used with the aim of establishing the relationship between students’
characteristic, family background, social economic status and academic progress of students
quantitative economics at Makerere University. This formed the basis of the detailed analysis
and conclusions and recommendations.
The findings revealed the existence of a weak positive significant relationship between students’
characteristic and academic progress. The findings also revealed that there was a strong positive
significant relationship between social economic status and academic progress and a strong
positive significant relationship between family background and academic progress. On the basis
of the findings, the researcher made the following conclusions; student`s characteristic such
admission points is the most objective way to select just a few students from a multitude of
applicants for the limited spaces available at universities in Uganda. Social economic status is
important because parents provide high levels of psychological support for their children through
environments that encourage the development of skills necessary for success at school. The
researcher also confirmed the system’s theory input output model.
On the basis of the conclusions made, the researcher recommended that. The University
administration especially the departmental heads ought to be more committed to their work,
improve on their leadership skills, be more innovative in formulation and implementation of
school policies, motivate, and promote team work and be more efficient and effective in
supervising learning processes which would influence both lecturers and students to perform to
their best. The university should improve the student support system such that students from low
social economic backgrounds are identified and assisted through offering scholarships.