Factors associated with academic performance among university students: a case study of School of Statistics and Planning (SSP)

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the factors affecting academic performance of undergraduate students of Makerere university. Emphasis was put on trying to establish the relationship between admission points, gender, sponsorship, former school background and academic performance of undergraduate students 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 385 respondents selected from all the programmes offered at the school of statistics and planning (SSP) of Makerere University using the simple random sampling method. To analyze the data, the spearman rank- order correlation coefficient was used with the aim of establishing the relationship between students’ admission points, former school background and academic performance of undergraduate students at Makerere University and ANOVA test and independent sample t-test were also used to establish the relationship between students’ sponsorship and academic performance and gender and academic performance respectively. This formed the basis of the detailed analysis and conclusions and recommendations. The findings revealed the existence of a significant relationship between students’ A’ level and Diploma admission points and academic performance, but there was no relationship between mature age points, other entry examinations points and academic performance. The findings also revealed that there was a significant relationship between students’ sponsorship and academic performance and there was no significant relationship between former school background, students’ gender and academic performance. On the basis of the findings, the researcher made the following conclusions; A’ level and diploma admission points are the most objective way to select just a few students from a multitude of applicants for the limited spaces available at universities in Uganda. Students’ sponsorship is important because it provides high levels of psychological support and financial support thus better academic performance for the students. That location and ownership of former schools do not impact the academic performance of university students, likewise the gender of the student. The researcher also confirmed the system’s theory input output model. On the basis of the conclusions made, the researcher recommended that; Makerere university maintains its selection criteria of using previous academic performance as a measure of admitting students for undergraduate programmes. However mature age students could be given supplementary year or probation year to test their competency in addition to the entrance exam. The university should improve the student support system such that students from low social economic backgrounds are identified and assisted through offering scholarships. This study identified the need to investigate and analyze the mature age and other entry examinations for success in higher education with the intention of developing some of these aspects for inclusion in all student selections.