Completion Time Dynamics Of Doctoral Studies At Makerere University: A Hazard Model Evaluation

Issues related to attrition and completion time of graduate studies are certainly an internationally challenging and important area of higher education literature. In this paper, completion time dynamics of doctoral studies at Makerere University were investigated based on data extracted for all 295 candidates in the commencement cohorts from 2000 to 2005. The total elapsed time, from first enrollment to submission of a final copy of a thesis, was adopted as a measure of completion time and event history (survival) analysis methodology was applied. Results reveal a median completion time of 5.0 years. Following a Cox model, in a range of candidate, candidature, discipline and institutional variables, the rate of completion was higher for candidates at younger ages during commencement, international students, those registered in science-related disciplines, and those in commencement cohorts from 2000 to 2002. The model correctly identified the order of completion times by about 72% of the time

An Econometric Evaluation of Microfinance Institutions Performance through Savings Mobilization and Loan Deployment in Northern Uganda

The study investigated microfinance institutions performance through savings mobilization and loan deployment in the Acholi sub region using an econometric approach. The specific objective was to examine the structural stability of the districts on micro savings mobilization and loan deployment within the sub region. The study was carried out in the seven districts of the sub region. Panel data were pooled for all the microfinance institutions in the sub region on the levels of savings, loans, capitalization funds and the number of beneficiaries for the period 2008 to 2011. The application of the econometric techniques were in sequence from the Pooled Regression Model to the differentiation in choice between the Fixed Effect Model and Random Effects Model. Further, the data were tested for heteroscedasticity and covariance structure of the variables so as to ascertain the robustness of the estimators. The districts were structurally unstable due to differential intercepts, which is the underlying average loan deployed for each of the districts and not slopes, which indicate the variations in loan deployment resulting from a unit change in the covariates savings, capitalization funds and the number of borrowers. There is need to increase both equity and debt funds as components of total loanable funds so as to enhance the operations of SACCOs across the districts. Equity funds should be increased internally through upward revision in the per unit share capital to be bought upfront by members who are joining the SACCO. Debt funds could be sourced externally from both local and foreign lending agencies. Keywords: District Structural Stability Tests, Micro Savings and Loans, Acholi Sub Region, Ugand

Extended Candidature And Non-Completion Of A Ph.D. At Makerere University, Uganda

Although student persistence in graduate programs is widely regarded as an important topic in the literature of higher education, many such works focus on the completion of studies. This paper examines the dynamics of attrition resulting in either delayed or non-completion of doctoral studies. Administrative data of 294 Ph.D. students at Makerere University in the 2000 to 2005 enrollment cohorts were analyzed. The total elapsed time from first enrollment to submission of a final dissertation or thesis copy was taken as a measure of completion time. A multinomial logistic was applied for assessing the likelihood of completion and extended candidature, rather than withdrawal, five years after initial enrollment in doctoral studies. In the results, the estimates rates of extended candidature (48.6%) and withdrawal (36.4%) indicate a low timely completion rate of doctoral students at Makerere. The observed associations, modeled by a range of candidate, candidature, and institutional variables, including discipline area, suggest the need for establishing measures to promote progress in doctoral studies at early stages of commencement as well as throughout the course of candidature

Modern contraceptive use among women in Uganda: An analysis of trend and patterns (1995-2011)

There is an extensive body of literature concerning modern contraceptive use among women in Uganda. A questionable aspect however is whether the impact of factors associated with modern contraceptive use has remained the same in the recent past. Demographic Health Survey (DHS) data of women in the period 1995-2011 was adopted to establish an understanding of this issue. The focus in the investigations was none pregnant sexually active women. Variations in patterns of modern contraceptive use were assessed by socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of women using a logistic regression based on a complex survey design. In the results, an upward trend in modern contraceptive use - from 11.6% in 1995 to 32.1% in 2011 - shows that progress has been made in this regard. Increased odds of modern contraceptive use across the study period were noted among women with primary and post-primary education, those in urban areas, women in the higher wealth quartiles and those with a higher number of surviving children (p < 0.01). Further, reduced odds of modern contraceptive use across the study period were noted among married women and those in cohabiting relationships (p < 0.05). The study however demonstrates variations in the impact of these factors across the study period. All the same, efforts towards enhancing modern contraceptive use in the near future should focus on enhancing: (i) literacy levels of woman particularly, (ii) access to and affordability of the services and (iii) awareness campaigns on family planning use targeting both men and women

Determinants of Survival Time of Government Securities Held by Banks in Uganda

This study used survival analysis to establish the determinants of the hazard for bank liquidation of government securities in order to identify possible measures to limit the occurrence of liquidation. The findings showed that increases in capital lead to declines in the rediscounting hazard and increases in the liquidation hazard of using securities as collateral for borrowing from the Central Bank

Dynamic Relationship Between Gross Domestic Product and Domestic Investments in Rwanda

This study uses a VAR model to analyse the dynamic relationship between gross domestic product (GDP) and domestic investment (DI) in Rwanda for the period 1970 to 2011. Several selection lag criteria chose a maximum lag of one and a bivariate VAR(1) model specification in levels was adopted. Unit root tests show that both GDP and DI series are nonstationary in levels but stationary in first differences, implying that both are integrated of order one I(1). Tests of cointegration established that GDP and DI are CI(1,1), suggesting there is a long-run equilibrium relationship between the two series. The error correction model indicates that DI adjusts to GDP with a lag whereby 0.2 percent of the discrepancy between long-term and short-term DI is corrected within the year. Granger causality tests show that there is unidirectional causality where GDP causes DI. The bivariate VAR (1) was unstable when estimated at levels, but was stable in first differences. Finally it was found out that GDP almost perfectly predicts DI in the estimated VAR (1) model. The forecasted value of DI in 2011 was 22.6% of GDP while the actual value was 22.7% of GDP. The small discrepancy may be attributed to the appropriate policy measures the Rwandan government and the private sector federation have thus far taken to facilitate investors in their businesses

Analysis of Rwandan Economic Performance Before and After the 1994 Genocide

This article analyses economic performance of Rwanda between 1973 and 2011. The economic history of Rwanda during this period can be divided into three periods i.e. pre-genocide period (1973-1989), inter-genocide period (1990-1994) and post—genocide period(1995-2011). Real GDP (constant 2000 US$) was used as the dependent variable and as a proxy for economic performance. The explanatory variables used were all expressed as percentages of GDP. They included Domestic Investment (DI), Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Domestic Savings (DS) and Trade (TR).Chow test based on data for the entire period (1973-2011) rejected the null hypothesis of no structural change/break. After exclusion of observations for the conflict and genocide period, the Chow test corroborated by the Wald test further showed strong presence of structural break for the pre and post genocide periods. The apparent existence of structural change for the two regimes suggests that the disequilibrium impact of genocide on the Rwandan economy was transitory. This could be explained by the interventions and policies initiated by post genocide leadership to develop, pacify and unite the people of Rwanda. Although structural change was established for the pre and post genocide periods, the change did not emanate from the shift in the intercept, but rather from slope vectors. This means the unobserved qualitative characteristics of the two regimes were similar but that the policies which led to changes in the explanatory variables impacted differently on performance in the two regimes. Incidentally, it was found out that the bulk of the difference in the models across the two regimes was explained mainly by changes in the intercept, DI and FDI