Relevance Of Prior Academic Qualifications To Predicting The Academic Achievement Of Undergraduate Students: An Analysis Of Law Enrollees At Makerere University

Students who have excelled academically in the past are regarded as having a greater chance of performing successfully in subsequent examinations. However, this argument is being questioned with regard to enrollees onto the Bachelor of Laws at the School of Law of Makerere University in Uganda. This study sought to obtain an understanding of this issue using administrative data of 568 Bachelor’s of Law graduates of Makerere University during the period 2010-2012. A combined weighted score for the enrollees granted on admission to the program and their Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) on graduation were adopted as measures of their prior academic qualifications and academic achievement, respectively. An assessment of the enrollees’ academic achievement is made using summary statistics. The bearing of prior academic qualifications on the academic achievement was investigated using a robust regression, controlling for student’s characteristics, gender, nationality, and year of enrollment. A median CGPA of 3.16 in the results points to a “lower second” class degree obtained by a considerable number of graduates in the program. In the multivariate assessment, high scores on entry to the program were significantly associated with high academic achievement (p < 0.01). These findings confirm enrollees’ prior academic qualifications as: 1) a predictor of academic achievement on the program and 2) thus, an indisputable measure for assessing the competence of candidates suitable for admission to the program

Completion Of A Full Course Of Primary Schooling Among All Children Everywhere By 2015: A Case Of Sub-Saharan Africa

Achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) remains a major challenge, particularly in developing countries. Specifically, achieving the target of completing a full course of primary schooling among all children, which is goal two, is a major challenge for Sub-Saharan Africa. Though literature consensually suggests that the goal will not be achieved by the 2015 target date, no estimates are provided to support these claims. This study seeks to envisage the situation in Sub-Saharan Africa by the target date using an Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model. The investigation is based on data sourced from the World Bank publication of education indicators for the period 1970–2010. The data, comprising 41 observations, represent the total number of new entrants in the last grade of primary education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the total population of the theoretical entrance age to the last grade of primary education. Overall, an upward trend of completion estimates presented in the results shows that progress has been made in this regard. The success attained for the region following the adoption of the MDGs in 2000 demonstrates that the goal can be achieved. The sub-optimal predictions of the situation obtained in the results nevertheless indicate that the achievement certainly will not be realized by the 2015 target date

Quality Of Education Outcomes: The Role Of The Graduate Management Admission Test

Although the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is considered by leading business institutions worldwide as a predictor of success in graduate programs, an issue of contention is whether the introduction of the examination enhances the quality of education outcomes. This study sought to obtain an understanding of this issue, focusing on Masters in Business Administration (MBA) students at the College of Business and Management Science (CoBAMS), Makerere University. The academic achievement of MBA enrollees and their candidature status (i.e., whether candidates progressed normally or not) at the end of their first year of master’s studies were adopted as measures of education outcomes. The investigations are based on administrative data of 216 enrollees in the MBA program at CoBAMS in the 2010 and 2011 enrollment cohorts. Unlike the 2010 enrollees, those in the 2011 cohort were admitted to the program on the basis of their GMAT scores. In the analysis, differentials in the candidature status and academic achievement of enrollees before and after the introduction of the GMAT were investigated using the Pearson chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis test statistics, respectively. The results revealed that students who were not admitted to the MBA program on the basis of the GMAT had better education outcomes. This finding diminishes the relevance of the examination in determining the academic competence of candidates suitable for admission. Though the results affirm the bachelor degree achievement as a predictor of success in the MBA program, varying conclusions compared to literature are reached with regard to education outcomes obtained by whether or not the GMAT requirement is waived

Teacher Competence And The Academic Achievement Of Sixth Grade Students In Uganda

The study investigates the influence of teacher competence on the academic achievement of sixth grade students in Uganda. The investigation is based on data sourced from the 2009 Southern African Consortium for Monitoring Education Quality (SACMEQ) survey comprising 5,148 records of sixth grade students enrolled in primary schools in Uganda. The percentage scores of students and teachers in reading and numeracy tests were adopted as measures of academic achievement and competence, respectively. The analysis was carried out using a multiple linear regression clustered by six geographical regions in Uganda eastern, western, southern, northern, southwestern, and northeastern. In addition to teacher competency, students academic achievement in the various disciplines was modeled by the student characteristics of age, sex, rural-urban residence, class repetition status (any class), and length of pre-primary education. The results showed students high academic achievement in reading and numeracy was significantly associated with high teacher competency in the same disciplines. However, this generalization may not hold for all students in all countries because of variations in learner characteristics and the learning environment. Nevertheless, the findings suggest the need to strengthen teacher competence as a measure to enhance students academic achievement in formal education

Examination Phase Of The Masters Thesis: A Plausible Cause Of Delayed Completion Of Graduate Studies At Makerere University, Uganda

This paper investigates the influence of the examination stage of student theses on the completion time of graduate studies at Makerere University, Uganda. The assessment is based on the administrative data of 504 Masters degree students in the 2000 to 2008 enrollment cohorts at the School of Education, Makerere University. The total elapsed time from submission of a thesis for evaluation to a viva voce was adopted as a measure of the examination period. Additionally, the period from viva voce to submission of the final thesis was investigated. The analysis included frequency distribution, summary statistics, and a Pearson Chi-square test. A median examination period of 11 months (range, 155), in the results, is a lengthy one when compared to the two-year stipulated duration of Masters studies at the University. Subsequently, the fact that about six in every ten students (59.9%) submits a final thesis beyond a months period after a viva points to further delays in the review process of students reports. No significant variations in the submission period were observed by student characteristics. In sum, the findings underscore the need to strengthen administrative support systems, particularly aspects related to the review process of students reports, to ensure students timely completion of graduate programs

Scholarly Productivity In Developing Countries: An Analysis Of Levels And Patterns Among Doctoral Holders In Uganda

Doctoral holders are considered to be key actors in the creation of innovation and knowledge. However, this generalization may not hold true for doctoral holders in all countries. This study sought to assess the scholarly productivity of these highly qualified individuals in Uganda. The investigation is based on data sourced from the 2012 Careers and Productivity of Doctoral Holders (CDH) Survey conducted in the country. The data adopted comprise a total of 534 records of doctoral holders who were 70 years or younger by 2010 and living permanently or domiciled in Uganda. Journal Article(s) and book(s) (co)authored were adopted in this study as measures of productivity of a doctoral holder. The status and pattern of (co)authored journal article(s) and/or book(s) were assessed by doctoral holder characteristics using the Pearson Chi-square Test and Complementary Log-log regression. The number of (co)authored journal articles and books (including book chapters and monographs) was assessed by doctoral holder characteristics using the Kruskal-Wallis test and Poisson regression. In the results, the proportion of doctoral holders (29.2%) who had (co)authored journal article(s) and/or book(s) by the time of the study points to low scholarly productivity of these highly qualified individuals in the country. Though doctoral graduates of other African universities and those from international universities were more likely to have (co)authored article(s) and/or book(s), the number of (co)authored articles was significantly higher among graduates of Ugandan institutions. Further, the number of (co)authored articles was significantly higher among the males and doctoral holders who graduated before 2000. However, no significant variations in the number of (co)authored books were noted among doctoral holder characteristics. Nevertheless, the low scholarly productivity of doctoral holders in Uganda is certainly a mirror reflection of the situation in many developing countries

Completion Time Dynamics For Masters And Doctoral Studies At Makerere University

This paper examines the dynamics of completion time of masters studies and how such dynamics relate to those of doctoral studies at Makerere University, Uganda. The assessment is based on administrative data of 605 masters degree students at the University in the 2004 and 2005 enrollment cohorts. The total elapsed time from first enrollment to submission of final dissertation copy was adopted as a measure of completion time. A time-to-event approach in a Cox model was applied in the investigations. A median completion time of 3.8 years (range, 1.85.9) suggests a delayed completion of studies. The established associations, modeled by a range of candidate, candidature, and institutional variables including discipline area corroborate the results obtained by the analysis of doctoral completion time at the University. The findings suggest that masters completion dynamics mirror those of doctoral studies at the University

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

Contribution Of Universities Towards Knowledge Of Millennium Development Goals (MDGS): A Study Of Uganda And Kenya

This paper examines the contribution of universities towards students’ awareness of issues related to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The assessment is based on data of 1,920 students randomly selected from universities in Uganda and Kenya. Frequency distributions, the Chi-square test, and complementary log-log regression were used for analysis. About 74% (n = 1,100) of students aware of MDGs (n = 1,484) affirmed that they had acquired this information from universities where they were enrolled. In the multivariate assessment, modeled by a range of university and student characteristics, the reported contribution of universities in fostering knowledge of MDGs was more likely among students enrolled in master’s programs, those in the sciences, and among males. The findings suggest a high level of awareness of MDGs among university students but a shallow knowledge base of aspects related to the goals. Suggestions for enhancing knowledge of the goals centered on two aspects: i) incorporation of MDGs in curriculum content, particularly in the undergraduate and Arts programs, and ii) widening the dissemination platform of research findings among students

Employment Relations And Bullying In Academia: A Case Of Academic Staff At Makerere University

While institutions of higher learning are ordinarily believed to be the epitome of knowledge and custodians of focal principles that guide sound practices and performance, they are certainly not immune to the prowl of bullying and mobbing, which are antecedents to poor employment relations. This article presents results of a study conducted to examine the nature of employment relations and the prevalence of bullying amongst academic staff at Makerere University. It analyses the prevalence, perceptions, and manifestations of bullying; the nature of employment relations and the existing supportive systems to deal with the vice at this premier university of the eastern and central African region. Results show that bullying and mobbing exist in University academic units. It has thrived on deficiencies in legal and policy framework, poor leadership styles and centralised control of decision-making, the nature of the working environment characterised by scanty resources and facilitation support to task holders. In spite of its incessant nature, it is often trivialized and relegated as a non-issue that deserve little, if any, serious attention. The authors posit that tolerating a culture of human abuse in any form undermines the very essence of a higher institution of learning. Thus, the university must develop a respectful organizational culture that fortifies colleagueship and harmonious coexistence through policy and open systems of communication with empowerment and participatory decision-making. Effort should be made to invigorate rigorous academic debate, research, and other scholarly endeavours, that promote intellectual resonance, as opposed to schemes of undermining practices