Enrolment, physical infrastructure and academic performance in higher education in Tanzania: a case of the University of Dar es Salaam.

The purpose of this study was to find out the relationship between student enrolment, physical infrastructure and academic performance in higher education in Tanzania: A case of the University of Dar es Salaam. Objectives of the study were to: 1. Assess the students' enrolment to physical infrastructure ratio; 2. Identify problems that students and lecturers face in the teaching and learning process; and 3. Examine options/views from University of Dar es Salaam stakeholders concerning enrolment, physical infrastructure and academic predominance. Three research tasks guided this study. These included: to evaluate the relationship between enrolment and existing physical infrastructure at UDSM; examine constraints students and lecturers face during teaching and teaming process and to investigate the nature including types of assessments used to grade students' performance. Data were collected from UDSM by using documentary guide, questionnaire, interview schedule, focus group discussion, and observation checklist. The data collected was subject to content analysis and simple statistical as well as qualitative analysis. Results revealed that there was an increase in student enrolment for both undergraduates and postgraduates that do not correspond with the increase of physical infrastructure. The increase in the number of students does not correspond with the increase of physical infrastructure. As a result students and lecturers were facing problems in the teaching and learning process. Hence, it affected student's performance. Also various other problems affecting both lecturers and student's performance were noted The study concludes that, higher education planners at the nation and institutional level should consider reconstructing physical infrastructure by increasing lecture halls, seminar rooms and laboratories and involve stakeholders in decision-making.