Entry qualification as a predictor of academic performance at higher learning institutions: a case of undergraduate students at Mzumbe University (Main Campus), Tanzania
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Date
2017
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
The study is about examining entry qualifications, as a predictor of academic performance at higher learning institutions. The case study was undergraduate students admitted at Mzumbe University, Main campus in Tanzania. Mzumbe University is one of the public universities in Tanzania. The undergraduate entry qualifications in Tanzanian’s Universities are: direct entry, equivalent qualification and mature age entry. Random samples of 281 direct entrance, 280 equivalent qualification students and 239 mature age entrants were randomly selected from their respective strata for analysis. Information on 800 students was obtained from Mzumbe University’s database. IBM SPSS Statistics 21 was used in data entry and analysis. The analysis involved descriptive statistics, chi-square test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and pair-wise comparison.
Descriptive statistics showed that students with direct entry qualification had the best performance. Findings from chi-square tests showed that there was a significant association between sex and academic performance as well as between entry qualification and academic performance. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that only entry qualification had an impact on academic performance. In pair-wise comparisons, performance of students in each entry qualification was significantly different from performance of students in the other two entry qualifications.
It is recommended to TCU and government that similar studies be conducted in other Tanzanian’s Universities. If most of the Universities come up with the same findings that direct entry students perform better than students from other schemes the final recommendation would be for institutions to enroll more direct entry students.
Description
Available in print form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAF LB2351.52.T34H378)
Keywords
Entrance requirements, Universities and colleges, Mzumbe University, Tanzania
Citation
Haruni, I. (2017) Entry qualification as a predictor of academic performance at higher learning institutions: a case of undergraduate students at Mzumbe University (Main Campus), Tanzania. Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam.