University environment and academic performance of undergraduate students of the School of Education, College of Education and External Studies, Makerere University

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between University environment and academic performance of under graduate students of the School of Education, College of Education and External Studies, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. The study assessed university environment in terms of peer grouping, university academic facilities, lecturers‟ competences and their interactions on academic performance. Students in the university faced academic challenges which included over staying on study programs, retaking many papers and high failure rate to meet the required marks of the university. Correlational and Cross sectional survey design was used. Stratified sampling technique was also used in selecting 333 respondents who filled a Self-administered questionnaire for data collection. Using SPSS, data analysis was done at descriptive and inferential levels. The analysis of data at univariate level was based on relative frequencies, descriptive statistics such as means, standard deviations and graphs. The results revealed that peer grouping was positively and significantly related with academic performance. University academic facilities and lecturers‟ competencies were insignificantly related with academic performance. The study concluded that peer grouping was very important in enhancing academic performance of students. Further concluded that university academic facilities were not key issues in the study. The university should look for other issues failing academic performance of students. The study further concluded that lecturers‟ competences were not important in the study. The university should look for other factors failing academic performance of students. It recommended that Makerere University top management should put much emphasis on other factors other than university academic facilities in improving academic performance. University management should also look for other factors other than lecturers‟ competences to improve the performance of students. The study recommended that the university top management should put a lot of emphasis on peer grouping in the struggle to enhance academic performance of students. University administration should put emphasis on other ways such as group discussion, group course work and group reading so as to strengthen peer grouping for academic improvement.