THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA

SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

DS 402: RESEARCH PROJECT

A Research Report

By

NCHUNGO, JOSEPHAT

(29007216)

Submitted to

MR. ELEMU, DERRICK

In partial fulfillment for the award of a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Development Studies

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTS’ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: A CASE

STUDY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA MAIN CAMPUS.

FRIDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER, 2013.

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ITEM PAGE
NO.

DECLARATION-------------------------------------------------------------------------------i

DEDICATION---------------------------------------------------------------------------------ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS-----------------------------------------------------------------iii

LIST OF ACRONYMS----------------------------------------------------------------------iv

LIST OF TABLES----------------------------------------------------------------------------v

LLIST OF GRAPHS------------------------------------------------------------------------vi

ABSTRACT---------------------------------------------------------------------------------vii

1.0 INTRODUCTION----------------------------------------------------------------1

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW-------------------------------------------------------2

2.1 Theoretical Review------------------------------------------------------2

2.1.0 The Triarchic Theory of Intellectual Abilities---------------2

2.1.1 The Theory of Mental Self-Government----------------------3

2.2 Empirical Review-----------------------------------------------------------4

3.0 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM---------------------------------------13

4.0 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES-------------------------------------------------14

 4.1 General Objectives---------------------------------------------------14

4.2 Specific Objectives--------------------------------------------------14

5.0 RATIONALE OF THE STUDY----------------------------------------- 14

6.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY-----------------------------------------17

6.1 DATA COLLECTION-------------------------------------------------17

6.1.0 Secondary data----------------------------------------------17

6.1.1 Primary Data------------------------------------------------18

6.1.2 Research Location------------------------------------------18

6.1.2.3 Target Groups and Sampling Methods---------------19

6.1.2.3.4 DATA COLLECTION TOOLS---------------------20

6.2 DATA ANALYSIS----------------------------------------------------23

7.0 RESEARCH ETHICS --------------------------------------------------24

8.0 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY-------------------------------------25

9.0 RESEARCH FINDINGS------------------------------------------------26

SECTION A:

9.1 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SAMPLE---------------------26

 9.1.1 Target Group A: UNZA Students----------------------26

9.1.2 Target Group B: UNZA Management Personnel-------31

SECTION B:

9.2. The Main Factors Affecting students-----------------------------------------31

SECTION C:

9.3 Sex Highly Affected by the Factors-------------------------------------------54

SECTION C:

9.4 How UNZA Management Has Helped to Address the factors-------59

10 RECOMMENDATIONS--------------------------------------------------------64

11.0 CONCLUSION------------------------------------------------------------------66

12.0 REFERENCES

13.0 BACK MATTER (APPENDICES)

APPENDIX 1-------------------------------- -------------QUESTIONNAIRE

APPENDIX 2----------------------------------------------INTERVIEW GUIDE
APPENDIX 3----------------------------------------------PICTURE
 DECLARATION

The ink of a scholar is more sacred than the blood of the martyr (Mohammed). The truths of
these words speak through man’s ingenious inventions and discoveries, anchored in desired
and precise acquisition of knowledge. Universities are at the core of identification, nurturing
and expansion of the knowledge front for the betterment of tomorrow. Knowledge sources
thus must be pervasive and diverse. The students’ desire for its acquisition must be limitless.

The University of Zambia is one of the highest learning institutions in Zambia and the
country heavily depends on its production of well informed graduates who will positively
contribute to the development of the nation.

Based on the above synopsis, I do hereby declare that, to the best of my knowledge, all the
information contained in this report is first-hand information generated out of my own
endeavours and that it has never been reproduced or duplicated in any way for any purpose
by any means. All the sources used in this work are authentic and have been duly
acknowledged.

NCHUNGO, JOSEPHAT (29007216) DATE:

i
DEDICATION

To my mum Catherine Nchungo and dad Josephat Nchungo (senior), uncle and aunt (Mr. and
Mrs. Lifunka)

&

Wife Soby V. Nkomesha

You have been my source of energy in my Academic career! God Bless You!

ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I owe a million of gratitude to my research supervisor, Mr. Elemu, Derrick whose valuable
guidance and supervision has made this work more colourful and educative.

I further extend my heartfelt millions of thanks to my mum Nelicy Hankolwe (The

Administrative Secretary to the University Librarian) for her parental advice, encouragements
and financial supplement throughout my study.

Thanks to the Assistant Registrar Admissions & Examinations, The Dean of Students
and The Counselling Centre who participated in this research through interviews and
provided all the required information for this research to be informative and educative.

More thanks to the Bursaries Committee of GRZ, for their financial support throughout my
study.

Thanks to my fellow course mates, Kakoma Kakoma, Lawrence Muleba, Stephen Ndumba
and Haggai Kanenga for their positive criticisms that elicited a degree of focus during my
research project.

Above all, I give Honour and Glory to the Almighty God for His provision of Good Health to
me and His sufficient grace in pursuance of my Bachelor of Arts Degree.

iii
LIST OF ACRONYMS

BA----------------------------------------Bachelor of Arts

BAED------------------------------------Bachelor of Arts with Education

BEng-------------------------------------Bachelor of Engineering

BSW-------------------------------------Bachelor of Social Work

Bsc ED----------------------------------Bachelor of Science with Education

BALIS-----------------------------------Bachelor of Arts in Library & Information Studies

Bsc Ag-----------------------------------Bachelor of Science Agro economics

BMC--------------------------------------Bachelor of Mass Communication

CA.....................................................Continuous Assessment

DOSA------------------------------------Dean of Students Affairs

EAP--------------------------------------Educational Administration and Policy

GRZ--------------------------------------Government of the Republic of Zambia

NAC--------------------------------------New Apostolic Church

PPP....................................................Public Private Partnership

SDA--------------------------------------Seventh Day Adventist

SS-----------------------------------------Social Sciences

UNZA------------------------------------University of Zambia

iv
LIST OF TABLES

ITEM PAGE No.

Table 1: UNZA long term Goals----------------------------------------------------13

Table 2: Age of Students -------------------------------------------------------------27

Table 3: Denomination ---------------------------------------------------------------28

Table 4: Program of Study -----------------------------------------------------------30

Table 5: Background Information (UNZA Management) -----------------------32

Table 6: Over enrolment Reponses -------------------------------------------------33

Table 7: Inadequate accommodation responses -----------------------------------35

Table 8: Peer Pressure Responses---------------------------------------------------38

Table 9: Poor sanitation facilities responses --------------------------------------40

Table 10: Congestion in Lecture Theatres responses-----------------------------42

Table 11: Lack of seriousness of Lecturers responses ---------------------------44

Table 12: Lack of up-to-date books Reponses ------------------------------------47

Table 13: Students’ riotous demonstrations responses --------------------------50

Table 14: sex affected by Congestion in lecture theatres------------------------58

v
LIST OF GRAPHS

ITEM PAGE No.

Figure 1: Marital Status for students------------------------------------------------28

Figure2: Sponsorship Status----------------------------------------------------------29

Figure 3: Year of Study----------------------------------------------------------------31

Figure 4: Inadequate Campus Accommodation responses------------------------35

vi
ABSTRACT

This is a report on the factors that affect the academic performance of students at
UNZA main campus. There has been a number of excludes of students at the main
campus with a large number sent on part time. Others have not been performing up to
the standard and expectations. However, efforts have been made such as emphasis on
tutorial attendance and participation, clinics, installation of the internet facilities
among others but the problem of poor performance still exist hence this study was
initiated. It is premised on three objectives; firstly, to find out the main factors that
affects the academic performance of students at UNZA main campus. Secondly, to
find out which sex is highly vulnerable to the factors that affect academic
performance of student at UNZA main campus and thirdly to find out what UNZA
management has done to address the factors that affect the academic performance of
students at UNZA main campus.

This study employed self-administered questionnaires students, in-depth interviews

with three (3) UNZA management personnel and participant observation. It used a
sample of 40 respondents composed of 20 males and 20 female students randomly
selected.

The results of this study indicates the following as the main factors affecting students’
academic performance; over enrolment which affects 70% of students, inadequate
campus accommodation affecting 82.5% of students, poor sanitation facilities
affecting 70% of students, congestion in lecture theatres affecting 87.5% of students,
lack of up-to-date books in the library affecting 77.5% of students, seductive dress
code of female students affecting 72% of males students and self-catering which
affects 92.6% of students.

In terms of sex highly affected by these factors, this study shows that, over enrolment
affects more males (80%) than females (60%), inadequate campus accommodation

vii
affects more female students (85%) than male students (80%), poor sanitation
facilities affects both sexes (70%), congestion in lecture theatres affects more females
(90%) than males (85%), lack of up-to-date books in the library affects more males
(95%) than females , seductive dress code of female students affects males only (72%)
and self-catering affects both sexes by 92.6%.

In terms of efforts made by UNZA management to address these, this study reveals the
following; constructing more hostels by engaging private sectors to address the
problem of accommodation, recent rehabilitation of the University to improve on
sanitation, dividing larger classes into two or more streams to reduce on congestion
in lecture theatres, provision of internet facilities and repository of books on the
University website to address the problem of lack of up-to-date books in the library.

In view of that, the report recommends the following:

Policy: the University management must re-consider that, implementing the statutory
University policy by enrolling more students than the available infrastructure can
handle will not only result in producing graduates that are half-baked but also
substandard in relation to the international standards. The researcher further
recommends the formulation of administrative policies on the dress code of female
students who wear sexually seducing garments that academically disturbs 79.1% of
male students.

Practice: the theory of mental self-Government that this study adopted has been
practically tested and approved. the learning and thinking styles of students at
campus can either be reinforced leading to excellent academic performance or
hindered leading to poor academic performance depending on the provision of a
number of essential facilities such as good study materials, accommodation,
conducive learning environment (lecture theatres) and good water and sanitation
facilities.

viii
Further research: future research on factors affecting students’ academic
performance at UNZA main campus should employ longitudinal studies in order to
find out if there are variations in the factors that affect students’ academic
performance at UNZA main campus with passage of time.

It can therefore be concluded that, factors that affect the academic performance of
students at UNZA main campus are mainly institutional-causal factors as opposed to
personal (student) causal factors.

ix
1.0 INTRODUCTION

The academic performance of students at most Universities in the world today has recently
come under scrutiny for a number of reasons. For example, a number of studies have been
carried out to identify causal factors of poor academic performance in a number of
institutions worldwide. Most of these studies focus on the three elements that intervene, that
is, parents (family causal factors), teachers (academic causal factors), and students (personal
causal factors) (Diaz, 2003). In light of the above, this study purports to investigate the main
factors that affect students’ academic performance at UNZA main campus.

The combination of factors influencing the academic performance of students varies from one
academic environment to another, from one set of students to the next, and indeed from one
cultural setting to another. More often than not, students have worked hard but their input
has not been positively correlated to their output. This has been revealed in a report from
UWI’s Office of Planning and Development (2011), where 10% of all undergraduate courses
offered at UWI, St. Augustine recorded high failure rates. This increases the cost of training
graduates as well as reducing admission opportunities for high school students seeking a
University education. Low pass rates impose a huge cost to the communities in terms of the
low number of students graduating and the reduced intake of potential students due to
shortage of spaces caused by low throughput. So, in order to ensure that a larger proportion
of the labour force is highly trained, most Universities including UNZA must put in place
measures that ensure high completion rates. In the case of UNZA Main Campus, the failure
and dropout rates are higher in such school like School of Law, School of Engineering and
School of Veterinary Medicine among others.

However, in cases where there are low dropout or exclude rates, at least there should be poor
performance making students to merely clear in order to proceed as opposed to getting
excellent result. Much of the attrition that reduces completion rates has been attributed to
low academic performance in early pre-requisite undergraduate courses (Scott and Graal,
2007). This problem although may be lightly taken has a profound influence on the
communities.
Not only that, it also contravenes the motto of the University, ‘Service and Excellency’ in
that there is no excellence when people are poorly performing and failing.

Page 1
In view of that, this study sought to investigate the main factors that affect students’ academic
performance at UNZA main Campus so that appropriate administrative measures can be
taken to help the community.

The research report is organized in the following order: introduction, literature review,
statement of the problem, research objectives, research rationale, methodology, presentation
of findings, discussion of findings and then a conclusion.

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

The literature review of this study will be divided into two components namely, theoretical
review which merely reviews theories that relate to the topic under investigation and
empirical review which will be composed of studies conducted by other researchers on the
same topic.

2.1 Theoretical Review

There are a number of theories that have been postulated to explain the factors that affect
students’ academic performance but for the purposes of this study, only two will be discussed
and these are ‘The Triarchic Theory of Intellectual Abilities’ and the ‘Theory of Mental Self-
Government’.

2.1.0 The Triarchic Theory of Intellectual Abilities

According to the Theory of Intellectual Abilities (Sternberg, 1985; 1986:23), three kinds of
intellectual abilities exist, namely analytical, creative and practical abilities.

Measures of abilities tend to focus mainly on analytical abilities, whereas all three types of
abilities need to be regarded as equally important. Research done by Sternberg (1997b:24)
showed that: The more we teach and assess students based on a broader set of abilities, the
more racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse our achievers will be.

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 2.1.1 The Theory of Mental Self-Government
Furthermore, research by Sternberg emphasises that students' learning and thinking styles
(Sternberg, 1997a) (which are usually ignored), together with their ability levels, play an
important role in student performance (Sternberg, 1992:134; 1994:36-40; Sternberg and
Grigorenko, 1997:295). The Theory of Mental Self-Government refers to an inventory of
different thinking styles that gives an indication of people's preference of thinking patterns.
Where the Triarchic Theory focuses on the ability itself, the theory of Mental Self-
Government refers to different thinking styles which constitutes preference in the use of
abilities (Sternberg, 1990:366-371).

In light of the above theories, this study adopted the theory of mental self-Government as the
most appropriate one in enhancing students ‘academic performance at UNZA main campus.
The reason is that, the learning and thinking styles of students at campus can either be
reinforced leading to excellent academic performance or hindered leading to poor academic
performance. This is heavily contingent upon the availability and provision of a number of
essential facilities such as good study materials, accommodation, conducive learning
environment (lecture theatres), good water and sanitation facilities among others. These being
available and in provision, students’ potential abilities of being analytical, creative and
practical as described in triarchic theory also become reinforced.

2.2 Empirical Review

A number of studies have been carried out to identify and analyze the numerous factors that
affect the academic performance of students in various centers of learning. Their findings
identify students’ efforts, previous schooling (Siegfried and Fels, 1979; Anderson and
Benjamin, 1994), parents’ education, family income (Devadoss and Foltz, 1996), self
motivation, age of student, learning preferences (Aripin, Mahmood, Rohaizad, Yeop and
Anuar, 2008), class attendance (Romer, 1993), and entry qualification as factors that have a
significant effect on the students’ academic performance in various settings. The utility of
these studies lies on the need to undertake corrective measures that improve the academic
performance of students, especially in public funded institutions.

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Although there has been considerable debate about the determinants of academic
performance among educators, policymakers, academics, and other stakeholders, it is
generally agreed that the impact of these determinants vary (in terms of extent and direction)
with context, for example, culture, institution, course of study etc. however, since not all
factors are relevant for a particular context, it is imperative that formal studies be carried out
to identify the context-specific determinants for sound decision making.

Another study that reviewed some of the factors that influence students’ academic
performance pointed out that, students’ learning preferences has a profound influence on their
academic performance. Harb and El-Shaarawi (2006) further stated that, a good match
between students’ learning preferences and instructor’s teaching style has been demonstrated
to have positive effect on student’s performance. Reid (1995) defines learning preference as a
person’s “natural, habitual and preferred way” of assimilating new information. This implies
that individuals differ in regard to what mode of instruction or study is most effective for
them. Scholars, who promote the learning preferences approach to learning, agree that
effective instruction can only be undertaken if the learner’s learning preferences are
diagnosed and the instruction is tailored accordingly (Pashler, McDaniel, Rohrer and Bjork,
2008). “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand,” (Confucius 551-
479 BC) – a quote that provides evidence that, even in early times, there was a recognition of
the existence of different learning preferences among people. Indeed, Omrod (2008) reports
that some students seem to learn better when information is presented through words (verbal
learners), whereas others seem to learn better when it is presented in the form of pictures
(visual learners).

In light of the above, it is conspicuous that in a class where only one instructional method is
employed, there is a strong possibility that a number of students will find the learning
environment less optimal and this could affect their academic performance. Felder (1993)
established that alignment between students’ learning preferences and an instructor’s teaching
style leads to better recall and understanding. The learning preferences approach has gained
significant mileage despite the lack of experimental evidence to support the utility of this
approach.

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In line with that, other studies have established a number of methods used to assess the
learning preference or styles of students but they all typically ask students to evaluate the
kind of information presentation they are most at ease with. One of these approaches being
used widely is the Visual/Aural/Read and Write/Kinesthetic (VARKR) questionnaire,
pioneered by Neil Fleming in 1987, which categorizes learners into at least four major
learning preference classes. Neil Fleming (2001- 2011) described these four major learning
preferences as follows:

Firstly is a class of visual learners: these are students who prefer information to be presented
on the whiteboard, flip charts, walls, graphics, pictures, colour. Probably creative and may
use different colours and diagrams in their notebooks. Failure to do this, their academic
performance would be poorly affected.

Secondly is a class of Aural (or oral) or auditory learners: these students prefer to sit back
and listen. They do not make a lot of notes. More often than not, they find it useful to record
lectures for later playbacks and reference. This helps them improve their academic
performance.

Thirdly is a class of Read/write learners: these students prefer to read the information for
themselves and take a lot of notes. These learners benefit from given access to additional
relevant information through handouts and guided readings from their teachers or lecturers.
Failure to avail to them such facilities may retrograde their school performance.

The fourth class according to Fleming is the class of Kinesthetic (or tactile) learners: these
learners cannot sit still for long and like to fiddle with things. Prefer to be actively involved
in their learning and thus would benefit from active learning strategies in class. Therefore,
we can see that, all the different preferences may not be fully met by students and as such
they may have a profound influence on their academic performance.

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Notwithstanding that, Romer (1993) is one of the first few authors to explore the relationship
between student attendance and examination performance. In his widely cited paper, a
number of factors have contributed to declining class attendances around the world in the last
15 years. The major reasons given by students for non-attendance include assessment
pressures, poor delivery of lectures by lecturers, timing of lectures, and work commitments
(Newman-Ford, Lloyd and Thomas, 2009).

On the other hand, in recent times, students have found a need to seek employment while
studying on a part-time basis due to financial constraints. The numbers of part-time and
mature students has also risen sharply. The use of information technology also means that
information that used to be obtained from sitting through lectures can be obtained at the click
of a mouse. Indeed, web-based learning approaches have become the order of the day.

Given all these developments that either make it impossible or unnecessary for students to
attend classes, the question that needs to be asked is whether absenteeism affects students’
academic performance.

As a response to the above, a number of previous researches on this subject matter seem to
provide a consensus that students who miss classes perform poorly compared to those who
attend classes (Devadoss and Foltz 1996, Durden and Ellis 1995, Romer 1993, Park and Kerr
1990, Schmidt 1993). Based on these findings a number of stakeholders have called for
mandatory class attendance. Although the existing evidence points to a strong correlation
between attendance and academic performance, none of the studies cited attendance from a
myriad of confounding students characteristics, (for instance, levels of motivation,
intelligence, prior learning, and time-management skill) is a major limiting factor to the
utility of these findings and this has been proven also by Rodgers and Rodgers (2003) hence
showing a weakness in these studies which this study took into account.

However, Durden and Ellis (1995) controlled for student differences in background, ability
and motivation and reported a nonlinear effect of attendance on learning, that is, a few
absences do not lead to poor grades but excessive absenteeism does.

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On the other hand, other studies conducted by Pashler and Bjork (2008) have shown that,
prior knowledge, course prerequisites and course combinations determine students’ academic
performance in Universities and Colleges. Studies conducted from a number of institutions
indicated that, students’ prior knowledge, course prerequisites and course combinations had a
profound influence on their academic performance. 70% of those with suitable pre-requisite
courses performed better than those with courses that were not matching. This was justified
by the fact that, learning is a cumulative process, thus a student admitted with matching
courses to the career of their choice will be well prepared for the course material compared to
a student with a mismatch of course combinations.

It is important for career educators to have an idea of how well the courses correspond to
each student in order to complement learning. In view of that, this study seeks to explore
whether the program of study has possible adverse effects on students’ academic
performance. Such an analysis would be helpful in the counseling and guidance process of
students.

Meanwhile, the influence of age and gender on academic performance has been investigated
in a number of studies with widely differing conclusions. Most of the differences in reported
findings are due to varying contexts such as subject of study, age and gender interactions.
Previous research has shown that men perform better than women in certain setting while
women outperform men in other settings (Haist, Wilson, Elam, Blue and Fosson, 2000).

On the other hand, Borde (1998) found no evidence of academic performance being
influenced by gender. Based on an analysis of close to two million graduating students,
Woodfied and Earl-Novell (2006) found that female students outperformed male students and
attributed this partly to female students being more conscientious and thus less likely to miss
lectures. With regard to the issue of students’ age, studies have shown that, recent changes in
educational policies around the world have led to an increase in the number of mature-age
admissions in educational institutions. While a large proportion of undergraduate students
were still 19-year olds, the ages of students in classes were then more variable than 10 to 15
years ago.

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However, the definition of a mature student varies by country with 21, 22 and 25 year old
students being classified as mature students in the United Kingdom, United States of America
and Australia, respectively (Trueman & Hartley, 1996). In this study review, mature students
were defined as those students whose age was greater than 21 years on their first day at the
University. Students who were 21 years of age and younger were classified as ‘young’
students. Mature students thought to lack basic skills required for effective study or to be
impaired by age-related intellectual deficits.

Mature students tended to be admitted into their programmes with distinctly lower
educational attainment than the young students (Newman-Ford, Lloyd & Thomas, 2009).
However, when compared to the young students, the academic performance of mature
students was as good, if not better (Richardson, 1994). It should, however be pointed out that
this comparison depends on the subject matter and types of assessment used. Richardson
(1994:5) concludes his study by making the observation that “….. mature students were
rather more likely than younger students to adopt a deep approach or a meaning orientation
towards their academic work, and were conversely less likely than younger students to adopt
a surface approach or a reproducing orientation.”

In some other studies, it was found that, self-motivation, family income, and parents’ level of
education contribute to poor performance of some students. While a positive relationship
between self-motivation and academic performance has been established (Zimmerman,
Bandura, and Martinez-Pons, 1992), the effect of family income and parents’ level of
education on academic performance is far from being unraveled without equivocation.
Socioeconomic status of students and their families show moderate to strong relationship
with academic performance but these relationships are contingent upon a number of factor
such that it is nearly impossible to predict academic performance using socioeconomic status
(Sirin, 2005).

Another study was conducted by Wooten, (1998) whose major objective was to find out the
main factors that affect students’ academic performance discovered two key factors that had a
profound influence on students’ performance namely;

Page 8
(i) the student’s aptitude. (ii) The amount of effort the student put forth in the course. He
further discovered that, the amount of effort put by a student depends on the student’s grade
history, motivation, extracurricular activities, work responsibilities and family
responsibilities. In his findings, aptitude and effort were both significant variables in
influencing performance of the traditional students. For the traditional students, grade
history, motivation and family responsibilities all influenced the amount of efforts the
students put forth.

However, neither extracurricular activities nor work responsibilities influenced students’

efforts. Motivation was significantly influenced by the students’ self-expectations and their
perceptions of the learning environment. Motivation was the only variable that significantly
influenced effects. He further discovered that for both traditional and non-traditional
students, it was difficult to explain why extra-curricular activities and the work activities
variables did not have a significant effect on the effort. Nonetheless, this study has a
weakness in that, it does not reflect the sample size used in the study for traditional and non-
traditional students and there is no proof whether or not other essential variables were
controlled in the study. Hence, this study took into account such weaknesses so that accurate
results could be obtained.

Furthermore, a study conducted by Nelson (1993) whose main objective was to identify a
number of school factors that promote female students’ success in higher education
discovered that, the most critical factor is a University staff that believes all students can
succeed. Other key factors included valuing students’ languages and cultures, holding high
expectations, making education a priority, offering a variety of courses, providing sound
counseling, and providing staff training to help teachers serve female students more
effectively. However, in this study, it was reported that lack of support from teachers,
absence of concerned people in the University about female students’ problems and absence
of adequate counseling services were problems mentioned by students that contributed to
their poor performance.

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As indicated, the problems of female students were multifaceted and were reflected at the
time of admission, choice of stereotypically assigned fields and graduation from high schools
and Universities. With this situation in mind, it is unthinkable to realize gender levels should
set workable policy that takes into account the prevailing social, cultural, economic and
political context of the country and aggressively work towards its implementation. Although
the sample size and the study site were not highlighted, Nelson’s study was very helpful
because it gave a platform in which the success of female students at Colleges and
Universities could easily be comprehended.

Equally, a study conducted by Mohamedbhai (2008) at the University of Nairobi, the main
Jomo Kenyetta memorial library, whose main objective was to find out the impact of over
enrolments of students on academic performance discovered that, the large number of
students than the University could accommodate had a profound influence on students’
academic performance. The capacity for the University library could not sustain the large
student population such that, the University which was designed to accommodate 1,500
students had to cope with 8,000 students a day.

A similar study conducted by Bloom (2005) at the University of Eduardo Mondlane showed
that, due to over enrolment of students, their academic performance was heavily affected
such that, the dropout rate of student in 2006 for the whole University was estimated to be
within the range of 15-28%, the larger percentage being for the earlier years. In 2006, only
about 6% of the students completed their degrees in the normal course duration compared to
17% in 2001. Also, in 2006, 41% of the student took one or more additional years to
complete their programmes, whereas the corresponding figure in 2001 was 28%. Thus, from
this, there has been deterioration in the students’ academic performance over the past five
years at the University of Edourdo Mondlane.

Therefore, although the studies needed modification in the sample frame and study design
used to gather such findings, they were very helpful in providing us with a podium in which
the problem of over enrolment of students at UNZA and the effects it has on their academic
performance can be clearly understood.

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Another study was conducted by Principle (2005) at the Puerto Rico University to find out
the factors affecting students’ academic performance in the first accounting course between
public and private Universities in Puerto Rico and also to analyze the students’ perceptions
on internal and external classroom factors that might influence their academic performance in
their first accounting course. A descriptive co-relational research design was used in this
investigation. The population was the students in the first accounting course at public and
private Universities in Puerto Rico. The sample size which was used was 1,721 subjects
which included 13 campuses from 3 different Universities out of a total of 65 campuses in
Puerto Rico. The campuses were not randomly selected. The researcher selected campuses
representing different demographic areas in Puerto Rico. A Chi-square analysis reflected
that, public Universities had a higher number of student failures compared to private
Universities. The grade distribution reports from private Universities demonstrated that, 40-
50% of students did not complete or failed in the first accounting course.

The findings of the study also demonstrated that, internal classroom factors positively
influenced students’ academic performance in the first accounting course in Puerto Rican
public and private Universities. However, the effects of combined external classroom factors
were not statistically significant for Puerto Rican Universities. Thus, although other
important variables in the study have not been highlighted, this study is quite clear and is
assumed to have achieved its purpose. Hence, this study sought to build on such already
existing discoveries to relate to UNZA while taking into account the correction of mistakes
made by previous researchers in the same area of study.

Meanwhile, Roeser et ail (1996) equally carried out a study to investigate the impact of poor
motivational facilities in school environment and students academic performance. Two
hundred and ninety-six (296) randomly selected students participated in this study. Students’
responses to self-report questionnaires revealed that 79% of them were adversely affected
academically by poor motivational facilities in the school, while 21% showed that, the lack of
motivational facilities in the University premises had no adverse impact on their academic
performance. From the results, we can see that more people were affected by poor
motivational facilities at the school. This means that, adequate motivational facilities have a
profound influence on students’ academic performance.

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However, this study had a weakness in that; the ratio of males and females in the sample was
not stated. Further, the research design was silent and that it was difficult to know whether or
not other confounding variables were controlled during this study. Hence, this study which
was conducted at UNZA main campus such weaknesses were taken into consideration to
enhance accuracy of results.

On the other hand, the School of Humanities Booklet (2008) states that, UNZA has a long
term statutory mandate of it being the highest learning institution in Zambia. For this reason,
this study sought to investigate how well the institution was fairing in meeting its long term
objectives shown on the table below;

Table 1

Promoting Excellence in Teaching, Research and Community Service.

Our Vision To be a Provider of World Class Services in Higher Education and
Knowledge Generation
Our Mission To Provide Relevant Higher Education through Teaching, Research and
Community Service
Our Core Academic freedom, Green Environment, Equity, Integrity,
Values Accountability, Innovativeness, Excellency
Our The University will embrace a participatory Management Style that will
Management motivate employees, provide a work environment that is conducive to
Philosophy high productivity, teamwork in which leadership is by example, Provide
effective communication and guidance, which will be accessible to all,
and promote individual growth.
Source: The University of Zambia Web site: www.unza.zm

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3.0 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

There have been a number of excludes and high failure rates at UNZA main campus year in
year out. The academic performance of a number of students has not been to their
expectations. They have been poorly performing. What else has not yet been done to solve
the problem? Emphasis on tutorial participation, clinics, and study groups has been placed by
some lecturers to improve the performance of students but to no avail. Meanwhile, others
have conducted lecture attendance roll calls as an alternative for combating the alarming poor
academic performance of students but less positive returns have been achieved.

Notwithstanding that, the APA systems like in the case of the school of education have been
introduced together with the use of projectors in the delivery of lectures to help the myopic
and slow learning students catch up easily but the expected returns have not helped much to
improve the general academic performance of students, (School of Education Handbook,
2010).

More so, a big and efficient internet café in the UNZA main Library has being in operation to
help students do their research effectively but as if their efforts were in vain, the performance
kept deteriorating. New departments (department of population studies among others) have
been created where possible. According to the University Calendar Hand Book (2009),
extra-curricular activities have been encouraged and the door to the counseling centre has
been wide open to offer professional counseling services. But still the problem of poor
academic performance at UNZA main Campus still persists. It is for these reasons that, this
study seeks to investigate the main factors that affect students’ academic performance at
UNZA main Campus so that a lasting solution can be provided to improve the quality of
education in our country Zambia.

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4.0 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
4.1 General Objectives
To investigate the factors that affects the academic performance of students at
UNZA main Campus.

4.2 Specific Objectives

 To find out the main factors that affects the academic performance of
students at UNZA main campus.
 To find out which sex is highly vulnerable to the factors that affect
academic performance of student at UNZA Main Campus.
 To find out what UNZA management has done to address the factors that
affect the academic performance of students at UNZA Main Campus.

5.0 RATIONALE OF THE STUDY

Most countries that have developed today placed more emphasis on the importance of the
educational system in spearheading technological innovation that result in productivity.
Countries like the United States of America, Japan and China formulated sound trajectory
policies that increased enrolments rates in Universities and Colleges with an understanding
that, advancement in technology is dependent on having well trained students in Universities
and Colleges. Equally, Singapore which also took a step to invest in science and technology
in colleges and Universities has become one of the industrialized economies in the world,
(Bartone, 1995).

So, advancement in science and technology is dependent on how well a particular country
trains its students. In order to have well nurtured students that can think and invent new
things to develop the country, there has to be good policies at institutional level that creates a
good conducive environment for learning. However, sound policies cannot be created if
students’ challenges that may hinder good performance have not been identified and
addressed.

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Therefore, in order for Zambia to develop, it has to emulate countries like Singapore which
paid attention to the educational system by creating a good learning atmosphere for
University students.

In light of the above, this study which investigates the factors that affect students academic
performance at UNZA main campus was sought to contribute to the body of knowledge on
the factors that affect students’ academic Excellency at UNZA in particular and other such
government institutions in general. It has been observed that, literature on the factors that
influence academic performance of students is quite scarce and when it is available, people
have to seek it through the internet. Thus the findings of this study would be put at the
disposal of every student in the library so that information is readily accessed. It is also
hoped that the results of this research will contribute to the formulation of sound
administrative policies that would curb the factors that contribute to the poor academic
performance of students at UNZA so that failure and dropouts rates can be minimized to
maintain the motto of the University ‘Service and Excellency’.

In view of that, the rationale behind carrying out this study is premised on four basic issues
namely; the study’s contribution to knowledge, policy, theory and practice and as a partial
fulfillment for the award of a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Development Studies respectively.

Regarding its contribution to knowledge, the findings of this study will bring to the general
awareness of the factors that affect students’ academic performance. It will further
communicate the efforts by UNZA management to address factors affecting students’
academic performance and what management has done to enhance students’analytical,
creative and practical abilities according to the The Triarchic Theory of Intellectual Abilities
(Sternberg 1985; 1986:23). Likewise, higher learning institutions are also beneficiaries of the
knowledge that this study will generate in that the findings will help them to design strategies
to increase students’ academic performance and alleviate attrition rates.

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At policy level, this study will firstly identify the main causes of the factors that affect
students’ academic performance ranging from parents- family causal factors; teachers-
academic causal factors and students -personal causal factors, (Diaz, 2003).

When these are identified, it will help the government policy makers to redesign their
strategic management for the institution towards formulating policies that address factors that
affect students and in turn reduce their attrition rates. This will also set a platform for the
attainment of UNZA’s long term strategic goals, (School of Humanities Handbook, 2008).

With regards to theory and practice, the findings of this study will help in testing the
practicability of the adopted theory of mental self-Government (Sternberg, 1995) as the most
appropriate one in enhancing students ‘academic performance at UNZA main campus. The
rationale behind this theory is that, the learning and thinking styles of students at campus can
either be reinforced leading to excellent academic performance or hindered leading to poor
academic performance and this is heavily contingent upon the availability and provision of
essential facilities such as good study materials, accommodation, conducive learning
environment (lecture theatres), good water and sanitation facilities among others and hence
this is hoped to lead to offering practical solutions that would enhance students’ academic
performance.

The fourth and last premise is based on the satisfaction of the researcher’s curiosity on the
subject matter and linked to that, the study will be undertaken in partial fulfillment for the
award of the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Development Studies.

This study was very appropriate to be conducted at the time when students were still on
campus because that is the time they are readily available to be used as respondents. It is a
time that was equally convenient for the researcher especially that participant observation of
events as they occurred in the natural setting could only work out when students are busy
learning.

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6.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research methodology is a very important component of any research because it renders the
opportunity to other researchers to replicate the study to ensure that similar results are
obtained. To ensure that, similar results are obtained if this study is conducted by a different
researcher, this study adopted and maintained the use of scientific procedures in its collection
of data. The study gathered data on the factors that affect students’ academic performance at
UNZA main campus. This data was composed of primary and secondary data. Primary data
constituted the major source on which generalization is to be based. While secondary data
was used basically as a reflection of the already existing trend on the topic under
investigation and most of it came from already published materials. Primary data was
obtained from full-time students at the UNZA through questionnaires and researcher’s
observations in the natural setting. Another portion of it was obtained from the in-depth
interviews with UNZA management personnel who were referred to as the key informants in
this study.

6.1 DATA COLLECTION

Data collection is the process of gathering information that relate to the topic under
investigation with the view to achieving the objectives of the research. This study broadly
categorized the data collection into two namely; secondary and primary data. While
secondary data involved already written, published and used information, primary data was
composed of raw and first-hand information that the researcher gathered from the field. This
data was obtained through the use of self-administered questionnaires given to UNZA
students, in depth-interviews with UNZA management personnel and through participant
observation within the main campus.

6.1.0 Secondary data

Secondary data is the data that has already been written and published by other researchers or
authors. This study looked at what is prevailing on the ground on factors that affect students’
academic performance from the perspectives of a number of studies as reflected in the
literature review section.

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The study still went on to review what other people had already done on the subject under
investigation to ensure that duplication of other people’s work was to be avoided. Not only
that, prevailing literature on the subject matter was also helpful in keeping this study into
focus to ensure that genuine results were obtained.

Therefore, since the process was still on-going, more literature was consulted to keep this
research into focus and probable sources from which this data was obtained were inclusive of
but not necessarily restricted to published articles, books and research materials. The
researcher traced such data from the UNZA Library, UNZA counseling center, Dean of
Students Affairs, reliable internet sources and other outlets and through desk review, the data
was scrutinized and analyzed to make sure it reflected what this study was obliged to achieve.
The data was collected so as to provide a framework upon which to base this research and as
a means of guidance in the course of the research and to provide a template for the entire
work.

6.1.1 Primary Data

This type of data is rich in fresh information that is prevailing on the ground especially if it is
obtained by following scientific procedures which this study sought to follow. Literally, the
whole research was based on this type of data. It was the researcher’s task to go in the field to
collect this type of information which was sought to directly answer the objectives of this
research before generalizations could be made. Primary data was collected from students
through self-administered questionnaires, in-depth interviews with UNZA management
personnel and through participant observation at the main campus.

6.1.2 Research Location

Research location implies the geographical positioning of the area on which the research was
conducted. In case a different researcher wants to replicate the findings of this study, research
location will help them find the exact area on which this research was conducted.

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In light of the above, this research was carried out within UNZA main campus. The fact that
the research investigated the factors affecting students’ academic performance at UNZA main
campus gives a justification as to why the research could not be conducted elsewhere other
than UNZA main campus. UNZA is the highest learning institution in Zambia with an area of
about 290 hectares and located in Lusaka the capital city of Zambia. It is located on the south
side on the Great East Road about 9 kilometers away from Lusaka town center, (UNZA
Calendar, 2010).

6.1.2.3 Target Groups and Sampling Methods

This section shows the composition of the sample frame from which primary data was
collected. It further tells us the sampling procedures that this study employed as well as the
data collection tools. This study employed a sample size of 43 which was composed of two
target groups namely, Target Group A and Target Group B and the composition was broken
down as follows;

i). Target Group A

This comprised of 40 accommodated male and female students from UNZA who are on full-
time and this was the major target group which provided the vast of the information that
constituted this research. To ensure gender bias was avoided, the sample size was further
broken down into two as follows; 20 was composed of female students who were selected
using simple random method and another 20 was composed of male students who were
selected using simple random method.

The sampling procedure was as follows; a list of all hostels was obtained from the Council of
Hall Representatives and that is where the simple random method was employed to select 20
male and 20 female students to participate in the study.

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This study selected accommodated students because they are the ones who are fully exposed
to the rest of campus situations including activities and events that occur at the main campus
during day and night time hence they are expected to have all the information that this study
sought to acquire. Besides that, they are easily accessible and more convenient to the
researcher.

ii). Target Group B

Target group B was composed of key informants who are the 3 UNZA management
personnel. In order to collect data from key informants, purposive sampling was employed.
The reason for this was that, not just any UNZA management personnel was captured but
those who had a considerable knowledge on the measures that have been taken to address the
factors that affect the academic performance of students. This included the DOSA, the
Assistant Registrar Admissions and Examinations and UNZA Counseling Centre. An in-
depth interview was conducted with these key informants with the help of an interview guide.
This group of management personnel is rich in knowledge of the main issues that affect the
academic performance of students and the efforts made to address them hence it was selected
to participate in this study.

6.1.2.3.4 DATA COLLECTION TOOLS

The type of data collection tools that a researcher utilizes in a research has a profound
influence on the quality of data that will be gathered from the respondents. In view of that,
this study opted to use two major data collection instruments namely, Questionnaire and In-
depth Interviews. However, because of the nature of the subject under study and the
possibility of capturing part of the data in the natural setting, this study also employed
observation method. Below is a detailed description of the data collection tools that this study
made use of.

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i). Questionnaire

A questionnaire is a set of printed questions designed to collect information about a particular

topic from the respondents. The main data collection instrument of this research was a self-
administered questionnaire particularly for the students. This tool was appropriate because
the study dealt with a literate sample and that in a busy environment like UNZA, students
were allowed to answer questions at the time when they were free and asked the researcher
on questions they did not understand well upon collection of the questionnaire. It also
consisted of standardized questions making it easier to conduct the research. The
questionnaire consisted of closed ended questions and open ended questions. The closed
ended questions were mostly used on getting background information from the respondents.
This was thought to make analysis much easier and also help the respondents to answer
questions within the direction of the research. The open ended questions on the other hand
allowed the respondents to express themselves freely and these were especially important in
that, they gave chance to respondents to express their opinions.

ii). In-depth Interviews

In-depth interview is a one-to-one dialogue between two people where one asks questions
(researcher) and the other provides answers (key informant) to the questions. In-depth
interviews lays a platform for an intercourse between the researcher and the respondent and
has an advantage over a questionnaire in that, explanations can be made by the researcher in
the event where the respondent is not clear with what is being asked about hence making it
possible to obtain more accurate information.

Unlike other data collection tools like a questionnaire, in-depth interviews gives an
opportunity to the researcher to probe further depending on the participant’s responses to the
questions. It is for these reasons that this study adopted in-depth interviews and it was used
specifically for the key informants who are the management personnel.

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To achieve that, an interview guide was formulated which contained all the necessary
questions about efforts made by UNZA management to address factors that affect students’
academic performance at UNZA main campus. The interview with management personnel
was exhaustive, elaborative and interesting to the researcher.

iii). Participant observation

Participant observation was a commonly used data collection tool especially by sociologists
in the field of anthropology where people’s culture had to be studied by observing a wide
range of activities in their natural setting. Even today, participant observation is becoming
increasingly appreciated by most researchers because the researcher engages in observing
events as they occur in the natural setting. In light of the above, this study equally adopted
participant observation which was used for students only, where the researcher observed
various events that adversely affect students’ academic wellbeing. Out of a numerous
activities that students engage in at the main campus, the researcher’s role was to observe
considerately to see which activities were more likely to affect students’ academic
performance in relation to what students talked about. As per expectation, this yielded
efficient results because the research site is where the researcher also resides. However, more
care was taken into consideration by the researcher that ensured that observed events were
not subjectively concluded as affecting the academic performance of students.

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 6.2 DATA ANALYSIS

Data analysis can be defined as the process of organizing and examining the information
gathered from the field in order to interpret or explain what it means and make sense out of it.
The data collected from the field is raw and has no meaning on its own. Therefore, the
essence of data analysis is to help the researcher interpret the gathered information and decide
whether or not his objectives were met/ achieved. In this case, the data that was obtained
from the field underwent an analysis.

This data was composed of a few quantitative data especially the one obtained from
background information but a large sum of it was qualitative because this work entirely
aimed at obtaining free expressions and opinions from respondents about factors that affect
their academic performance. The completed questionnaires were checked for consistency,
accuracy and completeness. Data from in-depth interviews and observations was as well
counterchecked and cleaned for accuracy.

Suffice to also state that, the analysis of the gathered data was done manually with the help of
tables, graphs and other basic statistical tools. Data obtained using questionnaires with open
ended questions was the first one to be analyzed. To achieve this, the researcher went through
each and every response and the job of the researcher was to pick up similar responses and
grouped them in one category and those that were not similar were also grouped in their own
particular categories. This process is known as thematic analysis of data.

Having done that, the researcher also analyzed the data obtained from in-depth interviews.
The analysis was done by grouping similar responses together with respect to the objectives
of the research. Similarly, data obtained by participant observation was also categorized in its
respective themes and then analyzed. Since most of this work is qualitative in nature, analysis
of the data was essentially in form of narratives.

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Quantitative analysis was only used where the data collection tools aimed at capturing
demographic characteristics such as age, sex and marital status in the background section and
here inferential statistics was used while being supported by narratives in order to add
meaning to the information.

7.0 RESEARCH ETHICS

Research ethics are a very important component of any modern research. However, most
researchers fail to adhere to all research ethics and eventually end up violating the rights of
respondents. In most cases, where the rights of respondents are violated, the results obtained
from such a research are also likely to be biased. Participants ought to be informed about the
purpose of the research and the importance of their participation must be communicated in
the process called informed consent. Respondents must be free to withdraw from
participating at any time because if they are forced, they will end up providing wrong
information which may bias the findings of the research. Besides that, respondents’
confidentiality must be guaranteed. Nothing that identifies a respondent should be put on the
questionnaire or any data collection tool and the results ought not to identify any respondent
as being part of the study.

In light of the above, this study ensured that research ethics were duly put into consideration,
enhanced and acknowledged. No respondent was forced to participate in this research.
Participation was at their personal discretion. The researcher used informed consent on all
participants by ensuring that, the motive of the study was communicated to them and how the
results would benefit their well-being at campus. This was done so that accurate information
was to be obtained that was going to be a true reflection of what really is obtaining on the
ground. More so, confidentiality was maintained and reinforced throughout the research
process; from data collection, analysis up to the publication of the findings. This study also
ensured that no harm or any form of malicious act deemed to endanger participants
(physically or psychologically) was set forth. In doing so, the study yielded first hand and
genuine data prevailing on the ground.

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8.0 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This report encountered the following limitations which affected it smooth running in one
way or another;

Firstly, UNZA management personnel frequently postponed interviews due to their busy
schedules and laborious meetings. Furthermore, in addition to an introductory letter from the
course lecturer, the researcher was made to apply in own handwriting in order to have
interviews with some key informants. This did not only delay data collection and report
rewriting but also consumed much of the apple time programmed for other activities for the
research.

Secondly, some respondents were very un co-operative in attempting to fill-in the

questionnaires. The researcher had to spend time tracing them and sometimes they were not
found in their rooms.

Thirdly, the sponsors for this research delayed funding the project and the researcher has to
solicit for some funds somewhere in order to match with time. This made it very difficult to
adhere to the time plan which in turn resulted in untimely carrying out of some activities.
Fourthly, the proposal was received very late. This made the researcher to start rationing time
for the research project.

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9.0 RESEARCH FINDINGS

SECTION A:

9.1 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SAMPLE

9.1.1 Target Group A: UNZA Students

9.1.1.1 Age
Table 2.

Age Range Frequency (Freq.)

Males % Females %
Less than 20 0 0 1 5
20-25 16 80 15 75
26-30 1 5 2 10
31-35 1 5 1 5
35 and above 2 10 1 5
Total 20 100 20 100
Source: Field Data, 2013

From table1 above the age composition of this study was that, 5% of the sampled females
were below the age of 20 years. There were no males (0%) who were below the 20 years of
age. Meanwhile, 80% of males were aged from 20 to 25 while their female counter parts
within the same range were 75%. However, those that are between 26 to 30 years of age were
5% and 10% for males and females respectively. Meanwhile, an equal figure of 5% and 5%
for males and females respectively fell within the age range of 31 to 35. For those that were
35 years of age and above were 10% for males and 5% for females in that order. This means
that, the largest age composition for this study was between 26 to 30 years for both sexes.

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 9.1.1.2 Marital Status

Figure 1

Males 5% Females
15%

Single Single
Married Married
85% 95%

Source: Field Data, 2013

From the figure above, 15% of the sampled male respondents were married while 85% of
them were single. Meanwhile, 5% of their female counter parts were married while 95% of
them were single. This means that, the majority of the respondents used in the study were
single.

9.1.1.3 Denomination
Table 3

Item Freg
Males % Females %
Roman Catholic 6 30 5 25
Pentecostal Churches 11 55 5 25
SDA 1 5 8 40
NAC 2 10 2 10
Total 20 100 20 100
Source Field Data, 2013

According to table 2 above, 30% of the sampled male respondents were Roman Catholic
while 25% of the females also were Roman Catholic.

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Meanwhile, 55% and 25% of males and females respectively belonged to Pentecostal
Churches. As for SDA, there was 5% and 8% of males and females respectively. However,
NAC had an equal frequency of 10% for both males and females. This means that, the
majority of the sampled respondents belonged to Pentecostal churches.

9.1.1.4 Sponsorship Status

Figure 2

18
16
14
12
10
Males
8
Females
6
4
2
0
GRZ SELF

Source: Field Data, 2013

From the figure above, 15 out of a sample of 20 males (representing 75%) are being
sponsored by GRZ while16 of out of a sample of 20 females (representing 80%) are equally
under GRZ sponsorship. Meanwhile 25% and 20% of males and females respectively said
they were on self-sponsorship. This implies that, the majority of the respondents who
participated in this study are on GZR sponsorship.

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 9.1.1.5 Program of Study

Table 4

Item Freq.
Males % Females %
BA 5 25 12 60
BAED 5 25 2 10
BSW 3 15 2 10
Bsc ED 2 10 1 5
BALIS 3 15 2 10
BEng 1 5 0 0
Bsc Ag 1 5 0 0
BMC 0 0 1 5
Total 20 100 20 100
Source: Field Data, 2013

Table 3 above shows that, 25% and 60% of male and females respectively were in Pursuing a
BA programme. On the other hand, 25% and 10% of males and females respectively said
they were pursuing BAED. Meanwhile, for those that were quotared in BSW, 15% were
males and 10% were females. For BALIS, 15% were males and 10% were females. As for
those who were in BEng, 5% were males and none (0%) were females. Meanwhile, 5% of the
male sample were Bsc Ag and 0% were females and finally none (0%) of males were BMC
but 5% were females. This suggest that, the majority of the respondents who participated in
this study are those pursing BA programme. This however was not, in any way, expected to
yield biased results because it was out of a random selection.

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 9.1.1.6. Year of Study

Figure 3

Males Females

15% 20%
1st 1st
40%
45% 2nd 2nd
20%
3rd 15% 3rd
4th 4th
20%
25%

Source: Field Data, 2013

From the figure above, 15% of the males were in the first year, 20% in second year, another
20% in third year and 45% in fourth year. On the female counterparts, 20% were in first year,
15% in second year, 25% in third year and 40% in their fourth year. From this data, this study
was mostly composed of fourth year students for both sexes. Since most BA programmes at
fourth, this may justify why the majority were pursuing a BA in the previous table.

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 9.1.2 Target Group B: UNZA Management Personnel (Key Informants)

Background Information

Table 5

Item Assistant Registrar DOSA Counseling

Center
Sex Male Male Male
Age 39 42 57
Occupation Assistant Registrar Admission Administrative Officer Senior Counselor
& Examinations
Work Over 3 years 17 years 17 years
Period
Source: Field Data, 2013

From the table above, 39, 42 and 57 were the ages of the Registrar, DOSA and Counseling
Center respectively. All of the key informants interviewed were males. The Assistant
Registrar has worked for UNZA for over 3 years while DOSA and Counseling Center
personnel have both worked for UNZA for a period of 17 years.

SECTION B:

9.2. THE MAIN FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF

STUDENTS AT UNZA MAIN CAMPUS.

9.2.1 Over Enrolment:

This study sought to find out whether over enrolment at UNZA main campus affect students’
academic performance. After an analysis of self administered questionnaire from the students
and interviews with UNZA management personnel, it was discovered that over enrolment
affects students’ academic performance at UNZA main campus. This was self-evident from
the results that were obtained from the field as follows;

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Over enrolment affect my academic performance

Table 6

Response Males Females

Freq % Freq %
Agree 16 80 12 60
Disagree 4 20 8 40
Total 20 100 20 100
Source: Field Data, 2013

The results above indicate that, the academic performance of 80% of male students are
affected by over enrolment at the main campus against 20% who disagreed. Meanwhile, 60%
of their female counterparts also agreed that their academic performance was being affected
by over enrolment as opposed to 40% who disagreed with the statement. From these findings,
it can be deduced that, the academic performance of the majority of UNZA students is being
affected by over enrolment.

However, when they were asked to justify how over enrolment affected their academic
performance, both males and female respondents gave the following reasons:

Over enrolment resulted in congestion in lectures theatres which made the learning
environment unconducive for learning. Meanwhile, others explained that, over enrolment
culminated in congestion in study rooms and the main library which resulted in having
limited spaces for studies hence weakening school performance. However, a large number of
them explained that, over enrolment made students always queue up against fewer social
facilities. The most common mentioned example was that, students queued up when utilizing
the bath room, toilets especially in the morning when preparing for classes. This made some
of them miss class or report late for class and studies by Devadoss and Foltz (1996), Durden
and Ellis (1995), Romer (1993), Park and Kerr (1990) and Schmidt (1993) all acknowledged
that, missing classes or reporting late had a profound adverse impact on students’ academic
performance.

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However, UNZA management personnel are aware about the problem of over enrolment and
its adverse impact on academic performance. The Assistant Registrar for the University was
quoted that, ‘…we have over enrolled, the infrastructure at the moment cannot accommodate
all the 13,000 students and the lectures are few’ (Field Interviews).

Agreeing with that, the researcher through participant observation also found that, students
were either standing in lecture theatres or seated on the floor especially for compulsory
courses like SS 241/242, EAP111/112, EAP 912 among others. The researcher head students
complain that the sitting arrangement had a profound adverse impact on their academic
progress. Meanwhile, through participant observation, the researcher also noted that, students
were queuing up in the morning for the use of bath rooms and toilets which made some
students miss or report late for class and perhaps find the lecture theatre congested with no
space for proper sitting.

Correspondingly, after having an in-depth intercourse with 3 UNZA management personnel,

they all acknowledged that over enrolment was one of the main factors that adversely
affected the general academic performance of students and their justification collided with
what the students explained. Therefore, according to the findings in a similar study by Diaz,
(2003) over enrolment at UNZA main campus qualifies to be classified under academic
causal factors to the adverse performance of students.

Notwithstanding that, it is imperative to mention that, the results of this study are not unique
in themselves because a similar study conducted by Bloom (2005) at the University of
Eduardo Mondlane showed that, due to over enrolment of students, their academic
performance was heavily affected such that, the dropout rate of student in 2006 for the whole
University was estimated to be within the range of 15-28%, the larger percentage being for
the earlier years. In 2006, only about 6% of the students completed their degrees in the
normal course duration compared to 17% in 2001.

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In a similar study conducted by Mohamedbhai (2008) at the University of Nairobi, at the
main Jomo Kenyetta memorial library, whose main objective was to find out the impact of
over enrolments of students on academic performance discovered that, the large number of
students than the University could accommodate had a profound influence on students’
academic performance thus agreeing with the findings of this study.

9.2.2 Inadequate Campus Accommodation

The findings of this study also showed that, inadequate campus accommodation was another
main factor that affected students’ academic progress. Sources of such information included
students themselves through self-administered questionnaires and through participant
observation. The responses of the respondents have been summarized as shown on the table
below:

Inadequate campus accommodation affects my academic performance.

Table 7

Response Males Females

Freq % Freq %
Agree 16 80 17 85
Disagree 4 20 3 15
Total 20 100 20 100

Males & Females

Figure 4 17,50%

Accomodated
Not Accommodated
82,50%

Source: Field Data, 2013.

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With reference to the table above, 80% of the male respondents agreed that inadequate
campus accommodation affect their academic performance. Similarly, 85% of their female
counterparts also agreed that inadequate campus accommodation affect their academic
performance. Therefore, in both instances, the percentage of people whose academic
performance is being affected due to lack of adequate campus accommodation outweigh the
percentage of those whose academic performance is not being affected by inadequate campus
accommodation. In essence, the number of people who are accommodated is smaller than the
number of people who are not accommodated. The pie chart below the table summarizes this
information.

Therefore, from the findings of this study, 33 respondents out of a total sample of 40 agreed
that inadequate campus accommodation affected their academic performance. This means
that, 82.5% of both males and female students suffered the challenge of accommodation
against 17.5% of those who disagreed.

In an interview with the Assistant Registrar for Admissions and Examinations, it was made
known that about 13,000 students are enrolled on full time at UNZA main campus and the
ideal situation is that, all these students were supposed to be accommodated by the
University. From the simple statics of this study, about 10, 725 (82.5% of 13,000) of the full
time students are not accommodated against 2, 275 (17.5% of 13,000) who are
accommodated.

Such a situation at the highest learning institution can offer a big challenge in the provision of
relevant higher education through teaching, research and community service according to the
mission of the University (The University of Zambia Web site: www.unza.zm).

However, when the students were asked to explain how inadequate campus accommodation
affected their academic performance, most of them explained that inadequate campus
accommodation resulted in poor time management for school work and other extra-curricular
activities and this affected their academic performance.

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Meanwhile, others explained that they were always submissive to the schedule, rules and
orders of the person ‘land lord’ who offered them temporal campus accommodation and this
impinged on their motivation for studies.

However, other respondents justified their responses by explaining that, inadequate campus
accommodation lead to the congestion in study rooms due to over squatting. Most students
cited the situation where there is an average of 4 students in a single bed space which ideally
should have been for one student. This implicitly meant that an entire room designed for 2
students was more likely to have 6 to 8 occupants. The respondents explained that this made
the rooms not only to have uncontrollable noise but also limited space for effective studying
and caused them to perform poorly in their school tests and assignments.

Meanwhile, other respondents explained that, the uncertainty about where one would stay the
following semester married with the economic cost of high squatter fees imposed a
psychological blow that disturbed their concentration on school work.

The study also discovered that, UNZA management personnel were fully aware about the
problem of inadequate campus accommodation and how it affects students’ academic
progress.

In an interview, the Assistant Registrar for the University was quoted that, “for students to
perform well, they should have good accommodation where they can prepare their work well
and have a good night rest for lectures the following day” (Field Interview).

However, this is not the case at UNZA campus. There are fewer bed spaces compared to the
population hence students are affected.

Meanwhile, the findings of this study are not unique because a similar study by Wooten,
(1998) whose objective was to find out how lack of campus accommodation influence school
performance showed that, restless and poor time management were prominent features that
affected students’ academic performance which this study has also discovered.

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 9.2.3 Peer Pressure

This study also sought to find if peer pressure is one of the factors that affect students’
academic performance. The data collected from self- administered questionnaires from the
respondents showed that peer pressure is not among the main factors that affect students’
academic performance at UNZA main campus for both males and females. The table below
summarizes the responses of the respondents;

Peer Pressure affects my academic performance

Table 8

Response Males Females

Freq % Freq %
Agree 5 25 3 15
Disagree 15 75 17 85
Total 20 100 20 100

Source: Field Data, 2013

From the table above, the total proportion of students whose performance is being affected by
peer pressure is only 20% for both males and females, that is to mean 8 out of a sample of 40
students as opposed to 32 out of 40 (which is equal to 80%) of those who disagreed that peer
pressure affects their academic performance. This means that, the majority of the students at
UNZA main campus are not being affected academically by peer pressure.

However, the minority (20%) of those that agreed explained that, peer pressure affects them
in the sense that, their friends entice them to follow their pattern of behavior such as outings,
romantic relationships, following up fashions, beer drinking which takes up much of their
time for studies and hence perform poorly academically and Diaz, (2003) calls this as a
personal causal factor.

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Nonetheless, results from an interview with UNZA counseling center showed that, peer
pressure was one of the most recorded instances that affected students’ academic
performance. The counselor cited examples of expensive life styles that resulted in over
spending and borrowing of monies, break up in love relationships and influence to drink beer.
These adversely affected students’ academic performance. However, information gathered
from students through open ended questionnaires indicated that the majority of students were
not being affected by peer pressure on the contrary and through participant observation, the
researcher was skeptical on the factor of ‘peer pressure’ to draw conclusions that it affected
students’ academic performance due to its subjective nature.

9.2.4 Poor Sanitation

The findings of this study also showed that poor sanitation facilities at UNZA main campus
was one of the factors that adversely affected the academic performance of students. This was
self evident after data collection from the sample of 40 randomly selected students where 28
out of 40 agreed that poor sanitation affected their academic performance as opposed to 12
who disagreed that poor sanitation facilities affected their academic performance. Using
simple statistics, 70% of the students at UNZA are academically affected by poor sanitation
facilities and 30% of them are not affected academically by the same factor.

This can be explicitly concluded that, the majority of students are being affected by poor
sanitation facilities hence their school performance is compromised. The table below helps
summarize the findings of this study;

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Poor sanitation facilities affect my academic performance

Table 9

Response Males Females

Freq % Freq %
Agree 14 70 14 70
Disagree 6 30 6 30
Total 20 100 20 100

Source: Field Data, 2013

When the respondents were asked to explain how poor sanitation facilities affected their
academic performance, the following were their explanations;

“Due to erratic water supply, we queue up in the morning when using the bath rooms and
toilets, eventually its either one misses class or reports late for class and this affects school
performance”, (Field Data, 2013). Where students attended classes without bathing, or
attempted to study without bathing or cooking due to sporadic water supply, most of them
lost concentration. So, water had to be sought and this took much of their time. They
explained.

Meanwhile, others explained that, there are always water leakages on the floor in the hostels
from the sewer pipes. This made the environment unconducive for studying. Others further
explained that, the toilets near lecture theatre are in a pathetic state for usage during classes
and this makes them move in search for cleaner toilets thus wasting apple time for learning.

It was also commonly mentioned that cleaners (UNZA maids) invariably left the place untidy
on weekends and the mixture of water and dirt left the hostels filthy for an effective study
atmosphere hence their concentration was compromised leading to weak grades.

Additionally, the researcher also acknowledged through participant observation that there
was poor sanitation facilities on campus. From what the researcher observed, there were
times when water supply would be cut off without any prior notice. The researcher observed
students panicking looking for water around campus in hostels that had water supply.

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In most cases they would shout in Bemba ‘ameshi…’ meaning ‘water’. Others would shout
“tunyekooo…” – an abusive expression of displeasure that meant that they want to answer the
call of nature (visit the toilet) but there is no water supply to flash the system.

In a more serious situation, the researcher witnessed the University Registrar in May 2013
coming to address students around 21:00hrs at the monk square (a gathering place for
students in the old residences). This was after a prolonged water disruption that took almost a
day without any prior notice. It was observed that students were heavily affected and did not
do much of school related tasks hence the possibility of performing poorly in their labs, tests
and assignments. According to Diaz, (2003) such a factor is an academic causal factor.

9.2.5 Congestion in Lecture Theatres

Congestion in lecture theatres was another main factor that this study found to be affecting
students’ academic performance at UNZA main campus. Out of a randomly selected sample
of 40 students who were asked to agree or disagree if congestion in lecture theaters affected
their academic performance, 35 of them agreed and only 5 disagreed. Using simple statistics,
this is 87.5% and 12.5% respectively.

This means that, the academic performance of the majority (87.5%) of students is affected by
congestion in lecture theatres as opposed to the minority (12.5%) of those not affected. The
table below summarizes the responses of students from the study;

Congestion in Lecture Theatres affects my academic performance

Table 10

Response Males Females

Freq % Freq %
Agree 17 85 18 90
Disagree 3 15 2 10
Total 20 100 20 100

Source: Field Data, 2013

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The results on the table above further indicate that, 85% of male students are affected
academically by congestion in lecture theatres. Likewise, 90% of their female counterparts
are equally affected academically by congestion in lecture theaters. This means that,
congestion in lecture theatres has a profound influence on the academic performance of most
students at the main campus.

However, when they were asked to explain how congestion in lecture theaters affected their
academic performance, most of them made clear that, there were fewer seats in the lecture
theatres and because of over enrolment, the available seats could not accommodate everyone.
This made them to either stand or seat on the floor thus impinging on their ability to take
notes and pay attention to the lecturer. Most of them also added that, “taking notes while
standing or seated on the floor or fractured seat invariably resulted in having disorganized
notes which were difficult to follow when studying hence affecting their academic
performance”.

Meanwhile, others were quoted explaining that, “some classes require going there 30 minutes
before the lecture hour to secure a seat…this apple time should have been spend on studies”.
Others further explained that, “congestion in lecture theatres has weakened lecturer-student
interaction in class. It is difficult to interact with a lecturer in a congested classroom and this
has affected school performance”.

Through participant observation, the researcher also noted that, most compulsory courses in
the school of education (EAP), school of humanities and social sciences (SS241/242) and the
school of natural sciences (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology for first years) were
too congested for an effective learning. Most a quarter of the class was found either standing
or seated on the floor.

Moreover, an in-depth interview with the 2 UNZA management personnel, the Dean of
Students and the Counseling Officer) also acknowledged that;

Page 41
“Congestion in lecture theaters was a challenge on students especially in the school of
education and school of humanities with a large number of students sharing courses across
schools…all with various health backgrounds”. This has a profound influence on their
listening and assimilation of knowledge and thus hindering their academic progress, (Field
Interview). In addition, a similar study by Diaz, (2003) categorizes this factor as an academic
causal factor.

However, these results are not the only one of its kind because in the literature review
section, a similar study was conducted by Principle (2005) at the Puerto Rico University to
find out the factors affecting students’ academic performance in the first accounting course
between public and private Universities in Puerto Rico and also to analyze the students’
perceptions on internal and external classroom factors that might influence their academic
performance in their first accounting course. The findings of the study also demonstrated
that, internal classroom factors positively influenced students’ academic performance in the
first accounting course in Puerto Rican public and private Universities.

9.2.6 Lack of Seriousness of Lecturers

A study conducted by Harb and El-Shaarawi (2006) whose aim was to find out the impact of
lecture delivery on students’ academic performance showed that, there was a good co-relation
between students’ academic performance and the instructor’s teaching style. Similarly, after
processing self-administered questionnaires from the respondents, this study also found that
the lack of seriousness of lecturers had a profound adverse impact on the academic
performance of students at the main campus.

Out of a randomly selected sample of 40 respondents, 27 representing 67.5% agreed that, the
lack of seriousness of lectures affected their academic performance. Meanwhile, 13
representing 32.5% of the respondents disagreed with the statement that lack of seriousness
of lecturers affected their academic performance.

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From this simple statistics, it can be deduced that, the majority of the respondents (67.5%)
attributed their weak academic performance to the lack of seriousness of lecturers as opposed
to the minority (32.5%) who disagreed. Below is a table that clear summarizes the
distribution of these findings according to sex;

Lack of seriousness of Lecturers affect my academic performance

Table 11

Response Males Females

Freq % Freq %
Agree 15 75 12 60
Disagree 5 25 8 40
Total 20 100 20 100

Source: Field Data, 2013

According to the table above, 75% of males and 60% of female respondents respectively
agreed that, lack of seriousness of lectures affected their academic performance.

However, when they were asked to explain how the lack of seriousness of lecturers affected
their academic performance, the majority give the following explanations:

“Some lecturers handling big classes do not read through each and every assignment…they
just give out any grade they think of…this makes us fail to learn from our previous mistakes
to build knowledge…” , (Field Data).

Meanwhile, other respondents explained that, “ Some lecturers often missed classes without
any prior notice and this wasted students’ time on waiting instead of studying and working on
their assignments”, (Field Data). Other respondents said, lecturers reported about 30 minutes
late for class especially morning classes due to traffic and this was a time cost for other
demanding school tasks.

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Additionally, it was further explained that, most lecturers delayed students’ Continuous
Assessment (CA) grades and made them enter examinations without knowing how they
performed in their CAs. Respondents’ were quoted that, “ delayment of our CAs made us
panic during preparations for examinations due to a higher degree of uncertainty on how one
performed and left us with no direction on how to handle exams”, (Field Data). Other further
added that, some lecturers only dictated notes in class without explaining them clearly and
this affected their academic performance. In view of that, these are the explanations of the
67.5% of the respondents who agreed that lack of seriousness of lecturers affected their
academic performance.

However, through participant observation, the researcher did not see how lack of seriousness
of lecturers affected students’ academic performance. Besides that, the data obtained from in-
depth interviews with UNZA management personnel did not reflect the lack of seriousness of
lecturers as one of the factors that affected students’ academic performance.

Generally, as things stand out, similar studies by Omrod (2008) reports that some students
seem to learn better when information is presented through words (verbal learners), whereas
others seem to learn better when it is presented in the form of pictures (visual learners). This
implies that individuals differ in regard to what mode of instruction or study is most effective
for them. Scholars, who promote the learning preferences approach to learning, agree that
effective instruction can only be undertaken if the learner’s learning preferences are
diagnosed and the instruction is tailored accordingly (Pashler, McDaniel, Rohrer and Bjork,
2008). This may explain why some students did not adopt the dictation mode of lecturing in
the case study of UNZA and might have attributed that to lack of seriousness of lecturers.
Therefore, it is important to consider variations in learning preferences by students so that the
delivery of lectures can improve the performance of all students.

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 9.2.7 Lack of up-to-date books in the Library

Books contain hidden knowledge of what other people have written on particular subjects.
Although knowledge does not depreciate, the world we are living in is too dynamic and
information easily becomes outdated. In view of that, this study discovered that, the lack of
up-to-date books in the University library has a profound influence on students’ academic
progress. In a sample of 40 randomly selected students, 31 of them representing 77.5%
agreed that their academic performance is being affected by the lack of up-to-date books in
the library as opposed to 9 of the respondents representing 22.5% who disagreed that lack of
up-to-date books affected their academic performance.

From these findings, it is clear that the majority of the students (77.5%) are being affected
academically due to the lack of up-to-date books in the library. The table below shows the
distribution of their responses to the question according sex;

Lack of up-to-date books affects my academic performance

Table 12

Response Males Females

Freq % Freq %
Agree 19 95 12 60
Disagree 1 5 8 40
Total 20 100 20 100

Source: Field Data, 2013

When students were asked to explain how the lack of up-to-date books affected their
academic performance, most of them explained that, “the most recommendable books by the
lecturers are not available in the library…using old books restricts our thinking to old things
and contributes to poor grades”, (Field Interview). Others said that, the old books in the
library make them lag behind the dynamic world in terms of knowledge hence affecting their
school performance.

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Notwithstanding that, others further cited the economic and time cost of using the internet to
search for up-to-date books (as prescribed in their course outlines) which also may not be
accessible due to weak internet connectivity. Meanwhile, some respondents explained that,
“due to lack of up-to-date books in the library, we fail to meet current academic demands
causing us to write substandard research materials hence leading to poor academic
performance”, (Field Data).

Through participant observation, the researcher visited the library and saw some students
especially on deck 14 moving from shelf to shelf pilling a batch of old books while
whispering hopelessly “I cannot find the book I am looking for…”. The short loan that keeps
a few recent books is always congested with most books lent out.

The researcher’s observation was that most books in the UNZA library were those published
in the 1940s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s unlike in other western Universities where books as recent as
a week old from the date of publication can still be found in the University library. This was
seen to hinder the academic progress of students.

Notwithstanding that, an in-depth interview with the 3 UNZA management personnel also
attested to the fact that, the current state of the library, with outdated books, restricts students’
ability to do their research effectively for perfect results and the Assistant Registrar
emphasized that, “the state of the library is one major factor that affect students’ academic
performance”, (Field Interview).

In view of that, Sternberg (1985; 1986:23) in his Theory of Intellectual Abilities states that,
three kinds of intellectual abilities exist, namely analytical, creative and practical abilities.
Sternberg (1997b:24) further argued that, the more we assess students based on a broader set
of abilities, the more racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse our achievers will
be. Therefore, this achievement may not be reached at UNZA with the lack of up-to-date
books that limits students’ analytical thinking, creative and practical abilities.

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 9.2.8 Students’ Riotous Demonstrations

This study also found that, students’ riotous demonstrations is among the factors that affect
their academic performance. In a randomly selected sample of 40 students, 23 of them agreed
that their academic performance was being affected by student demonstrations while 17 of
them disagreed with the statement. Statically, this was 57.5% and 42.5% respectively.
According to these findings, there are fewer students who are affected academically by
students’ riotous demonstrations. This can be due to the fact that, the demonstrations are
started by the student populace themselves hence the impact of those that are adversely
affected academically is just almost and slight above half of those that are not affected by the
same.

However, those that said their academic performance was being affected by students’ riotous
demonstrations explained that, more often than not, demonstrations disrupted their studies as
well as the University academic calendar. Others explained that, students’ riotous
demonstrations lead to premature closures that made them take more than the required
number of years to complete their studies.

Meanwhile, others were directly quoted in their explanations, “the whole campus becomes
too noisy for effective studies during riotous demonstrations and this affects academic
performance…”, (Field Data).

Through participant observations, the researcher noted that during students’ riotous
demonstrations, students spent much of their time at the monk square discussing issues and
making noise instead of studying. However, the researcher was very hesitant in drawing
conclusions that such riotous behaviours affected their academic performance especially that,
they were only demonstrating when there are some irregularities between them and the
institution or the government that affected their well being.

From the view point of the key informants, students’ riotous demonstrations were not
mentioned as one of the main factors that affected students’ academic performance at the
main campus perhaps for the reasons that the researcher outlined.

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The table below shows the distribution of students’ responses;

Students’ riotous demonstrations affect my academic performance

Table 13

Response Males Females

Freq % Freq %
Agree 14 70 9 45
Disagree 6 30 11 55
Total 20 100 20 100

Source: Field Data, 2013

Generally, the findings of this study were only to a lesser extent corresponding with the
findings of Diaz, (2003) about student riots being a serious personal causal factor to academic
performance of students in Universities and Colleges.

9.2.9 Motivational Facilities

Romer (1993) is one of the first few authors to explore the relationship between student
attendance and examination performance. In his widely cited paper, a number of factors have
contributed to declining class attendances around the world in the last 15 years. The major
reasons given by students for non-attendance include lack of motivation facilities. Newman-
Ford, Lloyd and Thomas, (2009) also acknowledged that, lack of motivation facilities
adversely influences students’ academic performance.

To the contrary, this study found that, the lack of motivation facilities does not affect the
academic performance of students at UNZA main campus. This was self-evident after data
collection from a randomly selected sample of 40 students where only 9 representing 22.5%
agreed that lack of motivational facilities affected their academic performance as opposed to
31 out of 40 respondents representing 77.5% of those who disagreed that the lack of
motivation facilities affected their academic performance.

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Furthermore, none of the UNZA management personnel mentioned the lack of motivation
facilities as one of the main factors that affected the academic performance of students at the
main campus. Neither did the researcher draw a conclusion, from participant observation, that
the lack of motivation facilities affected the academic performance of students.

Therefore, the overall interpretation of these results can be a two way thing. Its either there
are adequate motivational facilities at the main campus that motivates students to perform
well or indeed motivation as a variable has no impact on students academic performance.

9.2.10 Not Liking the Program of Study

Reid (1995) defines learning preference as a person’s “natural, habitual and preferred way” of
assimilating new information. Therefore, as reflected in the literature review section, most
studies that reviewed some of the factors that influence students’ academic performance
pointed out that, students’ various learning preferences has significant influences on their
academic performance. Harb and El-Shaarawi (2006) further stated that, a good match
between students’ learning preferences and course of study has been demonstrated to have
positive effect on student’s performance.

However, the findings of this study found that, not liking the programme of study was not the
main factor that affected students’ academic performance. In a randomly selected sample of
40 students, only 13 representing 32.5% agreed that not liking the programme of study
affected their academic performance as opposed to 27 respondents representing 67.5% of
those who disagreed with the statement that, not liking the programme of study affected their
academic performance. It follows therefore that, at UNZA main campus, the majority of
students’ academic performance is not being affected by not liking the programme of study.

However, in an in-depth interview with the UNZA counseling personnel, not liking the
programme of study was one of the factors mentioned as affecting students’ academic
performance perhaps this represented the 32.5% of those who agreed.

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Otherwise, neither the researcher nor the other 2 UNZA management personnel (the Assistant
Registrar Admissions and Examinations and the Dean of Students) acknowledged not liking
the program of study as one of the main factors that affect students’ academic performance.

9.2.11 Learning with the Opposite Sex

From the review of literature, a study by Borde (1998) found no evidence of academic
performance being influenced by gender. However, based on an analysis of close to two
million graduating students, Woodfied and Earl-Novell (2006) found that female students
outperformed male students and attributed this partly to female students being more
conscientious and thus less likely to miss lectures.

In the case study of UNZA main campus where self-administered questionnaires were given
to a randomly selected sample of 40 students, only 1 respondent representing 2.5% of the
sample agreed that learning with the opposite sex affected their academic performance.
Meanwhile, 39 respondents representing 97.5% of the total sample disagreed that learning
with the opposite sex did not affect their academic performance.

Data collected through participant observation by the researcher also showed that, learning
with the opposite sex had no adverse impact on students’ academic performance. Similarly,
data obtained from the 3 key informants (UNZA management personnel) was also silent on
the same factor.

In light of the above, it can be concluded that, the majority of students at UNZA main
campus are not, in any way, being affected academically by learning with the opposite sex
(co-education).

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 9.2.12 Sponsorship Status

Results from other studies reviewed in the literature on factors affecting students’ academic
performance in colleges and universities found that, family income, and parents’ level of
education contributed to poor performance of some students, (Zimmerman, Bandura, and
Martinez-Pons, 1992). The effect of family income and parents’ level of education on
academic performance is far from being unraveled without equivocation. Socioeconomic
status of students and their families show moderate to strong relationship with academic
performance but these relationships are contingent upon a number of factor such that it is
nearly impossible to predict academic performance using socioeconomic status (Sirin, 2005).

However, this study found that sponsorship status has no significant adverse impact on
students’ academic performance at UNZA main campus. The data was collected from a
randomly selected sample of 40 students and only 15 of them representing 37.5% of the total
sample agreed that their sponsorship status affected their academic performance. Meanwhile,
25 of the respondents representing 62.5% of the total sample disagreed that sponsorship
status did not affect their academic performance.

A few of those that agreed that their sponsorship status affected their academic performance
we quoted to have explained that, “always have worries about where to find school fees to
before end of registration psychologically disturbs my concentration when I am studying
hence affecting my academic performance”, (Field Data). Others further justified their
position by adding that, they invariably spend much of their school time raising the other fees
not met by the Government Bursaries Committee.

Meanwhile, others explained that, meal and books allowances from the government took long
to be credited into their accounts and this resulted in unnecessary borrowing from friends
which made them panic. Most of them further explained that, “the allowances are too little
and the expenses we incur on buying books, hand outs and other stationery are too high
hence academic performance becomes compromised”, ( Field Data).

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However, despite results showing a smaller percentage (37.5%) of those affected
academically by their sponsorship status, all the 3 UNZA management personnel interviewed
mentioned students’ low sponsorship status as one of the main factors that affected their
academic performance. In addition, the researcher through participant observation noted that,
students from low income families and who were only on 75% and not on 100% sponsorship
spearheaded monk square gatherings shouting ‘viva ba monk’ – an expression of mobilizing
each other for a demonstration especially when meal allowances delayed and registration
period was almost coming to an end. This was seen to have a psychological effect on
students’ studies and hence weakening school performance.

Other factors

When the respondents were asked if there were other factors that affected their academic
performance, 23 out of a sample of 40 representing 57.5% agreed of the total sample agreed
that there were other factors that affected their academic performance and the following were
commonly mentioned;

9.2.13 Weak security on campus:

“there is weak security at campus such that even street vendors are free to enter
campus…they also enter our hostels and library to steal our laptops containing huge school
data thus causing a psychological stress”, (Field Data). Others added that, let-in street
vendors disturb their studies in the rooms by knocking on the doors ‘tigulisako rape, ma
banana,….nchaba na milisi’. Further, women from the nearby compounds of Kalingalinga,
Kalundu and Garden have free entrance to students’ hostels and frequently knock on the
doors ‘kuli vo washa’ meaning is there anything to wash for a piece work. Most respondents
explained that this distracts their attention on studies and weaken their academic
performance.

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 9.2.14 Dress Code of Female Students

About 72% of the male respondents explained that, the dress code of their female
counterparts makes them lose concentration. They were quoted that, “most female students
dress half naked, with see-through garments and too short mini-skirts which are sexually
seducing and disturbing for men…as they pass through the library, we pause studying and
end up observing them for a lengthy of time with sexual admiration”, (Field Data).

9.2.15 Self-Catering

Most students explained that, cooking on their own in study rooms took much of their apple
time which should have been spent on studying and doing their assignments and labs hence
they perform poorly academically. They explained that, “while in class you are worried
about what to eat, buy food at the expense more demanding school work…this disturbs a
lot”, (Field Data).

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SECTION C:

9.3 SEX HIGHLY AFFECTED BY THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT ACADEMIC

PERFORMANCE OF STUDENT AT UNZA MAIN CAMPUS.

The results of this study show that, male and female students are affected differently by
different factors affecting students’ academic performance. This means that, the study did not
find a specific sex as being more vulnerable than the other to all the factors affecting
students’ academic performance. This further means that, there was a degree of convergence
and divergence in terms of how males and females were affected by the same factors. below
are the actual findings of this study;

9.3.1 Over Enrolment:

When the respondents were asked if over enrolment affected their academic performance, 16
out of 20 males agreed and 4 disagreed. This represented 80% and 20% of those that agreed
and disagreed respectively. The responses from their female counterparts were that, 12 out of
20 agreed and 8 out of 20 disagreed. This represented 60% and 40% of those that agreed and
disagreed respectively.

The main concern of this study was on those that agreed to be affected academically by over
enrolment. Therefore, 80% were males and 60% were females. This means that, male
students are more vulnerable to over enrolment as a factor that affects their academic
performance. Perhaps this can be attributed to the fact that, the University enrolls more males
than females.

9.3.2 Inadequate Campus Accommodation

When respondents were asked if inadequate campus accommodation affected their academic
performance, 16 males out of 20 agreed while 4 out of 20 males disagreed. This represented
80% of those that agreed and 20% of those that disagreed.

Page 54
Similarly, 17 out of 20 females agreed and 3 disagreed. This represented 85% of those that
agreed and 15% of those that disagreed respectively.

Since this study was more concerned about the sex which is highly vulnerable to the factor,
80% of males and 85% of female respondents suggest that, females (85%) are highly affected
by inadequate campus accommodation than males (80%). This can be attributed to the fact
that, females naturally like staying in a less congested environment than men.

9.3.3 Peer Pressure

The data collected from self-administered questionnaires shows that, out of 20 male
respondents only 5 agreed that peer pressure affects their academic performance. This
represented 25% of the sample. Meanwhile, out of a sample of 20 female respondents, only 3
agreed that peer pressure affects their academic performance representing 15% of the sample.
From these figures, male students are slightly more vulnerable to peer influence than female
students. This can be due to the fact that, male students like engaging much in beer drinking
and romantic relationships with their friends. However, as earlier discussed, peer pressure has
less negative impact on students’ academic performance according to the results of this study.

9.3.4 Poor Sanitation

This study discovered that poor sanitation facilities at UNZA main campus was one of the
factors that adversely affected the academic performance of both males and female students.
After data collection from the sample of 20 randomly selected male students, 14 of them
representing 70% of the sample, agreed that they were affected academically by poor
sanitation facilities at the campus. In another randomly selected sample of 20 female
students, 14 equally agreed that poor sanitation facilities affected their academic
performance. Therefore, for both males and females, this represented 70% from each sample.
This means that, both males and females are affected at the same level by poor sanitation
facilities.

Page 55
The reason for this can be that, the problem of poor sanitation is wide spread around campus
hence male and female alike experience the same degree of impact.

9.3.5 Congestion in Lecture Theatres

This study found that, 85% of the males were affected academically by congestion in Lecture
Theatres compared to 90% of their female counterparts. This means that, female students are
more vulnerable than male students to congestion in lecture theatres. This can be attributed to
the fact that, female students cannot stand for longer hours in class without their attention
being distracted. Table below summarizes their responses;

Congestion in lecture theatres affects my academic performance

Table 14

Response Males Females

Freq % Freq %
Agree 17 85 18 90
Disagree 3 15 2 10
Total 20 100 20 100

Source: Field Data, 2013

9.3.6 Lack of seriousness of lecturers

Out of a randomly selected sample of 20 male respondents, 15 representing 75% agreed that,
the lack of seriousness of lectures affected their academic performance. Another random
sample of 20 female respondents revealed that, 12 representing 60% of the respondents
agreed with the statement that lack of seriousness of lecturers affected their academic
performance. From this simple statistics, it can be deduced that, the majority of male
respondents (75%) are highly affected academically by lack of seriousness of lectures.

Page 56
 9.3.7 Lack of up-to-date books in the Library

Similarly, in a sample of 20 randomly selected male students, 19 of them representing 95%

agreed that their academic performance is being affected by the lack of up-to-date books in
the library. In another 20 randomly selected sample of female respondents, 12 of them
representing 60% of the sample equally agreed that the lack of up-to-date books in the library
affects their academic performance. Therefore, the Lack of up-to-date books in the Library
affects the academic performance of more male students (95%) than it does on female
students. This can be attributed to the fact that male students are usually on the fore front
when looking for data for assignments and their female counterparts are more likely to be on
the recipient side ( waiting for answers).

9.3.8 Students’ Riotous Demonstrations

In a randomly selected sample of 20 male students, 14 of them agreed that their academic
performance was being affected by student demonstrations. This represented 70% of the
sample. Using the same method, only 9 out of 20 female students agreed to be affected
academically by students’ riotous demonstrations. This represented 45% of the sample.
Therefore, males are more vulnerable to this factor hence it affects their academic
performance. This can be due to the fact that, the demonstrations are usually spearheaded by
male students who also go on the war front hence the impact of those that are adversely
affected academically becomes high unlike female students who may either sit back or only
demonstrate in the background.

9.3.9 Lack of Motivational Facilities

This study found that, 20% of male students agreed that lack of motivational facilities affects
their academic performance as opposed to 80% who disagreed. On the side of female
students, 25% agreed that lack of motivational facilities affects their academic performance
as opposed to 75% of them who disagreed. Although this study found that, the lack of
motivation facilities does not to a larger extent affect the academic performance of students at
UNZA main campus, female students were more vulnerable to this factor.

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 9.3.10 Not Liking the Program of Study

Similarly, this study found that, not liking the programme of study was not the main factor
that affected students’ academic performance. Nonetheless, when students were asked, 40%
of males agreed that not liking the program of study affected their academic performance as
opposed to 60% of those that disagreed. Meanwhile, on the female side, 25% agreed that their
academic performance was being affected by not liking the program of study as opposed to
75% of those who disagreed. Using this data, the majority of male students’ academic
performance is being affected by not liking the programme of study thus male students are
more vulnerable to this factor than their female counter parts.

9.3.11 Learning with the Opposite Sex

Out of a random sample of 20 male respondents, only 1 representing 5% of the sample agreed
that learning with the opposite sex affected their academic performance. Using the same
method, none of the female respondents (0/20) agreed that learning with the opposed sex
affected their academic performance. This means that, a few male students are vulnerable to
this factor than their female counterparts. As explained by the respondents who agreed, this
can be due to the fact that, some male students easily get carried away sexually when seated
next to a female student.

9.3.12 Sponsorship Status

According to the results of this study, 45% of the male students agreed that sponsorship status
affects their academic performance as opposed to 55% who disagreed. On the side of
females, 30% of the agreed that their sponsorship status affects their academic performance
as opposed to 70% of them who disagreed. This means that, male students (45%) are more
vulnerable to this factor than their female counterparts (30%). This can be attributed to the
fact that, the proportion of male students on GRZ sponsorship is smaller (75%) than that of
their female counterparts on GRZ (80%).

Page 58
Other factors

This study discovered that, 68% of males and females are vulnerable to weak security on
campus and 92.6% of both males and females are vulnerable to self-catering. However,
79.1% of males are exclusively vulnerable to the Dress Code of female students as a factor
affecting students’ academic performance.

SECTION D:

9.4 HOW UNZA MANAGEMENT HAS HELPED TO ADDRESS FACTORS

THAT AFFECT STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AT UNZA MAIN
CAMPUS

Diaz (2003) recommends that, institutional causal factors to the academic performance of
students in Colleges and Universities ought to be addressed with urgency and exigency to
reduce dropout rates and substandard performance. In light of that, the data collected from
the key informants through in-depth interviews showed that, UNZA management was very
much aware about the factors that affect students’ academic performance at the main campus
and the management has been making tireless efforts to address them. The following are the
ways in which the management has helped to address factors that affect students’ academic
performance;

9.4.1 Over enrolment:

This study found that 70% of students were being affected academically by over enrolment.
In an in-depth interview with UNZA management personnel, it was revealed that, the
management is aware about the over enrolment but is not doing anything to reduce over
enrolment because there is increasing demand for tertiary education in Zambia. The increased
release of qualified pupils from secondary schools has imposed stiff competition for tertiary
education and the government has a statutory mandate to offer tertiary education through the
highest learning institution (UNZA) hence over enrolment has been difficult to solve.

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The only remedy has been increasing the cut- off point for admission. However, it was
mentioned that, infrastructural development has embarked for expansion to meet the rising
demand.

9.4.2 Inadequate Campus Accommodation and Congestion in

Lecture Theatres

This study found that, 82.5% of both males and female students suffered the challenge of
accommodation against 17.5% of those who did not.

However, in an in-depth interview with the Assistant Registrar Admissions and

Examinations, it was mentioned that, the construction of the new hostels such as Mwanawasa
Hostels was intended to increase the number of bed spaces to accommodate more students.
After realizing that the problem still insisted, the Assistant Registrar further stated: “under
public private partnership (PPP) the University has started building hostels for
students…lecture theatres will also be built to accommodate big numbers of students” (Field
Interview).

The Dean of Students further explained in an interview that, “we have leased party of the
University land to private business firms to build hotels, guest houses and shopping malls.
They will use the buildings for a period of 20 years and then the buildings will be
surrendered to us. Those hotels and shopping malls will become study rooms and lecture
theatres. Some will be used as accommodate big numbers of students…”,” (Field Interview).

It was further stated that, the management embarked on the administrative measure of
encourage large classes to be split into two or more streams to reduce on congestion in lecture
theatres and since then, this solution has proved to work out well.

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 9.4.3 Peer Pressure and Lack of Motivational Facilities

All the 3 management personnel interviewed mentioned that, the UNZA counseling center
was established to offer counseling services to students undergoing various academic or
psychological stress. It further offers academic/career guidance to students who need
direction. “The University has employed well qualified professional counselors to help
depressed students regain momentum and to motivate those passing through peer pressure”,
(Dean of Students). a further interview with UNZA counseling center revealed that, “as a
counselors who understand the social and psychological wellbeing of students, we usually
recommend them for make-up tests to their respective Deans and lecturers and the extension
of the registration period on psychosocial grounds…”, (Counselor).

It was further mentioned in an interview that, the student center was another facility that the
University put in place to offer recreational facilities to students.

9.4.4 Poor Sanitation

“The recent rehabilitation which took place towards the end of last year was intended to
revamp the problem of poor sanitation facilities at the campus and it was successful. New
pipes were installed to replace the old ones and since then, the situation is much better than it
was”, (Field Interview, DOSA). However, despite these efforts, basic statistics from this
study showed that, 70% of the students at UNZA are academically affected by poor sanitation
facilities against 30% of them that are not affected academically by the same factor. This can
be explicitly concluded that, the majority of students are being affected by poor sanitation
facilities hence their school performance is compromised.

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 9.4.5 Lack of Seriousness of Lecturers

This study found that, 67.5% of the total respondents interviewed agreed that the lack of
seriousness of lectures affected their academic performance. 75% of them were males and
60% of them were female respondents respectively. On the contrary, an in-depth interview
with the Assistant Registrar Admissions and Examinations to provide evidence for the
effectiveness of their efforts to address factors that affect students, it was explained that,
“lecturers are always there to teach the students….we have recruited a number of lecturers
and tutors in some fields to assist the students in the learning process…”, (Field Interview).

9.4.6 Lack of up-to-date Books in the Library

This study further revealed that, about 77.5% of the respondents are being affected
academically due to the lack of up-to-date books in the library. 95% of these are males while
60% of them are their female counterparts. However, an Interview with the Assistant
Registrar Admissions and Examinations indicated that, “the library has improved in the
sense that there is internet connection to allow students research online. There is also a
repository of books and journals on one website”, (Field Interview). This is one way in
which UNZA management has helped to solve the problem of lack of up-to-date books in the
library so that students can browse updated books.

However, the fact that the majority are affected by this factors, one of the reasons could be
that the number of students is too big to satisfy the demand of using the internet and the
repository of books and journals being talked about.

9.4.7 Students’ Riotous Demonstrations

Nothing was mentioned by UNZA management personnel to address the problem of students’
riotous demonstrations because students engaged in it themselves.

If it affected their academic performance, it was out of their decision to engage in it. The
researcher classified this factor as a personal (student) causal factor according to Diaz (2003).

Page 62
 9.4.8 Sponsorship status

The data collected from a randomly selected sample of 40 students showed that, 37.5% of the
total sample agreed that their sponsorship status affected their academic performance against
62.5% who disagreed. In addressing this factor, an interview with the UNZA counseling
centre stated that, “the counseling center has been recommending some students for upgrade
of bursary status to the Bursaries Committee on psychosocial grounds and most of our
recommendations have been approved. We have also been recommending some students for
sponsorship from the external corporate world and charitable organizations like FAWEZA,
since them, a number of students have been approved for sponsorship”, (Field Interview).

This explains why only a minority (37.5%) of the sample agreed to be affected academically
by their sponsorship status. This further may account for the reason why the majority (77.5%)
of the sampled respondents are on GZR sponsorship compared to 22.5% of those on self
sponsorship.

For the other factors that have not been mentioned in this section, the researcher did not find
any administrative measures that were put forth by UNZA management to address them.
However, apart from weak campus security, self-catering and female dress code which
affected the majority of the students, most of these factors with no administrative measures
are those that did only affect the minority of the students.

Page 63
10.0 RECOMMENDATIONS

The recommendations of this report are a threefold: policy, practice and further research as
follows;

Policy: the University management must re-consider that, implementing the statutory
University policy by enrolling more students than the available infrastructure can handle will
not only result in producing graduates that are half-baked but also substandard in relation to
the international standards. If they see the need for the implementation of the University
policy, then they should start first expanding the infrastructure especially that we have plenty
of land around campus for infrastructural development. It does not make sense to admit
13,000 students on full-time with limited study rooms and lecture theatres on the basis of
effecting government University policy. The main factors that are affecting students’
academic performance are as a result of over enrolment which is as a result of
implementation of the university policy. It is pertinent to also think of policies that will
promote expansion of the University at the same time.

The researcher further recommends the formulation of administrative policies on the dress
code of female students especially that they wear sexually seducing garments that
academically disturbs 79.1% of male students (which in my opinion may also disturb some
lecturers). This can be done by prohibiting wearing see-through (transparent) materials and
mini-skirts- a policy which is already being upheld at David Livingstone College of
Education.

Page 64
Practice: the recommendation of this report on the aspect of practice is based on the theory
of mental self-Government that this study adopted, practically tested and approved with
reference to the findings of this study. According to this theory, the learning and thinking
styles of students at campus can either be reinforced leading to excellent academic
performance or hindered leading to poor academic performance.

This is heavily contingent upon the availability and provision of a number of essential
facilities inclusive of but not restricted to good study materials, accommodation, conducive
learning environment (lecture theatres) and good water and sanitation facilities. These being
available and in provision, students’ potential abilities of being analytical, creative and
practical as described in triarchic theory also become reinforced, (Sternberg, 1997).
Consequently, UNZA will not only reduce on factors affecting students’ academic
performance but also produce quality intellectuals that satisfies its long term objectives, ‘To
be a Provider of World Class Services in Higher Education and Knowledge Generation,
(www.unza.zm).

Further research: the researcher recommends that future research on factors affecting
students’ academic performance at UNZA main campus should employ longitudinal studies
in order to find out if there are variations in the factors that affect students’ academic
performance at UNZA main campus with passage of time. In essence, this will help in
establishing facts if these findings for this study accrue only to a semester that this study was
undertaken or will also accrue to other semesters/ terms yet to come.

Additionally, after establishing the actual size of full-time students (13,000), further research
should be based on the sample size larger than the one that this study employed so that the
findings will be more representative of the entire University populace for a sound
generalization.

Page 65
11.0 CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this study intended to find out three specific things: the main factors that affect
the academic performance of students at UNZA main campus; the sex which is highly
vulnerable to the factors that affect academic performance of student at UNZA main campus
and what UNZA management has done to address the factors that affect the academic
performance of students at UNZA Main Campus.

Among the main factors that affect the academic performance of students at the main campus
as revealed by this study include over enrolment which affects 70% of students, inadequate
campus accommodation affecting 82.5% of students, poor sanitation facilities affecting 70%
of students, congestion in lecture theatres affecting 87.5% of students, lack of up-to-date
books in the library affecting 77.5% of students, seductive dress code of female students
affecting 72% of males students and self-catering which affects 92.6% of students.

On the other hand this study has also revealed the sex which is highly affected by each of
these main factors as follows; over enrolment affects more males (80%) than females (60%),
inadequate campus accommodation affects more female students (85%) than male students
(80%), poor sanitation facilities affects both sexes (70%), congestion in lecture theatres
affects more females (90%) than males (85%), lack of up-to-date books in the library affects
more males (95%) than females , seductive dress code of female students affects males only
(72%) and self-catering affects both sexes by 92.6%.

However, the report has also shown the efforts made by UNZA management to address these
factors and these include the following; constructing more hostels by engaging private sectors
to address the problem of accommodation, recent rehabilitation of the University to improve
on sanitation, dividing larger classes into streams to reduce on congestion in lecture theatres,
provision of internet facilities and repository of books on the university website to address the
problem of outdated books in the library.

Page 66
Therefore, with all these findings, this study achieved all its three objectives which it
outlined. A theory that was adopted has been tested and applied and hence this research was a
success.

Page 67
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13.0 BACK MATTER (APPENDICES)

APPENIX 1:
TARGET GROUP A QUESTIONNAIRE: STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITY OF
ZAMBIA (UNZA) MAIN CAMPUS.

TOPIC: Factors Affecting Students’ Academic Performance: A case study of UNZA Main
Campus.

Dear Respondent,
I am a fourth (4th) year student in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences conducting a
research on the topic mentioned above. You have been selected to be among the respondents.
Please endeavour to answer the questions with utmost sincerity because the quality of your
responses will determine the quality of this research. I assure you that, all the information you
will provide will be treated with maximum confidentiality. The research is being conducted
purely for academic purposes.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Please, answer each question by ticking (˅) or filling in the spaces provided.
3. Kindly explain where your explanation is needed.
4. Do NOT indicate anything that will identify you, (e.g. name, or signature).

Thanking you in anticipation of your co-operation.

Yours faithfully,

Researcher

Date: ------------------------ Time of Interview: ------------------------

SECTION A: General Information

1. Sex------------------------2. Age at your last birthday-------------------------------

3. Marital status------------4. Denomination--------------------------------------------
5. Sponsor-------------------6. Programme of study---------------------7. Year of study-------

SECTION B: Factors Affecting your Academic Performance

Show whether you Agree or Disagree to the following statements.
8. Over enrolment of students at campus affects my academic performance: ---------------------

If you agree, explain how ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------9. Inadequate campus accommodation affects my academic performance: ---------
----------

If you agree, briefly explain how ------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------10. Peer Pressure affects my academic performance:--------------------------
If you agree, explain how----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
11. Poor sanitation facilities affect my academic performance: -----------------------------------
If you agree, explain how----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1
12. Congestion in Lecture Theatres affects my academic performance: ---------------------------
If you agree, briefly explain how-------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------

13. Lack of Seriousness of Lecturers affects my academic performance:--------------------------

If you agree, briefly explain how-------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
14. Lack of up-to-date books in the Library affects my academic performance: ----------------
If you agree, briefly explain how-------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
15. Students’ riotous demonstration affects my academic performance:---------------------------
If you agree, briefly explain how-------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
16. Lack of motivation facilities affects my academic performance: -------------------------------
If you agree, explain how,---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------

2
17. Not liking the programme of study affects my academic performance: -----------------------
If you agree, explain how----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
18. Learning with the opposite sex affects my academic performance: ----------------------------
If you agree, explain how----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
19. My sponsorship status affect my school performance:------------------------------------------
If you agree, briefly explain how this affects you------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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-----------------------------

20. Are there other factors that affect your academic performance? YES NO
21. If YES, what are they?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3
22. Briefly explain how UNZA management has helped to address factors that affect your
academic performance?------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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------------------------------------------------
23. Are you satisfied with what has been done to address the factors that affect your academic
performance? YES NO If NO, explain why-------------------------- -----------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4
24. In your opinion, what should be done to address the factors that affect your academic
performance? (list each factor and suggest a measure) ----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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THE END.

THANK YOU. End Time……………..

5
APPENDIX 11:

TARGET GROUP B INTERVIEW GUIDE: UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA (UNZA)

MAIN CAMPUS MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL

TOPIC: Factors Affecting Students’ Academic Performance: A case study of UNZA Main
Campus.

Date: ------------------------ Time of Interview: -----------------------

Introduction and Background Information
1. Introduction
2. Sex ( observed by researcher)
3. Age at last birth day
4. Occupation
5. How long have you been working for UNZA

Factors Affecting Students’ Academic Performance

6. What is the current total population of full time students on Campus?

7. Is this number the normal load required at this institution?
8. If no, give reasons why
Note: Probe further depending on response
9. What determines students general academic performance at main campus?
10. Are there adequate facilities to carter for all the needs of students at the main campus?
11. If No, briefly explain why.
Note: Probe further depending on response
12. In your view, what are the main factors that affect students’ academic performance?
13. Which sex is highly affected by the factors that affect students’ academic
performance?
14. Briefly give reasons for your answer.

Efforts made to address the impacts of factors that affect academic performance of
students

15. What administrative measures have you taken to address the main factors that affect
students’ academic performance at the main campus.
Note: Probe further depending on response.

16. Have these efforts benefited students?

17. If No to question 16, what other alternatives has the Management made to provide a
lasting solution to these problems?

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 18. If Yes to question 16, what evidence can you provide for the effectiveness of your
efforts to address the factors that affect students’ academic performance at UNZA
Main Campus?
Note: Probe further depending on response

THE END.

Interview ended at:…………………………….

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APPENDIX 3:

WORK PLAN
ACTIVITY WORK DESCRIPTION TIME
This entails consultations of secondary data sources on 14/07/2012
LITERATURE the topic under investigation. It involved reviewing past To
REVIEW research and any information pertaining to the issue at 01/08/2012
hand. It included books, journals and all written
literature on the topics of discussion. This activity was
allocated a time frame of two weeks.

PROPOSAL This activity involved organization of all the information 01/08/2012

WRITING and writing it in a logical and coherent order. When this To
was accomplished, it was typed, printed and presented to
the lecturer for corrections. This activity took a period of 30/11/2012
about six weeks.
PREPARATION This activity involved typing, editing and printing of the 14/06/2013
OF RESEARCH data collection instruments (i.e. questionnaires). This To
INSTRUMENTS activity was allocated a maximum of one week to allow 21/06/2013
the researcher flawless and accurate instruments.
PRIMARY This involved distribution of self administered 21/06/2013
DATA questionnaire to the target sample and in-depth To
COLLECTION interviews. This took about three weeks and was 14/07/2013
contingent upon the availability of respondents as well as
the flexibility of the researcher’s schedule.
DATA This activity involved studying and manually coding data 21/07/2013
ANALYSIS derived from the questionnaire and interview guide. To
AND DRAFT Thereafter compiled and presented accordingly in the 14/08/2013
WRITING draft report. This activity took two to three weeks.

PREPARATION This involved editing, printing and binding of the final 21/08/2013
OF FINAL report that was submitted to the lecturer. This took a To
REPORT period of two weeks. 06/09/2013

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 APPENDIX 4:

BUDGET

Literature Review
Internet fees for two weeks charged at K200 per minute………………………. K50.00
Lunch at K10,000 per day x 10 days…………………………………………… K100.00
Subtotal ………………………………………………………………… K150.00

Stationary
1 ream of paper ………………………………………………………………… K30.00
Typing and printing questionnaire at K3,000 per page x 5 pages …………….. K15.00
Photocopying 40 copies of the questionnaire at K200 per page ………………. K40.00
3 Pens at K1,000 each …………………………………………………………. K1.00
2 Pencils at K500 each ………………………………………………………… K1.00
1 Note-books at K6,500 ……………………………………………………….. K6.50
Subtotal ………………………………………………………………… K88.50

Primary Data Collection

Lunch at K10,000 per day x 30 days …………………………………………… K300.00

Data Analysis and Report Writing and Presentation

Typing and printing of 85 pages of the report at K3 per page ……………….. K255.00
Photo copying the report at 250n per page x 85 pages ………………………… K21. 250
Binding two copies of the research at K12 each …………………………… K24.00
Subtotal ………………………………………………………………… K300.25
GRAND TOTAL……………………………………………………….. K839.00

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APPENDIX 5

PICTURE GARRARY
Hostels being constructed on land that UNZA has leased to Private firms

, “we have leased party of the University land to private business firms to build hotels,
guest houses and shopping malls. They will use the buildings for a period of 20 years and
then the buildings will be surrendered to us. Those hotels and shopping malls will
become study rooms and lecture theatres. Some will be used to accommodate big
numbers of students…”DOSA

THE END!

TO GOD BE THE GLORY….

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