Antecedent Factors Affecting Academic Performance of Graduate Students at the Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of a Master’s level thesis work that was done in 1997 to assess the antecedent factors affecting the academic performance of graduate students at the Nairobi Evangelical School of Theology (N.E.G.S.T.), which is currently Africa International University (AIU). The paper reviews the effect of lack of finance on academic performance; the effect of age on academic performance; the effect of language proficiency on academic performance; the effect of family responsibilities on academic performance; the effect of academic aspirations on academic performance; and the effect of student-faculty interactions on academic performance. The study targeted twenty-seven graduate students at the seminary. These respondents were sampled purposively. Data were collected through the use of a semi-structured questionnaire. The items in the questionnaire were developed using a five-point Likert scale. Open ended questions were coded and analyzed thematically. A Chi square correlation analysis was computed to establish the relationship between study variables.-Teacher friendly interactions, inspiration for further studies, family responsibilities, language proficiency age and lack of finance were some of the factors identified to be affecting academic performance of students. The paper recommends that time management, regulation of work load and commitment to seeking academic mentorship, are significant components that students need to embrace to enhance their academic performance. As a lecturer a lecturer in the institution, the author observes the practical relevance of the findings despite many changes in the institution. Recommendation is given to conduct more replication studies to investigate factors affecting AIU’s students’ academic performance in relation to current changes such as cultural, academic and numerical.

Keywords: Excellence, student academic performance, academic goals, education