Mode of Entry as a Predictor of Success in Final Year Bachelor of Education Degree Examinations in Universities in Ekiti and Ondo States, Nigeria

This paper investigated the mode of entry as a predictor of success in final year bachelor of education degree examinations in universities in Ekiti and Ondo States, Nigeria. The study population comprised all the 1810 final year 400 level students in the two universities offering education courses namely University of Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State and Adekunle Ajasin University in Ondo State, Nigeria. Out of this population, 760 final year 400 level students who scored cumulative grade point average of 3.50 and above in the final bachelor of education degree in 2007/2008 academic year in the two universities were selected for the study. The instrument used was an inventory while the data collected were analysed using percentages, correlation matrix and multiple regression. The finding revealed that the pre-degree mode of entry is the best predictor of success in the final year bachelor of education degree in the universities. Based on the findings, it was recommended that more emphasis should be given to the pre-degree mode of entry in the admission process into universities in the two States in a bid to achieve the goals of the National Policy on Education in providing the much needed qualitative education in Nigerian universities. Key word: Mode Entry Predictor Success University Examinations INTRODUCTION was allowed to conduct its own entrance examination and University education in Ekiti and Ondo States, Besides, the initiatives of the Joint Admissions and Nigeria dated back to 1980s. The modes of admission of Matriculation Board have been widely jeopardized by the candidates into first degree programmes in the widely reported cases of examination malpractices [5]. universities are in three major forms. These include Records indicate that in 1995 alone, the Joint Admissions admissions through the direct entry, admissions through and Matriculation Board cancelled the result of 81,066 the universities matriculation examinations (UME) and candidates (21.3%) who were involved in cheating in admissions through the pre degree programme. the examinations [6]. In 1998, out of 322,020 candidates Admissions through the universities matriculation who sat for the university matriculation examinations, examinations (UME) and direct entry are being handled by 8,194 candidates had their results cancelled due to their the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board while involvement in various forms of examination malpractices admission through the pre-degree programme is being [7]. Similar findings were made by other researchers in handled by the universities themselves [1]. years 2002 and 2003 [8]. From the above, it appears that The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board the objectives of establishing the Joint Admissions (JAMB) was established by the Federal Government of and Matriculation Board are being defeated. This Nigeria through Act 2 of 1978 to regularize the intake of might perhaps have been the reason why many Nigerian students into the universities and solve the problem of universities started the pre-degree programme as multiple admissions given to some candidates at the alternative to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation expense of others [2,3]. Like other examining bodies in Board. Nigeria, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Examinations in Nigerian schools dated back to the has been subjected to series of criticisms. For instance, advent of formal education. As a former British Colony, Olatuga [4] alleged that the question of admitting the system of examination in Nigeria took after the British incompetent candidates would not arise if each university system. This importance of examinations in the country’ select its own candidates. Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 4 (1): 10-19, 2009 11 educational system has been entrenched in the National Researchers have made divergent findings on the Policy of Education [9]. In the university setting, success in an examination is being assessed through the cumulative grade point average obtained by students in all the courses registered from the 100 level to the final year level. As such, a student is deemed to have performed very well to the level of second class upper division if the cumulative grade point average is between 3.50 and 4.49; or first class if the cumulative grade point average is 4.50 and above. Hence, the cumulative grade point average determines the success level of a student from one semester to another. The grading of the cumulative grade point average is such that 4.50 and above is first class, 3.50 to 4.49 is second class upper division, 2.50 to 3.49 is second class lower division, 1.50 to 2.49 is third class, 1.00 to 1.49 is ordinary pass degree while below 1.00 is failure [10,11]. Literature Review: The term ‘academic success’ is described as the scholastic standing of a student at a given moment. It refers to how an individual is able to demonstrate his or her intellectual abilities. This scholastic standing could be explained as the grades obtained in a course or groups of courses; and the way in which a student has attained the grades including the time he or she passed examination two after passing examination one [12-14]. Daniels and Schouten [12] therefore argued that a prediction of a future examination result could be made with reasonable success on the basis of the results of an earlier examination and that grades may serve as prediction measures and as criterion measures. As a measure of prediction, Dockery [15] investigated the effects of intelligence quotient on academic achievement and found that achievement scores increased as the intelligence quotient increased. Eysenck [16] agreed with this finding and remarked intelligence quotient testing has been extremely successful on the practical level predicting academic success from early childhood to university degree. Findings made by Al-Shorayye [17] and Adeyemi [18] led credence to this point. Findings made by Peers and Johnston [19] confirmed the validity of the number and grades of passes in the Scottish Certificate of Education in predicting first year and final year university performance. Findings made by Gay [20] in the USA also confirmed the fact that high school grades are good predictors of college grades. In the same vein, Entwistle and Wilson [21] too, found that students with three ‘A’ level passes did better than students with two in the university. predictive validity of some examinations [22-27]. While some researchers [22,23,26] found that performance in a lower level examination was significantly related to the performance in a higher level examination, others researchers [25,27] found no significant relationship between the performance in lower level examinations and performance in higher institutions. Considering these divergent findings, this study intended to examine the mode of entry of students into universities in Ekiti and Ondo States, Nigeria in other to correct any erroneous impression. The study would investigate which of the modes of entry into universities in the two states best predict success in the final bachelor of education degree examinations. Statement of the Problem: The decay in the Nigerian educational system calls for attention. The search for the most desirable mode of selecting candidates for admission into the Nigerian universities continues [28]. This is evidenced by the public opinion about the standard of the students graduating from the universities. More disturbing is the common observation that many graduates from certain universities are being rejected by the labour market because of low academic competence. Some educationists have argued that the incompetence of many university students is precipitated by the selection procedure of Joint admissions and matriculation Board (JAMB) which fails to control the number and quality of candidates being admitted into the universities annually [29]. The problem has been blamed on the Board’s system of admission [26]. There have been conflicting findings on the predictive strength of certain modes of entry in predicting performance at final year university examinations [25,30]. The problem of this study therefore was to determine which mode of entry into the universities best predicts the success of students in the final bachelor of education degree examinations in universities in Ekiti and Ondo States, Nigeria. In addressing this problem, the following research questions were raised. What is the number of students who scored 3.5 and above Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) in the final 400 level examinations for the Bachelor of education degree at the University of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State and the Adekunle University, Ondo State, Nigeria on the basis of their mode of entry? Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 4 (1): 10-19, 2009 12 Is there any significant relationship between the with the hypotheses to ascertain whether or not the mode of entry of final year 400 level education instrument actually measured the content area of the students into the universities and high cumulative study. The reliability was determined through the testgrade point average of 3.5 and above in the bachelor retest method. The instruments were administered to 40 of education degree examinations in universities in respondents drawn from two universities outside the Ekiti and Ondo States, Nigeria? study area. After a period of two weeks, the instruments Is there any significant difference in the cumulative were re-administered to the same respondents. The data grade point average for the bachelor of education collected were analyzed using the Pearson Product degree between the University of Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti Moment reliability. A correlation coefficient of 0.81 was State and Adekunle Ajasin University in Ondo State, obtained indicating that the instrument was reliable for the Nigeria on the basis of their mode of entry? study. The data collected were analyzed using Correlation Which of the direct entry, universities matriculation Matrix, Chi Square test, One-way Analysis of Variance examinations and pre-degree modes of entry will best and Multiple Regression. The hypotheses were tested for predict high cumulative grade point average of 3.5 significance at 0.05 alpha level. and above in the bachelor of education degree in the two universities? RESULTS MATERIALS AND METHODS Question 1: What is the number of students who scored This study adopted the ex-post facto and the final 400 level examinations for the Bachelor of correlational research design. An ex-post facto research education degree at the University of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti as an after fact study involving the collection of existing State and the Adekunle University, Ondo State, Nigeria data [20] while a correlational research is a study on the basis of their mode of entry? involving the determination of the degree to which In answering this question, data on the number of variables are related [31]. In this regard, the study final year 400 level students in 2007/2008 academic year population comprised all the 1810 final year 400 level who were admitted into the University of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti students in the two universities offering education State and Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State, courses namely University of Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State and Nigeria through the three different modes of admission Adekunle Ajasin University in Ondo State, Nigeria. Out of namely pre-degree, universities matriculation examinations this population, 760 final year 400 level students who (UME) and direct entry were collected through an scored cumulative grade point average of 3.50 and above inventory. Data on the number of these students who in the final bachelor of education degree in 2007/2008 scored he cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of academic year in the two universities were purposively 3.5 and above in the final 400 level examinations for the selected for the study. This was made up of 450 students Bachelor of education degree in the two universities were at the University of Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State and also collected. The data were analyzed using percentages. 310 students at the Adekunle Ajasin University in Ondo The findings are presented in Table 1. State for the 2007/2008 academic year. As indicated in Table 1, the pre-degree mode of entry The instrument used for the study was an into the two universities had the largest number of inventory titled ‘mode of entry into universities students who obtained 3.5 and above cumulative grade inventory’ It requested information on students’ point average (CGPA) among all the final year 400 level enrolment in education courses in the various education students in the two universities. The predepartments of the faculty of education in each degree mode of entry accounted for 58.2% of the intakes university. It also requested for data on the modes of at the University of Ado-Ekiti and 42.3% at the Adekunle entry of the final year 400 level students into the Ajasin University, Ondo State respectively. This was universities and data on the cumulative grade point followed by the university matriculation examination average obtained by these students in the final bachelor (UME) mode of entry which accounted for 26.7% of the of education degree examinations. The validity of the intakes at the University of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. and instrument was determined by experts in Test and 37.7% of the intakes into the Adekunle Ajasin University, Measurement who matched the items of the inventory Onto State. The direct entry mode of entry had the least 3.5 and above Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) in 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 PREDEGREE DIRECT UME Mode of Entry Fr eq ue nc y UNAD AAUA Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 4 (1): 10-19, 2009 13 Fig. 1: Mode of Entry and CGPA Obtained by Final Year 400 Level Students in Universities in Ekiti and Ondo States, Nigeria Table 1: Number of Final year Education Students who Scored 3.5 and above Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) in the two Universities Modes of Entry N Pre-degree % UME % Direct Entry % University of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State 450 262 58.2 120 26.7 68 15.1 Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State 310 131 42.3 117 37.7 62 20.0 Total 760 393 51.7 237 31.2 130 17.1 number of students who scored a cumulative grade Question 2: Is there any significant relationship between point average (CGPA) of 3.5 and above among all the mode of entry of final year 400 level education the final year 400 level education students in the students into the universities and high cumulative grade two universities. The direct entry mode of entry point average of 3.5 and above in the bachelor of accounted for only 15.1% of the intakes at the education degree examinations in universities in Ekiti and University of Ado-Ekiti and 20. 0% at the Adekunle Ondo States, Nigeria? Ajasin University, Onto State. The graph depicting the In answering this question, the question was relationship between the modes of entry and cumulative transformed into the following hypothesis. grade point average (CGPA) obtained by the students is shown in Figure 1. Ho: There is no significant relationship between the mode Figure 1 shows the relationship between each of the of entry of final year 400 level education students into the three modes of entry into the two universities in Ekiti and universities and high cumulative grade point average of Ondo States, Nigeria and the cumulative grade point 3.5 and above in the bachelor of education degree average (CGPA) of 3.5 and above obtained by the examinations in universities in Ekiti and Ondo States, students in the final 400 level bachelor of education Nigeria. degree examinations. The graph slopes down form the In testing this hypothesis, data on the number of highest CGPA to the lowest CGPA along the line of the final year 400 level education students in the 2006/2007 mode of entry into the universities. The graph also academic year in the two universities who were admitted shows vividly that students in the two universities into the two universities through the three different who had the highest CGPA were those who entered the modes of admission namely pre-degree, university universities through the pre-degree mode of entry. This matriculation examination (UME) and direct entry modes implies that more the number of students who entered were collected through the inventory. Data on the the universities through the pre-degree mode of entry, cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of the students in the more the number of number of such students who the final bachelor of education degree examinations in obtained higher cumulative grade point average of 3.5 2006/2007 academic year were also collected. The and above in the final bachelor of education degree hypothesis was tested using the correlation matrix. The examination in the two universities. results are presented in Table 2. Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 4 (1): 10-19, 2009 14 Table 2: Correlation matrix on mode of entry and cumulative grade point average (CGPA) at the University of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria Variables Final CGPA Direct Entry UME Pre-degree