Comparison of Academic Achievements Berhanu Nigussie 1 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Comparison of Academic Achievements of Public and Private Diploma Graduates at Degree Level in Public HEI (AAUCC) Berhanu Nigussie* Abstract This study attempted to examine the academic achievements of evening degree students from private and public colleges training background, at Addis Ababa University College of Commerce (AAUCC), during 11 consecutive semesters. The specific objectives of the study were to compare the performance differences, if any, between the two groups of students; to see the conditions of dropout and academic dismissal; and to find out possible measures that may be taken by the concerned bodies. Data for this study were collected from the Record Office of the college (AAUCC). The data of 344 public group and 89(because the admission quota was only 20% for the private) private group students of three departments of the college (Accounting, Business Administration and Information Systems and Marketing Management) were collected and analyzed. The study used quantitative data as its major source of information even though there were some qualitative data obtained from interviews with instructors, students, and counselor. The results of the study revealed that there were statistically significant differences between private and public groups. Except during 3 semesters of the Department of Marketing Management, the public group students performed better during all the 11 semesters of the two departments and during 8 semesters of the other department. Dropout in general and dropout due to academic reason were also higher for private group students. Moreover, the interviewees highly stressed that private and public institutions should work together to maintain higher education system attuned to the public good. Ideas were further discussed and implications about quality in higher education institutions were underlined. _________________________________________________________________________ * Department of Psychology Jimma University, Jimma Ethiopia E-mail: [email protected] Ethiop. J. Educ.& Sc. Vol. 4 No. 2 March, 2009 2 INTRODUCTION higher education in both public and private Background of the Problem higher education institutions. Access to higher education in Ethiopia like in other African countries has been Statement of the Problem restricted to very few public higher Among higher education institutions in education institutions until the launching of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa University is one of Education and Training Policy in 1994. the oldest public institutions known to However, today numerous private higher provide higher education for evening education institutions are operating and learners who are unable to continue their playing the role of complementing the education in the regular program. And of public higher education institutions course, Addis Ababa University College of (Damtew, 2005). Hence, expanding and Commerce (AAUCC) has also been nurturing both public and private tertiary contributing a lot in this regard. This level education is of paramount institution could play a significant role in importance. alleviating shortage of skilled human resource in various fields. The college has Together with the expansion of higher increased learning opportunities for education institutions, the issue of quality evening learners. And, most of these must be addressed properly. A failure to students come from public and private address quality of education at the tertiary colleges training background. level could be a hindrance to the overall development attempts. In most cases, those who graduated from private higher education institutions are the Focusing on quality education in Ethiopia, ones who could not join public higher Daniel (2005) stated that opportunities for education institutions where they could access to higher education have shown have academic and other services free of marked increase following the expansion of charge or with relatively lesser payment. public and private higher education Moreover, those students who dropout institutions. On the other hand, there is from public institutions and few students of equally valid and widely shared concern well to do families, who do not want to that the higher education expansion in the continue their education in universities or country appears primarily quantitative and colleges far from their home, have the there is a serious question concerning chance to join private colleges. quality. There are serious challenges in meeting minimum standards for quality Some educators say the more that private education. Providing adequate number of institutions are made available as an qualified staff, sufficient library, classroom alternative, the more efficiently the facilities, etc are some of the challenges educational system as a whole will that need to be successfully addressed if perform. They also argued and concluded quality is to be maintained. that there is very little difference between public institutions and their private He stressed that the government of Ethiopia counterparts. Still others argued that public and the higher education management institution students outperform the private should pose for at least a brief period and ones. address concerns pertaining to quality in These issues aroused the present researcher's interest and raised questions Comparison of Academic Achievements Berhanu Nigussie 3 for which as yet there are no answers. So, it education institutions in general and would be interesting to compare the Addis Ababa University college of academic achievements of the two groups commerce in particular. (public and private colleges training 3. It may contribute to the efforts made to background students) and see if they had strengthen the quality of education in similar academic achievements in each public and private higher education selected department, at AAUCC. institutions 4. It may stimulate prospective researchers Objectives of the study to conduct further research on this area Based on the statement of the problem, the and to address those areas that remain general objective of the study is to compare untouched or inadequately treated. And the academic achievements of evening to make them realize that the previous degree students (from public and private studies have investigated only some colleges training background) of Addis aspects of the issue and it was treated in Ababa University College of Commerce. breadth than depth. More specifically, the objectives of this METHODS OF THE RESEARCH research are: In order to secure reliable data from all 1. To see whether or not the mean possible sources in a confidential manner, academic achievements of degree appropriate method of investigation is students from public and private imperative. The study site, sample, data colleges training background at collection instruments, procedures of data AAUCC differ significantly. collection and methods of data analysis 2. To see whether the rates of drop out and used in this study are discussed here under. academic dismissal were the same in both institutions- public and private? Study site 3. To investigate possible factors The study was done in Addis Ababa. Addis contributing to poor academic Ababa has many private and public higher achievements, if any, of a group education institutions (HEIs). Addis Ababa (private or public colleges training University College of Commerce was background students). selected for the study. 4. To find out possible measures that may be taken to rectify the situation. Sample From the existing six departments at Significance of the Study AAUCC which were open for evening Accordingly, the findings of the study may degree students, Accounting, Marketing serve the following major practical Management and Business Administration purposes. and Information Systems were purposely 1. It may serve as an additional information selected. The reason was that students from source and document base in the process both public and private colleges training of managing public and private higher background were found and the numbers education institutions and evening were reasonable for comparison purposes education in higher education in the selected departments, though the institutions. quota of admission for public was 80% and 2. It may contribute to the improvement of 20% for the private one (that is why the public and private higher education and number is very less for the private group). evening education at the higher Ethiop. J. Educ.& Sc. Vol. 4 No. 2 March, 2009 4 In this study, the academic records of a dropout students (two from each total of 433 (136 Females and 297 Males) department, and three from public and the students (without considering dropouts in other three from private colleges) who have the first semester of the year 2003/04) who currently been attending their dropped out joined the three departments of Addis education. Ababa University College of Commerce (AAUCC) during that academic year were Before the beginning of the interview documented. From these students, process, ethical issues were discussed. For 344(79.45%) of them had public colleges example, permission was obtained to training background and the other 89 record the interview and promise was made (20.55%) were from private colleges about the confidentiality of the training background. interviewees’ responses. Instruments of Data Gathering Procedures of data collection The present research heavily relied on the The records of 433 students were