Differences in Graduation and Persistence Rates as a Function of Entry Requirements into Degree Programmes at Department Of Science Education, Federal University of Kashere

Abstract

This study examined the differences in graduation and persistence rates as a function of entry
requirement into degree programmes at Department of Science Education, Federal University of
Kashere, Gombe State. The study adopted a causal comparative design. The population of the study
comprised all the one hundred and eleven (111) science education students from 2016 to 2018
academic session at Department of Science Education, Gombe State. All the 111 students in the
department were purposively selected for the study because of the management size of the population
and they were easily accessible. A structured questionnaire titled: Students’ Enrolment in Science
Disciplines Questionnaire (SESDQ)was used for the collection of data from the participating students’
files. Data collected were analyzed with the used of descriptive statistics and Multivariate Analysis of
Variance (MANOVA). The findings revealed that students with Direct Entry (DE) qualification had
higher graduation rate than their counterparts UTME(SSEC/NECO) entry qualification. Conversely,
Students with UTME entry qualifications had higher persistence rates than their colleagues with direct
entry qualifications. The department should organize extramural coaching for UTME students and
tutorials should be organized in the department, among other strategies that could help students to
graduate and persistent in their university degree programmes at the stipulated time.