ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF LOW ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE FROM SECONDARY EDUCATION ON THE PROFESSIONAL ABILITY AT THE TERTIARY HEALTH EDUCATION; CORRELATIONAL CASE STUDY AT MANYARA REGION

Abstract

In various health training institutions in Tanzania, the failure to achieve a required level of pass among middle health programs is about 18% in continuous assessment tests (CATs) and end of semester examinations. This situation raises question to many academicians that “Do grades of academic performance from secondary education matter towards professional ability at tertiary health education?

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effects of low academic performance from secondary education on the professional ability at the tertiary health education

Method: A cross-sectional explorative design was employed whereby secondary data from both secondary and tertiary academic performance were retrospectively collected from three (3) health-training institutes at Manyara region. The sample size of 274 was drawn from an estimated total population of 1000 students

The results: Of all enrolled students to the study, (46%) were those with D grades in science subjects from secondary education. Those with poor academic performance from secondary education have higher twice proportion of lower academic performance at tertiary education in all semesters and NTA levels. Similarly, those with good academic performance from secondary education had double higher proportion of good academic performance at tertiary education (66.4% Vs 33.6% p-value<0.001).

On the impacts of low academic performance, those  with poor academic performance from secondary education have higher twice  percentages of  supplementary, repeat modules and discontinued  for both semesters of all NTA levels compare to their fellow counterparts of good academic performance.

Conclusion: Students with D grades in science subjects from secondary education have high rate of failure in tertiary education. Those with good academic performance have double higher proportion of good academic performance at tertiary education. The authors recommend to the responsible selection authorities (NACTVET and MoH training sector) including other stakeholders to review and uplift the minimal admission requirement grades from D; the currently operating one to C so as to improve academic performance among health training institutes

Key word: Low Academic Performance, Secondary Education, Professional Ability