AN ASSESSMENT OF DETERMINANTS OF STUDENTS’ RETENTION IN ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL AFRICA

Abstract

The study intends to assess the determinants of students’ retention towards commitment to Adventist University

of Central Africa (AUCA) through their perceptions in terms of behavior of staff; teaching process; learning

process; students’ environment; social-economic life and commitment. This study was inspired in the mind of

the researcher because since October 15, 1984 (its beginning), AUCA has so far registered 11,557 students,

but those who obtained degrees (who graduated from AUCA) are 3,847 and 4,895 were dismissed because of

failure and others deserted/dropped out. In this descriptive and correlation research design, respondents were

students of Adventist University of Central Africa who are on probation and those who are not on probation.

Data was collected through questionnaires, interviews and observation. In data analysis, mean, standard devia

tion and Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were computed, analyzed and interpreted. Findings

show that all respondents (those on probation and those not on probation) perceive strongly behavior of staff,

teaching process, learning process, students’ environment, and students commitment but with heterogeneous

perception around the mean. Social-economic life of students was perceived by respondents as weak. The re

searcher recommends to AUCA to elaborate a good system of teaching English and inspire among students the

spirit of loving English language and to monitor how assignments and quizzes are given in order to give time to

students to work on their assignments and quizzes. Strategies that will help students to study and pass well are

also recommended.