Multivariate Analysis of Factors Influencing Achievement of Students in Selected Subjects at Secondary School Level: A Case Study of Grade 10 Students at Hawassa City, Ethiopia
This study has been an attempt to determine factors influencing academic achievements of grade 10 students (normally under age 18 years) on specific subjects. A crosssectional survey was conducted on a total of 719 sample students of grade 10 from 11 different government and nongovernment secondary schools using multistage sampling technique. A designed questionnaire was used to obtain data from the respondents. The secondary data on students EGSECE scores were obtained from the Education Department as achievements of students in the five selected subjects: Mathematics, Biology, Physics, Chemistry and English. Descriptive analysis, factor analysis and multivariate multiple linear regression analyses were used to analyze the data. From the descriptive results both governmental and nongovernmental school students were achieved poorest in physics and best in English. However, on average, nongovernmental school students’ achievements were better than governmental school students. In factor analysis, self-concept, motivation to the subjects and teaching-learning process explained most of the variations. Multivariate regression results revealed that, the factors, sex, school type, school facilities, family status, school volume, interest to the subject, motivation to the subject, self-concept, safe reading and trouble (anxiety) to the subjects, had significant influence on achievements of students with respect to most of the subjects. Factors like sex, school facility, family status, motivation to the subject, interest to the subject had a significance positive impact on achievements. However, trouble of the subject and school volume had a significant negative influence on students’ achievements on Biology, Physics and English subjects. It is suggested that academic facilities and managements at schools, beside home and students’ personal efforts need to be promoted for better academic achievements of students in subjects.
