Influence of Transparency Practices in Admission Processes on Quality of Students’ Intake in Rivers State Owned Universities

Abstract

This study examined influence of transparency practices in admission processes on quality of students’ intake in Rivers State owned Universities. Three objectives, three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The total population of the study was 40,840 undergraduate students comprising 20,939 undergraduate students from Rivers State University and 19,901 undergraduate students from Ignatuis Ajuru University of Education. The sample size of the study was 396 undergraduate students comprising 200 undergraduate students from Rivers State University and 196 undergraduate students from Ignatuis Ajuru University of Education derived through Taro Yamane’s formular and simple random sampling technique. The data collecting instrument for the study was a self-developed questionnaire titled: “Influence of Transparency Practices in Admission Processes on Quality of Students’ Intake Questionnaire”. The instrument was face and content validated by three experts from the Department of Educational Management and the field of Measurement and Evaluation respectively in Rivers State University and tested for reliability using Cronbach Alpha statistics which yielded cumulative reliability index of 0.86. Mean and standard deviation were used in answering the research questions while the null hypotheses were tested using z-test at 0.05 level of significance. The study found that clear communication of admission requirements, timely publication of admission procedures and accessible complaint system as transparency practices in admission processes influence quality of students’ intake in Rivers State owned Universities to a high extent. Based on the findings, the researchers recommended among others that the management of Rivers State-owned universities should ensure the timely publication of admission procedures, schedules and guidelines to enable candidates to prepare adequately and complete their applications within the stipulated period.