AFRICAN SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL

AN EXAMINATION OF THE FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR STUDENTS’ FAILURE IN HIGHER INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA

PETER GERSON ISA, PADIAN YAKUBU, IRHIOGBE WILFRED OMWENKE, YAKUBU OBDIAH WAZIRI, LAUMALJAM DANIEL TIMOTHY, LAMOLGWAN DAVID LAKWASA

November 12, 2025

Citation

AFRICAN SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL , Vol. 14 (2) (2025) , pp. 81-96

Details

ISSN: 978-37889
Published: November 12, 2025
Status: Published

Abstract

This study investigates the factors responsible for students’ failure in the higher
institution in Nigeria. The research focused on identifying academic, institutional, and
personal factors affecting students’ academic performance. A descriptive survey designwas adopted, and data were collected through questionnaires administered to 200
randomly selected students. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including Chi-square
tests, were used for data analysis. The findings revealed that most respondents were
aged 18-27 years, with females forming the majority. About 85.7% of students engaged
in independent study daily or weekly, while 74.3% rated lecture delivery as effective or
very effective. However, 25.7% expressed dissatisfaction, citing areas for improvement
in teaching methods. Although 68.6% had adequate learning resources, 31.4% lacked
access, posing a significant barrier to success. Chi-square results indicated no significant
relationship between demographic factors and students’ perception of lecture delivery.
The study concludes that despite students’ positive study habits and satisfaction with
teaching quality, inadequate learning resources remain a major challenge. It
recommends improved access to educational materials and enhanced teaching support
to reduce failure rates.