Comprehensive Investigation of Factors Influencing University Students’ Academic Performance in Saudi Arabia

Abdullah Alabdulkarem,Saad Alabdulkarim,Mohammad Alhojailan

doi:10.3390/educsci11080375

Abdullah Alabdulkarem, Saad Alabdulkarim + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11080375

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Journal: Education sciences	Publication Date: Jul 23, 2021
Citations: 5	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: King Saud University

Abstract

Academic success in undergraduate programs is indicative of potential achievements for graduates in their professional careers. The reasons for an outstanding performance are complex and influenced by several principles and factors. An example of this complexity is that success factors might change depending on the culture of students. The relationship of 32 factors with the reported academic performance (RAP) was investigated by using a survey distributed over four key universities in Saudi Arabia. A total of 3565 Saudi undergraduate students completed the survey. The examined factors included those related to upbringing, K-12 education, and structured and unstructured activities. Statistical results validate that many factors had a significant relationship with the RAP. Among those factors, paternal’s education level and work field, type of intermediate and high schools, and the attendance of prayers in mosques were significantly associated with the reported performance. This study provides important insights into the potential root causes of success so that they can be targeted by educators and policy makers in the effort to enhance education outcomes.

Highlights

Throughout human evolution, the quality of education and its outcomes have been the key reasons for nations to have sustainable growth
The current study aims to examine the most prominent factors that potentially affect the academic performance of undergraduate students in Saudi Arabia
Gender was significantly associated with the reported academic performance (RAP) (X-squared = 382.59, df = 2, p < 0.0001), with females reporting higher academic performance than males

Summary

Introduction

Throughout human evolution, the quality of education and its outcomes have been the key reasons for nations to have sustainable growth. The education system of Saudi Arabia was formally established in 1953 by three government institutions. It was ruled by two institutions, the first being the Ministry of Education (MoE), which functions to “range from policy-making, planning and budgetary staffing to provide physical and teaching materials and supplement all elementary, intermediate and secondary schools” [6]. The second institution was the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE), which was established in 1975 to administer, develop, and coordinate the demands of the Kingdom with regards to higher education. The MoHE supported and maintained the development of all the universities of the country, i.e., for male and female colleges.

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