Perceptions of Quality of Students’ Welfare Services in a University in Kenya

Abstract

Students’ welfare services entail those essential services that aim at promoting the physical, mental, emotional, and social wellbeing of learners in an institution. In universities, the services include but are not limited to catering, guidance and counseling, sports and recreation and health care services. The quality provision of these vital services contributes to the wellbeing of the students, improved learning outcomes, students’ satisfaction, and loyalty. Despite the financial challenges that public universities in Kenya are currently experiencing, they are required to provide quality welfare services that meets or even surpasses students’ expectations. This study examined perceptions on the quality of student’s welfare services in a public university in Kenya. Specifically, perceptions on the quality of catering, health care, guidance and counseling, and sports and recreation services were examined. The study used a mixed method research design where both quantitative and qualitative data were collected for analysis. The target population constituted 2640 students in their third year of study. Using Kothari (2004) formula, a sample size of 332 students was determined and students’ questionnaire (SQ) applied to collect data. Four (4) heads of departments participated as key informants and were interviewed. A pilot study involving 33 students (10.0% of the sample size) from one of the Schools in the University was used to determine the reliability of the SQ using Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient of reliability. The school was exempted from the main study. The overall reliability coefficient of the SQ was 0.895. The study found that catering services were the best rated (M=3.55; SD=1.01) by the students, followed by guidance and counseling services (M=2.90; SD=1.02); and health care services (M=2.53; SD=1.01). Quality of sports and recreation services were rated below average (M=2.45; SD=1.09). It was found that the University was constrained in providing quality welfare services due to the ever-growing students’ population that strained existing facilities and personnel. The University had funding challenges to sufficiently meet some of the indicators of quality students’ welfare services. The study made recommendations on specific areas for consideration by the University management.