East African Journal of Arts and Social Sciences

Direct or Indirect Instruction on Environmental Print in Enhancing Letter Name Knowledge in Tanzanian Public Pre-Primary Classes: Which Works Better?

Martha Jacob Kabate — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 19:17:31 +0200

The current study investigated the effects of direct and indirect instruction on environmental print to enhance Letter Name Knowledge (LNK). The research's foundations were sociocultural (direct) and constructivist (indirect) theories. The study was an eight-week intervention. It took place in the Shinyanga District Council, Tanzania, using a positivist, quantitative approach with a randomised experiment design and no control group. The study included two experimental groups—direct and indirect instruction—across six randomly selected schools from three wards. The participants were public pre-primary children, 293 (162 indirect, 131 indirect) and six teachers (three from each instructional type). The pre-primary teachers were responsible for enhancing LNK during the environmental print intervention, and their work was evaluated using the Fidelity Implementation checklist. The findings indicated insignificant differences in direct and indirect instruction on environmental print on enhancing LNK in both pretest and posttest. Data were collected through intervention tests and observations. Independent samples t-test, Welch t-test, and Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance (W) were used in analysing data. The finding is substantiated by constructivism and sociocultural theory, which suggest that both instructional strategies work better. This perspective supports the idea that both instructions contribute to ensuring that all children, regardless of their background, receive equitable access to quality early literacy education. Improvement in LNK is crucial, as it fosters early reading skills in children, ultimately contributing to equitable quality education, which supports sustainable development goals (4). Recommendation to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to develop and provide professional development workshops for pre-primary educators focused on effective strategies for teaching environmental print to enhance letter name knowledge (LNK). Further research needs to be done on pre-primary teachers' views on the challenges and benefits of environmental print strategies. Also, research is needed on the impact of environmental print instruction on children with diverse learning needs and backgrounds.

Lexical Errors in First-Year Undergraduates’ English Compositions: An Error Analysis Approach

Mary Awino, Nancy Ikaria, PhD — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 21:30:40 +0200

This article explores the use of the Error Analysis (EA) approach in investigating lexical errors in the written English compositions of first-year undergraduate students. Lexical competence is a crucial component of academic writing proficiency, yet it remains a persistent challenge for second-language (L2) learners at the university level. The study employed a qualitative research design, which was descriptive in nature. Using a corpus of essays collected from 20 first-year undergraduates who were studying English Communication Skills for Professional Development, the study applied a structured EA framework to identify lexical deviations in the students’ compositions. It then categorised the lexical deviations using the distinction between form-oriented and content-oriented lexical errors, which had nine subcategories. The study justifies the choice of EA over other analytical approaches by emphasising its learner-centred focus, practical applicability, and methodological clarity. While acknowledging critiques of EA—such as its limited focus on errors and potential subjectivity in error classification—the paper defends its relevance by drawing on the work of scholars who support its use in pedagogical research. Findings revealed that errors in word formation/morphology, as well as misspelling errors, were the most prevalent, highlighting the need for targeted vocabulary instruction. The study concludes by discussing the pedagogical implications of the findings and proposing directions for future research into lexical development and instructional design

An Empirical Study on the Perceptions of Academic Stress among Selected Second-Year Undergraduate Students at Bugema University: A Qualitative Study

Kabuye Rosette, Israel Kafeero, Eria Muwanguzi — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 21:31:20 +0200

This study explored the perceptions of academic stress among selected second-year undergraduate students at Bugema University, focusing on the sources of stress, its manifestation in academic lives, and the coping mechanisms employed by students. A phenomenological approach was used, with 15 students purposively selected from the School of Business and Economics, the School of Education and Humanities, and the School of Health Sciences. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that academic stress at Bugema University was influenced by factors such as academic demands, financial challenges, interpersonal issues, and program-specific stressors. The impact of stress manifests in mental health challenges, decreased academic performance, and social withdrawal. Students adopted a range of coping mechanisms, including problem-focused strategies, emotional support, and avoidance behaviours. However, maladaptive coping strategies were found to exacerbate stress. The study recommended that universities, particularly Bugema University, implement more comprehensive support systems, including time management workshops, mental health services, and mentorship programs to address students’ academic and emotional needs. The study also suggested providing financial aid and promoting positive faculty-student relationships to reduce academic stress. Future research could expand to a larger sample and explore different academic years or universities to better understand the broader implications of academic stress in higher education

Effects of Student Loan Administration Mechanisms on Access to University Education in Uganda

Hilary Sserubidde, David Onen — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0200

This study examines the effect of student loan administration arrangements on access to higher education in Uganda, utilising primarily quantitative and little qualitative evidence derived from a cross-sectional survey of 217 university students selected through stratified random sampling. In applying regression analysis, the study demonstrated a highly significant relationship between funding adequacy and access (R = 0.642, p < 0.01), with perceived funding accounting for 41% of the variation in access. For every one-unit increase in loan perceived adequacy, access increased by 47%, highlighting the key role of sufficient financial provision. The study also determined a moderate but very significant positive correlation between the inclusiveness of the loan scheme—measured in terms of rural coverage, transparency, and publicity—and access among low-income students (R = 0.537, p < 0.01), with 28.4% of the variance accounted for by inclusiveness. Qualitative data suggest that rural and disadvantaged students are discouraged by complex paperwork, the absence of outreach efforts, and language barriers. Additionally, the timeliness of loan approval and disbursement was highly related to student retention (R = 0.491, p < 0.01), with an Odds Ratio of 3.10, such that students with timely disbursements were over three times as likely to remain enrolled. These findings affirm that adequacy of funding, administrative inclusiveness, and timely disbursement are primary determinants of access and persistence. The paper concludes by urging the Ministry of Education, HESFB, and stakeholders to enhance outreach, decentralise service delivery, improve disbursement efficiency, and target support for rural, female, and disadvantaged students to achieve transformative and sustained access to higher education in Uganda

Role of Orientation Program on Instructional Language Proficiency Among Form One Students in Moshi Rural District, Tanzania

Eliatosha Moses Mbwambo, Theresia Julius Shavega, PhD — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 17:51:50 +0200

The purpose of the current study was to explore the role of the Orientation Program in instructional language proficiency among Form One Students in secondary schools in Tanzania, with a specific focus on Moshi - Kilimanjaro. The present study employed a qualitative approach and case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, unstructured observations, and closed-ended questionnaires. The study reveals that the Orientation Program has superimposed functions of harmonising the language gap and enhancing a smooth transition of students to secondary school English medium instruction. These functions were added to the primary function of the Orientation Program to improve Instructional Language proficiency. Furthermore, observations revealed that Schools X and Y dedicated more learning activities, which suggests their students potentially receive a more comprehensive exposure to the Orientation Program's intended aim than students in other schools. The study recommends that the Form One subjects' syllabi be reviewed to ensure the Orientation Program is embedded as the first topic for consistency and standardised implementation across schools

Affirmative Action Policies and Female Education in Gulu University: An African Philosophical Perspective

Giramiya Esther, Alidri Agatha, Okwir Peace Pamela — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 22:09:37 +0200

The implementation and impact of Affirmative Action policies on female education at Gulu University remain low. Affirmative Action policies are vital in changing the community's perspective on female education in Higher Education. Despite the implementation of the Affirmative Action policies in Gulu University, their impact remained low. This study involved 524 participants using a cross-sectional research design based on mixed methods of qualitative and quantitative approaches. Whereas Affirmative Action had a significant effect on female Education nationally, it was not the case in Gulu University. For instance, more male students are admitted and registered compared to their female counterparts. At graduation, which is the completion and exit point, fewer females graduate compared to males. Records and literature showed that the policy worked for categories of females from specific regions, districts, and schools. The study established that most females who had benefited from Affirmative Action were not from Northern Uganda’s districts and schools. For the past five years, the percentage of female students’ enrolment has ranged between 35.6% to 39.4 %. Furthermore, in the 17^th Graduation of Gulu University, 34.5% females graduated compared to 65.5% males. This is an indicator that the affirmative Action policy seems not to equally benefit females in Higher Education. Whereas this is an improvement in the enrolment of female students, their completion rate remains a challenge. This does not synchronise with the African philosophy of contextualising African solutions through the ‘Africa we want’. This study informs policy-making in countries grappling with the challenges of female education in higher institutions of learning

Neglected Narratives: Underrepresentation of Indigenous and Minority Voices in Drama Education in Kenya

Okaye Okedi Francis — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 19:47:23 +0200

Drama education in Kenya, situated within the broader postcolonial context, has gained prominence through curriculum reforms such as the competency-based curriculum, which prioritises learner-centred, creative pedagogies aimed at fostering critical thinking, cultural awareness, and social justice engagement. Despite this, indigenous and minority voices remain persistently underrepresented in secondary school drama syllabi, teaching materials, and performances. Anchored in postcolonial theory, particularly Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s concept of epistemic decolonisation, this study investigated how curricular content, teacher training, and institutional biases privilege Eurocentric and elite African narratives while marginalising oral, vernacular and community-rooted performance traditions. The study employed a qualitative approach. For data, it analysed drama curricula, set texts, and festival performance practices, complemented by interviews with purposively sampled teachers of drama in Kenya. Findings revealed a dominant curricular bias towards Western canonical texts, significant teacher training deficits in indigenous dramaturgy, scarcity of published indigenous scripts and culturally tailored teaching resources, and festival adjudication criteria favouring polished theatricality over cultural authenticity. These systemic exclusions hinder student identity affirmation, cultural legacy, and the transformative potential of drama education. The study recommends curricular revision to incorporate diverse cultural narratives, comprehensive decolonial teacher training and support for indigenous playwriting and theatrical adaptations

Promotion of Shared Leadership in Technical Institutes in Uganda: Case of Eastern Uganda

John Bonaventure Okeya, Frances Naluwemba, PhD, Disan Kutesa — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0200

This article investigates the current state and practices of shared leadership within Public Technical Institutes in Eastern Uganda. Drawing on qualitative data, the study explores the perceived adoption of shared leadership, the variations in its implementation, and the role of instructor collaboration. The study employed purposive sampling for Principals and convenient sampling for instructors and Heads of Department. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews, participant observations and document analysis for purposes of triangulation and credibility. Findings reveal a growing, albeit inconsistently applied, recognition of shared leadership, influenced by global educational trends and local pragmatic needs. While collaboration among instructors is evident, the transition from traditional hierarchical structures to genuinely shared leadership models faces significant challenges, including deeply ingrained cultural norms, limited instructor involvement, and implementation inconsistencies. The study underscores the critical importance of fostering a more inclusive and collaborative leadership environment to enhance instructor effectiveness and the overall quality of technical education in Uganda