Unlocking the Puzzle: Exploring the Declining Interest in Economics among Faculty and Students at East Africa University's Garowe Campus

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the students’ perceptions of economics, identify the factors responsible for the diminished interest in economics, and determine how to create effective solutions for these problems. East Africa University's (EAU) Garowe campus, which is among the oldest in the state, has been considered the subject of this study. The study adopted basic random sampling to determine the sample size for the survey. The data in this research was collected through online surveys and interviews. The survey was given to the university students. The survey consisted of multiple-choice questions and Likert-scale responses. Participants were given enough time to fill out the survey anonymously, and 28 people responded. When the survey was fully completed, the data was then analysed using Microsoft Excel. The results of the research conducted showed that: (1) there is a lack of public awareness about the importance of this field and the career opportunities associated with it, as proven by 97% of the respondents who chose (agree and strongly agree). (2) The belief that economics is tough because of math causes some students to choose not to major in this field. This belief influences the majority of students' decisions not to pursue degrees in this field, as demonstrated by the 54% of respondents who selected (agree and strongly agree). This is a true belief that could prevent students from learning economics. (3) Economics is not a hard field of study, as proven by 64% of students who chose “no” to the statement of whether economics is a hard field of study, confirming that economics is not a difficult subject. (4) Business and economics was an interesting subject in high school, as proven by 75% of the respondents who chose (agree and strongly agree)