Vol. 14(1), pp.

1-6, January-June 2022

DOI: 10.5897/IJVTE2022.0306
Article Number: FCD63EE68952
ISSN: 2141-534X
Copyright © 2022 International Journal of Vocational and
Author(s) retain the copyright of this article
http://www.academicjournals.org/IJVTE Technical Education

Full Length Research Paper

Impact of lecture attendance on academic performance

of business education students in tertiary institutions:
A case study of Federal Capital Territory College of
Education Zuba-Abuja
Henry Osimabale Auru* and Sulayman Dauda Gidado
Department of Business Education, FCT College of Education, Zuba, Abuja, Nigeria.
Received 20 January, 2022; Accepted 14 March, 2022

This study was conducted to determine the impact of lecture attendance on academic performance of
business education students in tertiary institutions with Federal Capital Territory College of Education
Zuba-Abuja as a case study. The study was guided by two specific research objectives and null
hypotheses. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The population of the study comprised
of all the 80 students who registered for BED 220 (Entrepreneurship in Business Education I) in
2017/2018 academic session at the Department of Business Education, Federal Capital Territory College
of Education, Zuba-Abuja, Nigeria. Census survey was used which led to the consideration of the entire
population for the study. The data used in the study was collected from a secondary source (published
result) and the two null hypotheses were respectively tested with Chi-square and t-test at 0.05 level of
significance. The findings revealed that a significant relationship exists between lecture attendance and
academic performance of business education students in tertiary institutions. It also showed that a
significant difference exists between the academic performance of business education students with
high rate of attendance and those with low rate of attendance. The study concluded that lecture
attendance enables students to be more creative, get first-hand and practical information from the
teacher and it was found to be crucial to the acquisition of skills required for sustainable development
in Nigeria. As a way forward, the study among others recommended that mandatory attendance should
be enforced and teachers should adopt a friendly posture and encourage students to be punctual in the
class.

Key words: Impact, lecture attendance, academic performance, business education, students, tertiary
institutions.

INTRODUCTION

In response to what constitutes the goal of education in modern society, Fleming (2019) posits that the purpose

*Corresponding author. E-mail: probhenri@yahoo.com.

Author(s) agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License 4.0 International License
2 Int. J. Voc. Tech. Educ.

of education is to help people reach their human been attained.

potential. It could therefore be deduced from this that In the conventional educational system, skills and
human capital development is the most important goal of competencies are acquired through constant interaction
education since it leads to development of talent, skills between the teacher and the students in the classroom.
and competencies that would enable a person to harness The former delivers the instruction, while the latter listen
their capacity. The authors of this article are also of the and participate in the teaching-learning process through
conviction that education has the objective of making the engaging their senses of sight, sound, feel and emotions.
recipients to be skilful in order to enhance their personal Learners get the opportunity to engage creatively in the
growth and contribute meaningfully to societal growth and class exercises, they are able to establish a connection
development. Based on this, Kapur (2018) is of the between concepts and get vague and abstract points
opinion that education is not only necessary for the clarified. Furthermore, learners would likely also benefit
progress of an individual; it is also required for the from facts that are based on the teacher’s views or
development of communities and nations. To buttress experience as opposed to textbook(s) and be able to
this, Gidado and Daramola (2021) point out that think critically due to the questioning technique(s)
education is an instrument for human resource adopted by the teacher and by implication learn
development because it equips learners with skills, something new or acquire new competencies and
knowledge and competencies that would make them to expertise in a given discipline. The above conjecture
become functional members of the society. The explains why many schools and teachers encourage
implication of this is that functional education could make students to be punctual in class or even make class
the lives of individuals better and position them to attendance compulsory and a condition for writing
contribute to the development of their communities and examinations. In line with this, Rothmans (2001) stresses
nations at large. Business education which in Nigeria is that physical presence in the school and active
studied from Junior secondary school to tertiary level of participation in academic activities would make students
education is one of the fields of study that are expected to benefit from academic programme. In the same vein,
to play a lead role in accelerating the pace of sustainable Credé et al. (2010) point out that instructors do
development in Nigeria. To corroborate this view point, a encourage their students to attend classes because of
deduction from Umezulike (2015) shows that business the belief that high class attendance leads to increased
education is a discipline which equips the recipients with learning and improve students’ grades. Furthermore,
skills in entrepreneurship, basic education, business Chou and Kou (2012) found out that overall class
environment and vocational practices that are required attendance is the strongest predictor of students’
for developing potentials of an individual, group and the performance. In a study conducted by Marburger in
nation. In the formal educational system, the extent to Kamal et al. (2013), using a model which compares the
which learners have acquired the desired skills is often absences of students with the questions attempted in a
evaluated in order to determine their level of educational multiple-choice question paper, it was found out that the
attainment (academic performance). Academic probability of an incorrect answer increased by
performance is perceived by researchers as a learning absenteeism from 7 to 14%. Adegoke et al. (2013) in
outcome (Lamas, 2015). In the same vein, Okafor and reference to Romer (1993) findings disclosed that class
Dalyopjah (2020) see it as the outcome of educational attendance significantly reflected on students’ Grade
service. It is also an indicator of achievement which Point Average (GPA). In the same vein, a study
clearly manifests in form of understanding, knowledge or conducted by Spaho and Goldoja (2014) reveals that
idea which is generally represented by grade (Mamman lecture attendance of business students has significant
and Oladeji, 2018). Furthermore, Okafor and Dalyopjah impact on their final success in General Mathematics
(2020) see academic performance as the extent to which course and that students who attended more than 10
educational goals have been attained by a person, lectures are more likely to get a passing grade. In the
teacher and or an institution. This explains why academic light of these reports, lecture attendance should be taken
performances are often categorized as excellent, good, very serious by students. Furthermore, Demir et al.
average or poor. The identified categories which (2017) found out that lecture attendance increases
themselves are associated with grades are arrived at academic success of students in Medical Physiology,
through a standardized system of continuous assessment regardless of whether they are first time takers or repeat
tests and examinations considered as the common takers. Finally, the findings of a study conducted by Rico
instruments for measuring academic performance, et al. (n.d) indicate a strong correlation between class
whether at random or fixed interval. As to how academic attendance percentages, pass rate and efficiency rate.
performance should be evaluated, Ekwesianya (2019) According to Rico et al. pass rate is a mathematical
points out that there is no consensus in relation to how relationship between the number of students that passed
academic performance should be evaluated. This shows a subject and the total number of registered students. On
that any suitable method of assessment can be used to the other hand, efficiency rate explains the mathematical
determine the extent to which educational goals have relationship between the credits earned by students and
 Auru and Gidado 3

the number of credits they had to register so as to earn information made available directly by the teacher.
the particular credits. It should however be noted that the Despite the benefits that are associated with lecture
findings of Rico et al. reveals that class attendance attendance, the researchers observed from preliminary
correlates more with efficiency rate than pass rate. investigation that students do wilfully choose to abscond
In contrast to the submissions above, Hunter and from lectures. Fayombo et al. (2012) research findings
Tetley (1999) in an earlier study observes that despite suggest that absenteeism is becoming rampant among
fallen attendance rates, pass rates in universities have students due to reasons such as lack of subject interest,
increased over the years and thus concludes that poor teaching strategies adopted by lecturers and
attendance does not affect examination performance. unfavourable learning environment. Other reasons
Similarly, Rodgers (2002) found out that there is no advanced for absenteeism among students include too-
relationship between attendance and academic much socialization, part-time jobs to augment meagre
performance. This owes to the fact that Rodgers bursaries granted by various sponsors and poor relations
implemented an incentive scheme in an undergraduate with lecturers. These reasons no doubt contributed to the
Introductory Statistics Module in which 1% is deducted dwindling performance of students in examinations and
from a student’s overall mark; whenever they missed may impact negatively on their ability to exhibit the
tutorial in excess of two. Therefore, when students’ desired skills in work environments after graduation.
attendance and performance were compared with those Although, the findings of some studies indicate that
of the students who took the same module in the absenteeism has no relationship with academic success
previous academic year before the introduction of the or failure, a critical examination of the findings of these
incentive scheme, the results indicate an improved same studies in the background of inadequate supporting
attendance without a corresponding academic technologies to promote self-study by which academic
performance, despite the deduction of the penalty points performance could have been improved or unaffected
for non-attendance. On a final note, a study conducted by justifies the need to investigate the impact of lecture
Doggrell (2020) reveals that there is no association attendance on academic performance. Hence, the
between lecture attendance and academic outcome. A problem of this study is therefore to empirically determine
critical examination of the literature reviewed so far the impact of lecture attendance on academic
shows that both attendance and absenteeism have performance of business education students in tertiary
influence on learning and academic achievement. This institutions, so as to bring to the fore and attempt to
owes principally to the fact that while attendance makes justify the idea that lecture attendance does lead to
the students to have access to first-hand information academic success.
made available by the teachers, absenteeism denies
them such benefits which could lead to poor
performance. In the same vein, some studies revealed Objectives of the study
that class attendance is not a guarantee for good
The objective of the study was to determine the impact of
academic performance and absenteeism does not
lecture attendance on academic performance of business
necessarily mean that students would perform poorly in
education students in tertiary institutions. The specific
examinations. It is thus, against this background that this
objectives of the study were to determine the relationship
study seeks to determine the impact of lecture
between lecture attendance and academic performance
attendance on academic performance of business
of business education students in tertiary institutions and
education students in tertiary institutions.
the difference between academic performances of
business education students with high and low rates of
attendance in tertiary institutions.
Statement of the problem

As put forward by Kapur (2018), academic performance Hypotheses

is influenced by different variables which include attitude
of the students, school resources, abilities of the teacher, In line with the research objectives, the following null
classroom environment, social, psychological and health hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of
factors, counselling and guidance services, time significance:
management, home environment and teaching-learning
method. A study conducted by Buba and Nwabufo (2020) : There is no significant relationship between
also revealed that parental level of education has a lecture attendance and students’ academic performance
significant and positive influence on academic in Business education in tertiary institutions.
achievement of junior secondary schools’ students in : There is no significant difference between the
Business Studies in Adamawa State, Nigeria. Many academic performances of Business education students
people view lecture attendance as an important indicator with high and low rates of attendance in tertiary
of academic success because it furnishes students with institutions.
4 Int. J. Voc. Tech. Educ.

Table 1. Relationship between lecture attendance and academic performance of business education students in
tertiary institution.

Variable N X2 cal Alpha (α) Df p-value Decision

Lecture attendance
80 54.850 0.05 5 0.000 S
Academic performance
2
X cal= Chi-square calculated, df= degree of freedom, P-value= probability value, S=significant.

Table 2. Summary of t-test on mean difference between academic performances of business education students with high and low rates
of attendance in tertiary institutions.

Variable N Mean Standard deviation Alpha (α) df t-value p-value Decision

High attendance rate 58 58.24 7.465
0.05 78 8.770 0.000 Significant
Low attendance rate 22 38.00 12.817

METHODOLOGY summary is presented in Table 1. Table 1 reveals that

there is a significant relationship between lecture
The study made use of descriptive survey research design which
Enyekit and Enyekit (2015) point out as a design that documents,
attendance and academic performance of Business
describes and presents what exists and otherwise in what is being education students in tertiary institutions. This is because
investigated. The study also adopted the census survey which the p-value of 0.000 was less than the alpha (α) value of
UNESCO (2022) sees as a study that is carried out on all the 0.05 leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis.
objects in a given population. This also implies that total population
sampling which is seen by Laerd Dissertation (2012) as a purposive
sampling technique that could be adopted if the size of the
population is relatively small and the population units share similar : There is no significant difference between the
characteristic(s) was used in the study. Furthermore, another academic performances of business education
reason for adopting census survey/total population sampling was students with high and low rates of attendance in
because, Ademuluyi and Okwuanaso in Umoru and Bala (2018)
suggest the use of the entire population if it is less than or equal to
tertiary institutions
two hundred and fifty. Based on these, the entire population of 80
students who registered for BED 220 (Entrepreneurship in Business Hypothesis two was tested using t-test and the summary
Eduction I) in 2017/2018 academic session at the Department of is presented in Table 2. From Table 2, it could be seen
Business Education, Federal Capital Territory College of Education, that there is a significant difference between the
Zuba-Abuja, Nigeria was used for the study. The students were academic performance of Business education students
categorised into two groups based on their percentage rate of
attendance. These were; high rate of attendance (50%-100%) and with high rate of attendance and those with low rate of
low rate of attendance (0%-49%). Furthermore, A, B and C attendance. This is because the null hypothesis was
examination grades with score range; 70-100, 60-69 and 50-59 rejected as a result of the p-value of 0.000 which was
respectively were considered as good academic performance, while less than the alpha (α) value of 0.05.
D (45-49), E(40-44) and F (0-39) were taken to be poor academic
performance. The data used for the study were obtained from a
secondary source (published students’ examination result).
Hypotheses one and two were respectively tested using Chi-square DISCUSSION
and t-test with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences
(SPSS). The two hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of
The major aim of this study was to determine the impact
significance and the decision rule was that a null hypothesis would
be accepted if the p-value was ≥ 0.05 and rejected if the p-value of lecture attendance on academic performance of
was < 0.05. Business education students in tertiary institutions. The
study shows that there was a significant relationship
between lecture attendance and academic performance
RESULTS of Business education students in tertiary institutions (p-
value = 0.0000<0.05). In the same vein, it reveals that
: There is no significant relationship between there was a significant difference between the academic
lecture attendance and students’ academic performance of Business education students with high
performance in Business education in tertiary rate of attendance and those with low rate of attendance
institutions (p-value = 0.0000<0.05). The study therefore
corroborates the works of researchers such as Romer in
Hypothesis 1 was tested using Chi-square and the Adegoke et al. (2013), Kamal et al. (2013),
 Auru and Gidado 5

Spaho and Goldoja (2014), Demir et al. (2017) and tertiary level of education.
Fernandez et al. (n.d) whose findings indicated that class
attendance increases academic performance thereby
bringing about a positive and significant relationship CONFLICT OF INTEREST
between the two variables (class attendance and
academic performance). Furthermore, the study refutes The authors have not declared any conflict of interest.
the findings of Hunter and Tetley (1999), Rodgers (2002)
and Doggrell (2020) which all revealed that there is no
relationship or connection between class attendance and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
academic performance.
The researchers sincerely appreciate and acknowledge
the contribution of Tertiary Education Trust Fund
Conclusion (TETFund) for expanding the frontiers of research and
shared knowledge through sponsoring this particular
The study established that lecture attendance is an research effort.
important determinant of academic success. This is
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