Analysis of University Students’ Performance in Matriculation, Post Matriculation and First Year Examinations in Delta and Edo States, Nigeria

This study analyzed the university students’ performance in University Matriculation Examination (UME), post matriculation examination and first year examination with a view to determining whether the performance of students in UME and post UME had influenced the academic performance of students admitted into first year (100 level) in universities in Delta and Edo States, Nigeria. One research question was raised and one hypothesis was formulated and tested. The study had adopted the ex- post facto design using the correlational method. The population of the study comprised the students in all universities in Edo and Delta states that took the UME and Post UME in 2004/2005 and 2005/2005 academic sessions and a sample size of 8111 students from three universities was selected through stratified random sampling technique. Instruments used for this study included students’ records containing UME and post UME scores; and students’ first year GPA. The data collected were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression. The findings from the analysis showed that UME and Post UME performance of students combined, accounted for 67.2 percent of the variance in their first year academic performance in universities in Edo and Delta states. Based on these findings it was concluded, that the performance of students in UME and Post UME had impacted significantly on their first year academic performance in universities. On the basis of this conclusion, it was recommended among others that the UME and Post UME policy be allowed to continue in University admission in Edo and Delta States, Nigeria.

Key words: Matriculation examination, Post matriculation examination, Admission, students’ performance, Grade Point Average