Sebiomo A. A, Ewebiyi, I. O, Sogbamu O. E
Abstract
With the rapid increase of students population in our tertiary institutions in the country, accommodation facilities shortfall is inevitable. This often results to low academic performance of students. This study therefore investigated effects of off-campus residence on academic performance among undergraduates of Agricultural Science of TASUED, Ijagun Ogun state, Nigeria. Questionnaire was administered to one hundred and twenty-five respondents to obtain data for the study and collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools at p=0.05 level of significance. Result shows that majority of the respondents had mean age of 23 years, majority (59.2%) were male, majority (94.4%) were Yorubas, majority (84.8%) were Christians, nearly half (48.0%) were in 300L, majority (52.0%) had second class lower, majority (70.4%) were occupying single rooms, majority (72.0%) from rural areas, majority (65.6%) were from polygamous family and majority (77.6%) studied agriculture based on their personal interest. Source of information and advice in choosing accommodation (1.93) was the major reasons that determined the respondents’ choice of accommodation. Majority (51.2%) of the respondents felt effects of off-campus on their academic performance negatively. There was a significant relationship between respondents’ sex (χ2=10.472, p=0.001), type of accommodation (χ2=10.137, p=0.011), residential area (χ2=11.001, p=0.011), features of students’ accommodation (r=-0.331, p=0.001), factors that influenced students’ choice (r=0.230, p=0.010) and effect of students’ residence and their academic performance. The study concluded that off-campus residence negatively affected academic performance of undergraduate agricultural Science students of TASUED, Ijagun, Ogun State, Nigeria. It is therefore recommended that more hostels should be built, made available and affordable by the school authority, government and philanthropists in the school environment to ease accommodation and enhancement of better academic performance of students in the study area.