Authors : Turyatunga Modern; Nabukeera Madinah; Matovu Musa; Ssali Muhammadi Bisaso

Volume/Issue : Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 9 - September

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/4xx4usjx

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/4hyhbmpz

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25sep1540

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Note : Google Scholar may take 30 to 40 days to display the article.

Abstract : The study was carried out to investigate the relationship between service quality and students’ retention in Islamic University in Uganda, Females Campus Kabojja (IUIU-FC). It was guided by the following specific objectives; (i) to examine the relationship between Service Reliability and Students’ Retention in IUIU-FC, (ii) to examine the relationship between Service Responsiveness and Students’ Retention in IUIU-FC, and (iii) to examine the relationship between Service Tangibility and Students’ Retention in IUIU-FC. The study was based on primary data which was collected using closed ended questionnaires. Data was provided by IUIU-FC third year undergraduate students in programs which were highly affected by students drop outs. Data collected was edited, coded and entered into computer program known as Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS). The SPSS program was used to analyze the data collected by carrying out descriptive and Pearson correlation analyses. The results indicated that; (i) there is a statistically significant and strong positive relationship between Service Reliability and Students’ Retention in IUIU-FC (r = 0.709; Sig. value = 0.000 < 0.01), (ii) there is a statistically significant and strong positive relationship between Service Responsiveness and Students’ Retention in IUIU-FC (r = 0.624; Sig. value = 0.000 < 0.01) and (iii) there is a statistically significant and strong positive relationship between Service Tangibility and Students’ Retention in IUIU-FC (r = 0.723; Sig. value = 0.000 < 0.01). It was concluded that elements of service quality play a critical role in students’ retention at a university. Based on the study findings and conclusions, it was recommended that IUIU-FC staff members should at all times show sincere interest in solving students’ problems. They should for instance give students full attention when they present issues and at the same time quickly respond to students’ emails, calls or messages. The university should dedicate part of its budget to facility improvement each semester. It should also formulate a policy that makes its mandatory for its staff members to be well-dressed and neat in appearance at all times.

References :

1. Albayda, M.R. (2025). Service quality of private higher educational institutions in Kabankalan City as a determinant of student retention. Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 3(8), 331-344. https://doi.org/10.69569/jip.2025.447
2. Albornoz-Toyohama, R. H, Mendigure-Hachircana R, Haro-Casildo S & Abanto-Ramírez C. D. (2025). Factors influencing student retention university students: an analysis of institutional reputation, social responsibility and loyalty. Front. Educ. 10:1499518. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2025.1499518
3. Arthur, Y. D., Dogbe, C. S. K., & Asiedu-Addo, S. K. (2022). Modeling students' mathematics achievement and performance through teaching quality: SERVQUAL perspective. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 14(4), 1509-1523.
4. Borishade, T. T., Ogunnaike, O. O., Salau, O. P., Motilewa, B. D., & Dirisu, J. I. (2021). Assessing the relationship among service quality, student satisfaction, and loyalty: The Nigerian higher education experience. Heliyon, 7(7), e07590. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07590
5. Burke, A. (2019). Student retention models in higher education: A literature review. College and University, 94(2), 12-21.
6. Eresia-Eke, C., Ngcongo, N., & Ntsoane, T. (2020). The nexus of service quality, student satisfaction, and student retention in small private colleges in South Africa. Education Sciences, 10(7), 179. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10070179
7. Forid, M. S., Hafez, M., and Khan, W. (2022). Student Satisfaction and Retention: Impact of Service Quality and Digital Transformation. Marketing and Management of Innovations 13, 152–163. doi: 10.21272/mmi.2022.4-14
8. Hughes, J. N., West, S. G., Kim, H., & Bauer, S. S. (2018). Effect of early grade retention on school completion: a prospective study. Journal of educational psychology, 110(7), 974.
9. Kajoina, O. (2022). The Role of Student Services in Student Retention: A Case Study of a Ugandan Private University. Theses & Dissertations. 405. https://athenaeum.uiw.edu/uiw_etds/405
10. Kamissa, Y. (2022).  Dropping Out From Educational System–2^nd part. Open Journal for Psychological Research. 2020;4(2);.
11. Kitana, A. (2016). The relationship between the level of service quality in the academic institutions and student’s retention: A case study on city university college of Ajman, (CUCA) introduction. Int. Refereed Res. J., 7, 52–60.
12. Kizito, H. N., Rukanyangira, N., Kwagala, M., et al., (2023). Service Quality and Student Retention in Low Cost Private Secondary Schools in Uganda. International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology, Volume 8, Issue 1, January – 2023
13. Leonnard, L. (2018). The performance of SERVQUAL to measure service quality in private university. Journal on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education and Science, 11(1), 16–21. https:// doi.org/10.7160/eriesj.2018.110103
14. Mayoma, C., & Nabukenya, S. (2022). Factors Contributing to High School Drop Out Rates among Female Teenagers Aged 13-19 Years in Logiri Sub-County, Arua District. A Cross-sectional Study. Research Paper, Kampala School of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
15. Nabukeera, M. S. (2018). An Exploration Of Students’ Lived Experiences In Females’ Campus In Uganda. Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Science, 6(11), 19-38.
16. National Council for Higher Education. (2022). The State of Higher Education and Training in Uganda. National Council for Higher Education, Kigobe Road, Kyambogo, Kampala.
17. Nojavan, M., Heidari, A., & Mohammaditabar, D. (2021). A fuzzy service quality based approach for performance evaluation of educational units. Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, 73, 100816.
18. Omar, E.M., & Mustafa, E.N. (2020). Students’ perceptions as predicator of service quality and students’ retention in tertiary education in Sudan: Structural Equation Modeling. European Academic Research, 8(6), 4541–4575. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/p7z6z466
19. Paraskevas, A. (2021). An exploratory study of customer expectations, perceived service quality, and customer satisfaction in the Greek hospitality industry. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 30 (1), 38–55.
20. Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V., & Berry, L. (1985). A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research. Journal of Marketing, 49(4), 41–50. https://doi.org/10.2307/1251430
21. Siregar, N. H. & Bahrun, M. (2020). Educational Financing Management to Improve the Quality of Education. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 576, Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Science, Technology, and Modern Society (ICSTMS 2020)
22. Xuerong, Z., & Kanjanapathy, M. (2024). The relationship between service quality and student retention in private higher education institutions in Malaysia. Int. J. Acad. Res. Bus. Soc. Sci. 14:525. doi: 10.6007/IJARBSS/v14-i1/20525

23. Zakirullah, Z., Camlibel, B. B., & Ying, H. H. (2025). Service Quality’s Impact on Educational Reputation and Students’ Happiness at Hohai University: The Mediating Role of Students’ Motivation. Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability Studies, 13, 16-39. https://doi.org/10.4236/jhrss.2025.131002