The Polytechnic

Faculty of Education and Media Studies

Department of Technical Education

Vincent Kambuku

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCES OF EDUCATION BUSINESS STUDIES STUDENTS WHO STAY

OFF-CAMPUS AT MALAWI UNIVERSITY OF BUSINESS AND APPLIED SCIENCES

Technical Education Department

[B.Ed. in Education Business Studies]

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 UNIVERSITY OF MALAWI

THE POLYTECHNIC

TECHNICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

[B.Ed. in Education Business Studies]

Vincent Kambuku

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCES OF EDUCATION BUSINESS STUDIES STUDENTS WHO STAY

OFF-CAMPUS AT MALAWI UNIVERSITY OF BUSINESS AND APPLIED SCIENCES

A dissertation submitted to the Department of Technical Education, The Malawi Polytechnic, University

of Malawi, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Education in Business Studies.

October 2021

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Declaration
I Vincent Kambuku declare that this thesis is my original work. Where other sources of information
have been used, they have been acknowledged. I hereby certify that this work has not been submitted
before in part or full for any other degree or examination.

SIGNATURE:

DATE:

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Certificate of approval
We, the undersigned, certify that we have read and hereby recommend for acceptance by the Malawi
University of Business and Applied Sciences a thesis entitled academic experiences of education
business studies students who stay off-campus at Malawi University of business and applied
sciences
Main Supervisor :
Signature :
Date :

Co-Supervisor :
Signature :
Date :

Head of Department :
Signature :
Date :

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Dedication
I dedicate this work to Mr &Mrs Kumwenda, Wilson Mhango, classmates, and my girlfriend (Emma
Juliana Mhone) for support of all kinds, particularly in finances, spiritual life, and morals. I hope that
you will grow with wisdom and hard work in all of your endeavors.

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Acknowledgment
I sincerely wish to extend my gratitude to all those who contributed in one way or another to the
development and production of this thesis.

Lastly, I sincerely thank my supervisor Mr. H. Chitsonga for the support he rendered in coming up with
this research thesis. I acknowledge the insights, counsel, efforts, guidance, and most of all, for his time
and for being there in consultation wherever I needed him. May the Almighty Lord bless him in
abundance.

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Table of Contents
Declaration................................................................................................................................................................i
Certificate of approval..............................................................................................................................................ii
Dedication............................................................................................................................................................... iii
Acknowledgment.....................................................................................................................................................iv
Table of Contents.....................................................................................................................................................v
Abstract...................................................................................................................................................................ix
List of tables..............................................................................................................................................................x
List of appendices....................................................................................................................................................xi
List of acronyms and abbreviations........................................................................................................................xii
CHAPTER ONE: BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY.........................................................................................................1
1.0. Chapter overview.........................................................................................................................................1
1.2. Problem statement............................................................................................................................................3
1.3. Purpose of the study.........................................................................................................................................3
1.4. Main research question.....................................................................................................................................3
1.5. Specific questions..............................................................................................................................................3
1.6. Significance of the study....................................................................................................................................4
1.7. Limitation of the study......................................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.............................................................................................................................5
1.0. HISTORY OF EDUCATION BUSINESS STUDIES (EBS)......................................................................................5
2.1. THE PROCESS OF ACCOMMODATION IN THE UNIVERSITIES.............................................................................5
2.2. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STAYING ON-CAMPUS AND STAYING OFF-CAMPUS..............................................6
2.3.1. BENEFITS OF STAYING ON-CAMPUS...............................................................................................................8
A. High level of academic activities involvement..................................................................................................8
B. Creation of social network among students.....................................................................................................8
C. Safety and security...........................................................................................................................................9
D. Easy access of school support within the campus............................................................................................9
E. Enough time to do personal things...................................................................................................................9
F. Financial advantage........................................................................................................................................10
2.4. BENEFITS OF STAYING OFF-CAMPUS...............................................................................................................11
A. More living space...........................................................................................................................................11
B. Personal privacy.............................................................................................................................................11

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 C. Experience of independent and adulthood life..............................................................................................11
D. Setting your own rules and gaining................................................................................................................12
2.5. SUGGESTED CHALLENGES OF STAYING OFF-CAMPUS.....................................................................................12
A. Distance covered............................................................................................................................................12
B. Social contact and feel of isolation from their peers and college...................................................................13
C. Insecurity........................................................................................................................................................13
D. Financial and economic issues.......................................................................................................................13
E. Shortage of students housing.........................................................................................................................14
F. Anxious and stressful......................................................................................................................................14
2.6. WAYS OF DEAL WITH THE CHALLENGES FACED BY OFF-CAMPUS STUDENTS..................................................15
A. Construction of additional hostels.................................................................................................................15
B. Provision of transport.....................................................................................................................................15
2.7. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK............................................................................................................................15
2.8. CONCLUSION...................................................................................................................................................17
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY..................................................................................................................................18
2.0. Chapter Overview.......................................................................................................................................18
3.1. Research Paradigm/philosophy.......................................................................................................................18
3.2. Research Design..............................................................................................................................................18
3.3. Population and Sample....................................................................................................................................19
A. Population......................................................................................................................................................19
B. Sampling technique........................................................................................................................................19
3.4. Data Generation and Instrumentation............................................................................................................19
A. Interview methods.........................................................................................................................................20
B. Focus groups discussion (FGDs)......................................................................................................................20
3.5. Data Analysis (Methods/Techniques)..............................................................................................................21
3.6. Validity and Reliability.....................................................................................................................................21
3.7. Ethical Consideration.......................................................................................................................................22
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS...................................................................................................23
4.1. Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................23
Background information about the mentioned participants..............................................................................23
Research question..............................................................................................................................................25
Specific questions...............................................................................................................................................25
4.2. Academic experiences of off-campus students at MUBAS..............................................................................25

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4.2.1. Benefits of staying off-campus students at MUBAS.....................................................................................25
A. Economic........................................................................................................................................................25
B. Sanitation.......................................................................................................................................................26
C. Choice of meals..............................................................................................................................................27
4.3. Challenges faced by students who stay off-campus at MUBAS.......................................................................28
A. Long distance.................................................................................................................................................28
B. Financial problems.........................................................................................................................................29
C. Insecurity........................................................................................................................................................31
D. Disturbance from surroundings.....................................................................................................................32
E. Rules and Regulations.....................................................................................................................................33
F. Minimal access to school resources................................................................................................................33
G. Electricity problems.......................................................................................................................................34
4.4. Possible solutions to the problems..................................................................................................................34
A. Construction of additional hostels.................................................................................................................34
Provision of transport.........................................................................................................................................35
4.5. Summary.........................................................................................................................................................37
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS.............................................................................................................38
5.0. Introductions...................................................................................................................................................38
5.1. Academic experiences of off-campus students at MUBAS..............................................................................38
5.1.1. Benefits of staying off-campus students at MUBAS......................................................................................38
A. Economic........................................................................................................................................................38
B. Sanitation.......................................................................................................................................................39
C. Choice of meal................................................................................................................................................39
5.2. Challenges faced by students who stay off-campus at MUBAS.......................................................................39
A. Long distance.................................................................................................................................................40
B. Financial problems.........................................................................................................................................41
C. Insecurity........................................................................................................................................................43
D. Disturbances from surroundings....................................................................................................................44
E. Rules and Regulations.....................................................................................................................................44
F. Minimal access to school resources................................................................................................................45
G. Electricity problems.......................................................................................................................................46
5.3. Possible solutions to challenges faced by off-campus students......................................................................47
A. Construction of additional hostels.................................................................................................................47

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 B. Provision of transport.....................................................................................................................................47
5.4. Implication of the study...................................................................................................................................48
5.5. Summary.........................................................................................................................................................49
CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION...................................................................................................................................50
6.1. Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................................50
6.2. Recommendations...........................................................................................................................................51
6.3. Suggestions for further studies........................................................................................................................52
References..............................................................................................................................................................53
Appendix 1: CHECKING FOR CONTENT VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY BY USING CONTENT VALIDITY RATIO (CVR)....56
Appendix 2: CONSENT LETTER................................................................................................................................59
Appendix 3: WORKPLAN.........................................................................................................................................60
Appendix 4: BUDGET..............................................................................................................................................61
Appendix 5: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR DEAN OF STUDENTS......................................................................................62
SECTION A..........................................................................................................................................................62
SECTION B...........................................................................................................................................................62
Appendix 6: FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS RESEARCH INTERVIEW.GUIDE FOR STUDENTS.....................................63
SECTION A..........................................................................................................................................................63
SECTION B...........................................................................................................................................................63
Appendix 7: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR STUDENTS.....................................................................................................64
SECTION A..........................................................................................................................................................64
SECTION B...........................................................................................................................................................65
SECTION C...........................................................................................................................................................65
Appendix 8: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR LANDLORDS/LANDLADYS..............................................................................66
SECTION A..........................................................................................................................................................66
SECTION B...........................................................................................................................................................66
Appendix 9: TURNITIN REPORT..............................................................................................................................67

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Abstract
The increase in enrolment of students has brought pressure on accommodation in hostels provided by
colleges. The increase has also caused shortage of bed spaces in the hostels and this has led to many
students living outside the campus. These off-campus students encounter different experiences while
staying off-campus. The study was designed to explore the experiences faced by those students who
stayed outside campus (off-campus students).

The study employed case study design in order to describe in depth the experiences of off-campus
student. The study involved EBS students, dean of students and the owners of the houses and hostels
where off-campus students stayed. Non-sampling technique was used in order to select participants of
the given population. In addition, interviews and focus group discussions methods were used to generate
data that yielded the findings. The researcher employed thematic analysis technique to analyze the data
generated from participants.

The researcher found that off-campus students faced challenges like long-distance covered, insecurity,
financial problems, environmental noise, rules and regulations, minimal access to school resources, and
electricity problems. These challenges had negative impact on off-campus students’ performance.
Despite these challenges, the researcher also found that some of off-campus students enjoyed had
economic, sanitation, and choice of meal benefits. It also established from the study that construction of
extra hostels and provision of transport could reduce challenges the mentioned challenges. The
researcher had suggested that students should be walking in groups to improve their security during odd
hours.

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List of tables
Table 1: Summary of the number of EBS students’ off-campus and on-campus....................................................23

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List of appendices
Appendix 1: CHECKING FOR CONTENT VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY BY USING CONTENT VALIDITY RATIO (CVR)....56
Appendix 2: CONSENT LETTER................................................................................................................................59
Appendix 3: WORKPLAN.........................................................................................................................................60
Appendix 4: BUDGET..............................................................................................................................................61
Appendix 5: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR DEAN OF STUDENTS......................................................................................62
Appendix 6: FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS RESEARCH INTERVIEW.GUIDE FOR STUDENTS.....................................63
Appendix 7: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR STUDENTS.....................................................................................................64
Appendix 8: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR LANDLORDS/LANDLADYS..............................................................................66
Appendix 9: TURNITIN REPORT..............................................................................................................................67

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List of acronyms and abbreviations
BCA: Blantyre College of Accountancy

EBS: Education Business Studies

FDH First Discount House

FGD: Focus Group Discussion

MCA: Malawi College of Accountancy

MIJ: Malawi Institute of Journalism

MUBAS: Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences

NBM National Bank of Malawi

COVID-19 Corona Virus Disease

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CHAPTER ONE: BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

1.0. Chapter overview

Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences is one of the universities in Malawi, which offers
educational courses. MUBAS under the department of technical education used to offer technical
education as a course of this particular program. However, there have been several developments more
especially with the introduction of technical education (technology) and business studies programs. For
instance, in the year, 2004 education business studies was introduced and in the year, 2018 bachelor of
education (technology) was introduced. Now this means that the department has three different
programs. With such particular introduction of programs, it has made the number of enrolment of
students at MUBAS to increase.

For instance, in the last 5 years when MUBAS was offering 35 different programs about 540 students at
the beginning of each academic year were enrolled. Meanwhile, in the 2020-2021 academic year
MUBAS enrolled about 1180 students into forty different programs (National Council for Higher
Education, 2020). The difference in figures is showing how the number of students is increasing in each
year of admittance. For instance, in 2016, about 62 students were selected to study in education business
studies, and 2020; about 81 students were admitted for education business studies (National Council for
Higher Education, 2020). This is showing how the number of students has been increasing during intake
and how National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has been responding to the high demand for
higher education. This increase in enrollment has made pressure on the accommodation space. Because
of this pressure, some students are being forced to stay off-campus. The more they increase in the
number of students the more the pressure on accommodation space and the greater the number of
students staying off-campus. These off-campus students have different experiences as far as off-campus
is concerned.

Off-campus is a term that describes students who stay outside the campus and stay in houses that are
under the control of people within the localities of the university and they live under the conditions of
the owners of the house or hostel and these differ depending on who owns them (Nelkorevaar, 2004). So
these students have their own experiences as far as their stay is concerned. In addition, Off-campus
students also include those who come from their homes to attend classes of their respective programs;

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they stay under the control of their parents or guardians (Gifford, 2002). These two have their own
experiences in as far as commuting from home is concerned.

Due to an increase in the number of enrolments and limited accommodation space, the chances for a
student to be picked to stay on-campus have been very slim. As such only, a few are considered to stay
on campus and the rest stay off-campus. On-campus is the term that defines students who stay within the
hostels or houses that are under the care of the university's management (Furlong & Cartmel, 2004). On-
campus students have their own experience while under the care of university’s management and the
care may include day and night security services, cleaning the surroundings, lighting, and water bills
being looked after by the management.

Currently, study showed that about 700 students were accommodated on campus against 4777 students
of which about 4077 students were staying off-campus because of the pressure on accommodation
space. Many of these students have been staying in areas that surround MUBAS. Students book private
hostels or rooms that they are comfortable with in terms of their financial abilities. Nearby hostels or
areas which are occupied by students include; Maserema, Chitawira, Chichiri, kamba, Makata, and
Mandala. But sometimes students have no choice as in regards to where to stay when spaces in the
nearby hostels and houses have been occupied. Hence, they are forced to stay from far places like in
Ndirande, Zingwangwa, Napeli, Manyowe and Newlines. Other groups of students find themselves
living in their relative's homes around Blantyre simply because they were not lucky in finding private
hostels or houses.

However, education business studies students are also affected by pressure on accommodation spaces.
This is because of the total number of students at MUBAS mentioned earlier of 4777, 292 were from
education business studies and only 69 are staying on campus and 223 students stay off-campus
(Polytechnic, 2019). These two education business studies students have their own experiences while
staying off-campus. Hence, this study will discuss the educational experiences of these students who
stay off-campus.

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1.2. Problem statement
In the early days, all students enrolled in colleges were offered on-campus accommodation. However,
nowadays due to the demand for higher learning education in most countries including Malawi, the
number of enrollment has increased. This increase in the number of students admitted to study in various
universities has resulted in limited bed spaces. The increase and the pressure on accommodation has
been a situation that every college is facing be it in Malawi or any other country (Brown, 2019).
Attempts have been made to balance the situation but due to the increase in demand for higher learning,
the situation has remained unbalanced. In Malawi, the more colleges and NCHE are trying to meet the
demand for higher learning the more the number of students staying off-campus increases. These off-
campus students encounter different experiences.

In spite that MUBAS is expanding in terms of offering higher learning education to youths, this has
caused a lot of pressure on accommodation space. Hence, the increase in the number of enrolment at this
university has forced most of the students to stay off-campus and this has prompted me to explore the
academic experiences of education business studies students who stay off-campus at MUBAS.

1.3. Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study was to explore the academic experiences of education business studies
students who stay off-campus at MUBAS. The study looked at the academic positive and negative sides
of staying off-campus. The researcher wanted to bring to the surface what off-campus students are
experiencing as they pursue their academic careers.

1.4. Main research question

The main research question for this study was that: What were the academic experiences of education
business studies student who stay off-campus at MUBAS?

1.5. Specific questions

1) What are the academic experiences off-campus students face?
2) What are the challenges faced by education business studies students who stay off-campus at
MUBAS?

3) What can be the solutions to the challenges faced by off-campus students?

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1.6. Significance of the study
The study will reveal the educational experiences faced by off-campus students. This will include the
educational experiences and challenges that they face as they stay off-campus. This study will bring
forth to the management of universities and colleges the challenges faced by off-campus students.
Furthermore, the findings of the study will provide an understanding of how best the issue addressed by
off-campus students can be addressed in the colleges. At large, the findings of this study will help public
and private investors in the education of the factors to consider when introducing non-residential
accommodation to students.

1.7. Limitation of the study

The findings of this study cannot be generalized reason being the population is small. The university has
about five faculties in which more than three programs are offered each. And this study had generated
data from one program in the faculty of media studies. Because of the time factor, the sample size will
be small. By having enough time and increasing the sample size the findings can be inferred to a greater
population.

In addition, the population was reduced because the other class (year three students) had gone for
teaching practices. The number of groups was reduced due to covid-19 rules. The researcher had
followed the set measures by reducing the number of meetings with the participants in order to prevent
the spread of covid-19.

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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

1.0. HISTORY OF EDUCATION BUSINESS STUDIES (EBS)

Education business studies is a four-year programme that was introduced in 2004. This program was
mainly created to provide instructors who can be delivering computer studies, business studies and
accounting in secondary schools, technical and vocational trainings colleges (Polytechnic, 2019). As a
way to meet the needs of the society and the high demand for tertiary education from the youths. In the
year 2005, Malawi University Business and Applied Sciences started enrolling students into this
program. Since 2005 to date, the course has gone under development as far as curriculum change is
concerned. This program introduces students to educational foundation courses like psychology,
teaching methods, instructional media, testing, measurement and evaluation, philosophy and sociology;
accounting related subjects like accounting 1&2, financial management and financial admiration, and
computer related subjects like programming 1&2, networking and data base design and analysis. The
knowledge and skills gained from the for-mentioned subjects and others, equip students to become
efficient/effective instructors. In third year, students are sent for teaching practices in secondary schools,
and technical colleges depending on one’s choice where to be tested for competency level. Computer
related subjects such as programming 1 and 2, and networking are practical in their nature. These
courses are taught in the computer laboratory and are among the subjects that require students’
availability in terms of class work and group work involvement. In spite of these requirements, not all
students in this program are accommodated on-campus due to increase in enrollment of students and the
pressure on accommodation space. Currently EBS has 292 students all together from first year to fourth
year, which is representing 6.1% of the current total population of students (Polytechnic, 2019).

2.1. THE PROCESS OF ACCOMMODATION IN THE UNIVERSITIES.

To stay whether on-campus or off-campus is by choice in most European countries (Universities UK,
2006). Most continuing students prefer to stay off-campus for their various reasons. As cited above first
priority of accommodation space is given to first years because they have little or no experience of the
college life and feel a sense of belonging to the university. Unlike in African countries, student are
considered for accommodation space when they have applied and they have been successfully selected
by accommodation team headed by the dean of students (Mbara & Cynthia, 2014). At Malawi
University Business and Applied Sciences in each academic year, students are requested to apply as per

5
college’s policy on accommodation which stipulates that students who have been offered
accommodation have a period of one academic year to stay in on-campus (Polytechnic, 2019). This
policy allows at least each student to stay in on-campus for average of one academic year unless
otherwise (i.e. physical challenged).

2.2. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STAYING ON-CAMPUS AND STAYING OFF-CAMPUS.

Staying off-campus means living outside the university premises whereby students are unable to or
choose not to occupy students’ accommodation space provided by the university whether in on-campus
or off-campus student housing under the control the university’s management (Nelkorevaar, 2004). In
simple terms as per Collins dictionary (2019), staying off campus means outside of the area of land that
contains the main building of university or college. This definition looks at the scenario where the main
buildings of the university that have no capacity to occupy students. The author has defined staying off-
campus as a housing unit students stayed in for the period of their studies (Amole, 2012). This is
focusing on a place where students stay as they pursue their studies. The houses they live in are not
owned by the university rather by the surrounding communities. This explanation concur with the
definition of staying off-campus of Lynn (2016), staying off-campus means staying in a building or
property owned or controlled by an individual or a group of individuals who has a claim over the house.

On the other hand, staying on-campus means staying in any building or property owned or controlled by
an institution within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area and used by the institution in
direct support or in a manner related to, the institutions educational purposes (Mahaffie, 2016). In this
definition the university’s management has control over the running of the hostel or the houses. Other
author have defined “Staying on-campus” as being understood as the accommodation built by the
university for the students who stay in that particular university. The university is responsible for
services like security, cleaning the surroundings and maintenance of the hostels; if not the university
itself the outsourced individual or company in agreement with the university is responsible for the for-
mentioned services (Nelkorevaar, 2004). In the developed countries like china and canada when one is
staying on-campus means the students have structured academic sessions in a unit, which require student
to attend face-to-face or professional experience activities such as lectures, tutorials, laboratory classes,
skill-based classes or professional/clinical/field experiences etc. (Avondale University College, 2017).

In Norway, students are not provided with accommodation by the universities, as it is not their
responsibility as stated by Scandinavian and the German university tradition. But private sector do cover

6
the students demand on accommodation (Thomsen & Eikemo, 2010). The high demand in housing is
being reduced by the students’ welfare organisation, which provides housing for students (Thomsen,
2008). In western countries like United Kingdom accommodation is now provided to first year students
only by the universities and the rest are off-campus in the private housing. This came in as a way to give
room to the newly selected students into the universities who generally have no experience of the life led
at colleges (Routledge, 2007).

In the Southern and Northern continent of America like Colombia and Canada respectively students who
want to stay off campus are given guide maps on which house do they intend to live. All students are
given a map guide to choose where they will manage to stay by providing their details which include
individual apartment or group one, mode of transportation, type of food and the possible behaviors of
roommates. So accommodation is controlled by private sectors (Off-campus living and neighborhood
relations, 2019).

In most African countries, no priority is given to first year students on allocation of accommodation
space. Either first year or continuing students both categories are given equal chance to be considered in
on-campus and the only limiting factor is the bed spaces. For example, at the University of
Johannesburg in South Africa the population of students has increased that has affected student
accommodation. This increase has led into many students renting private hostels (Mbara & Cynthia,
2014). But in Zimbabwe and Tanzania the situation is different as priority of accommodation space is
first given to first year students and letting continuing students to look for private hostels (Muhammad,
Hafazah, & Ishak, 2012).

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2.3.1. BENEFITS OF STAYING ON-CAMPUS
The following are some of benefits of staying on-campus as generated by other scholars;

A. High level of academic activities involvement.

Students who stayed on-campus had high level of engagement in academic activities in particular
compared to off-campus students who stayed very far from school (Horvath, 2014). Students could
involve in activities like group discussions, lab sessions and group studies. They also had chances of
interaction with fellow students on matters of classes (Dang, 2012). This allowed them to participate in
groups at any time thereby support one other academically.

Students who stayed on campus had the ability to navigate through college procedures such as network
of resident advisors and staff members (Schudde L. T., 2011). While living on campus, students had also
greater chance of interaction with staff members on registration processes and college requirements. It is
very easier for on-campus students to maintain a social life than those who stayed off-campus and
therefore, on-campus students would mostly engage in more social activities (Turley & Wodtke, 2010).
Similarly at MUBAS, on campus students interacted with their lecturers more often compared to off-
campus students

B. Creation of social network among students.

Students who stayed on-campus made far more friendship during their first semester than commuters
and these friendship played a vital role in as far as college social life is concerned (Buote, et al., 2007).
Hence, staying on-campus allowed students to attend to special students’ events in the universities. For
example, at university of Monash in Australia it has biweekly bar night, where students walk to the local
sports bar or clubs in large group to dance and kindness-week, where students buy gifts for a random
assigned person in the hall for a week to show appreciation (Erica, 2021). Similarly, at MUBAS,
students are exposed to activities such as freshman’s party, which take place each academic year, and it
is hard for those who stay off-campus for these activities happen during evening hours.

Social life is defined as how we live with our friends and how our behaviour influences others’ lives and
theirs influence our lives (Evans, 2001). On-campus means countless opportunities to meet new people
and create lasting friendship (Brower, 2008). Staying on-campus give opportunity to students to create
long friendships because of the enough time they have after classes whist off-campus are traveling to
their homes after classes. In addition, staying and being involved in activities together with your friends

8
gave a sense of belonging to the university community (College Basics, 2020). On-campus students had
that feel that they really belong to the college and comfortably tell their friends about their college.
Staying on campus is associated with attendance of school events (Julinin, 2003). On-campus students
would participate highly in school organizations or societies within the campus for example, students
could attend to programme’s associations like ABES and other Christian organisations at the school like
SCOM and YCSS at any time which could be hard for off-campus students to attend if the meetings
were to be scheduled late in the afternoon.

C. Safety and security

On-campus students are provided with maximum security by the university's management from the
security department (Fuller, 2021). Security is provided day and night at the campus unlike off-campus
students who rely only on locking their house’s doors. This provide the students with comfortable mind
when they have left their rooms for other activities outside. In some areas, students are given cards as
their identity on the entry point, which is part of the security to avoid intruders to have access to the
university's premises. According to Simpson (2014) staying on-campus, entitle students to entire
network of security that is put in place to keep the students and their possessions safe. For off-campus
students to have such security means hiring private guards, which mostly are expensive to hire.

D. Easy access of school support within the campus

Students who stayed on-campus had easy access to resources offered within the university. University
resources are the services provided by the university to enhance students learning and development
process in their career building i.e. library services, internet services and laboratories, fitness room,
classes and sports activities (Oregon Institute of Technology, 2010). On-campus students during opening
hours of the library could go and study there, be it odd hours or normal hours without any fear for
distance and security being not limiting factors to them as it is with off-campus students who might be in
hurry to catch evening public transport and protecting their school material against street robbers.
Thomson (2008) suggested that easy access to internet was one of the reasons to move to campus in the
next academic year. Most universities provide free Wi-Fi services to their students and mostly this
service is enjoyed by on-campus students who have time at any hour of the day even at night.

9
E. Enough time to do personal things
The minimal housekeeping, no cleaning the surrounding and no cooking gave on-campus students time
to do their own things (Oregon Institute of Technology, 2010). Some utilized this time for their studies
which gave on-campus students more studying hours compared to off-campus students who were to do
all the household chores by themselves if they could not hire an assistant. However, this does not mean
they will perform better than off-campus students (Dasimah, 2008). Even though it is said off-campus is
more challenging than staying on campus, it was reported that environmental factors subjected to those
staying off-campus had nothing to do with academic achievement of these learners (Amole, 2012). This
meant that performance depend on the commitment of the student towards school and the level of
intelligence.

F. Financial advantage
Students who stayed on-campus had an upper hand in avoiding various financial expenses (Simpson
university, 2014). According to ACCA (2010), financial expenses are defined as any expenditure that is
incurred in exchange of a service or a product by the users for example bills. On-campus students did
not pay direct utility bills like of water and electricity, rental charges, transport cost. If students were to
pay, they could not pay much as compared to those staying off-campus as the college's management
looked after them. In other universities, the cost of living on-campus could offset financial aid (Erica,
2021). At Malawi University Business and Applied Sciences such aid are available as well. They come
from banks like FDH and NBM, and other well wishes organisation who fund selected student who
could need financial help for their fees and accommodation expenses.

10
2.4. BENEFITS OF STAYING OFF-CAMPUS
The following are some of benefits of staying on-campus as generated by some scholars;

A. More living space

When you stay off-campus, you have freedom of choosing where you want to live and how much the
size of space you need depending on what you have (Madelene, 2017). For instance some students
would prefer to rent a house not just with one room but at least two supplied with water in the house
while others staying without sharing with fellow students, all these would depend on financial stability.
In addition, those that had cars would look for a hostel or apartment that had car parking space. One of
the factors preventing students to stay on-campus in the next academic year was lack of space; most off-
campus students had enough space in their living rooms or houses unlike on-campus students (Frazier,
2009).

B. Personal privacy
Staying off-campus means, you can be staying alone or with your friends, so whichever way you can
control your privacy (Dang, 2012). Students had private toilets, bathrooms, kitchen and they could
control their living. As in Frazier (2009), Headershott, Wright, and Henderson conducted a survey to
measure the quality of life within the university community; the study found that on-campus students
were less satisfied with hostels because of lack of privacy. So off-campus students were advantaged on
the choice of either to stay alone or with a friend and on the control of things they use.

C. Experience of independent and adulthood life

Staying off-campus might mean running your mini household, which is the apartment, or the hostel (My
College options, 2013).When you stay off-campus, budgeting your money becomes crucial because you
would have to consider a number of expenses to pay. For instance, students had to set enough money
aside to pay rent, utilities, cable and internet, which were vital for a successful off-campus living
experience. Living off-campus allowed students to prepare for life on their own (Simpson university,
2014). For those who relied on their guardians for financial support to help them run their living all was
needed was to budget on what they received.

11
D. Setting your own rules and gaining.
Unlike on campus living where you are controlled in a number of areas (Erica, 2021). For example,
Restrictions on a friend to have a sleep over and not been able to make huge adjustments to the room
given were some of the rules on-campus students were to live with which was not the case with off-
campus students who had total control of the house renting. You are limited to what electric appliance to
bring in the room, not allowed to cook your choice of meal. Depending on what you like, staying off-
campus to some extend saved meal cost (Dang, 2012). Students who stayed off-campus could prepare
their meal at any time they wanted with the food staffs bought from the markets within their localities.

2.5. SUGGESTED CHALLENGES OF STAYING OFF-CAMPUS

The following are the suggested challenges faced by off-campus as suggested by different authors.

A. Distance covered
Off-campus students spent a considerable time travelling form where they stayed to campus to attend
classes or any other school related activity (Valencia, 2014). Some students stayed far from the school
premises just because other students had occupied the surrounding areas already. This connected to the
issue of transportation. It also meant that students had to factor in commuting time and costs, and
potentially spend valuable time on transportation (Dang, 2012). Those who stayed off-campus
constantly had to work out schedules for traveling time and most always were watching their clock.
Either walking or driving back and forth to school could be time consuming, tiresome and expensive
(Horvath, 2014). Unlike on-campus, students who covered shorter distance to attend classes and other
school related activities at any time. This challenge had an effect on off-campus students to access
library services during rate hours due to fear of being attacked while on their way to library.

12
B. Social contact and feel of isolation from their peers and college
Off-campus students are limited to social contact opportunities with other students, which are vital for
the enhancement of their learning and development of their lives (Mbara & Cynthia, 2014). Depending
on where you live, you may found yourself feeling isolated from your school and peers, no many friends
to around you or around the block (My College options, 2013). This has a bearing on a number of
friends who were to get academic assistance. Staying off-campus might affect some students on how and
when to choose to associate depending on how far were they from the campus. According to Nguyen
(2012), staying off-campus to others feels like missing that once-in-time university experience. Students
they could not be regarded as members of the school to their friends as most of the time they were
interacting with the communities.

C. Insecurity
Off-campus students’ properties are not safe as their safety rely on the presence of landlords
(Muhammad, Hafazah, & Ishak, 2012). Most houses that were rented by students were not guarded and
students were to lock the doors when leaving the compound, failure to do so their properties were at risk
of being stolen. This has not been the case with on-campus students whose hostels were guarded day and
night, and indirectly looked upon by staff members. According to Hilmy, Abdul and Abdullah (2012)
they found that off-campus students’ living conditions remained unsecure because of the neighborhood
in which they stayed as most of the residents were unfamiliar.

D. Financial and economic issues

Unlike those who stay on-campus, most of the things are included in the costs they pay as
accommodation fee, like electricity, water and other internet connections but for off-campus students
they are to pay by themselves on monthly basis (Dang, 2012). Living off-campus is cheaper, but it
comes with its own risks (Erica, 2021). While on-campus you have water, gas, electricity as well as
campus events included but off-campus you have to pay more for these things depending on how you
use them.

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E. Shortage of students housing.
Shortage of student housing exists national wide as the majority of university students at nation’s largest
public institutions live off-campus (Turley & Wodtke, 2010). With the increase in enrollment of students
in the university, it is hard for some students to find houses to rent as the demand is increasing. In most
universities, upper-class students are forced into the local communities where there is either not enough
local housing to meet the demand (Muhammad, Hafazah, & Ishak, 2012). Some of the houses that these
students rent were not designed as students’ residence. Houses meant for students are furnished with
beds, study tables and chairs, unfortunately to some houses, this was opposite and students opted for
these houses because they had no choice as to where to find the rental houses

F. Anxious and stressful

The idea of brand new lifestyle could lead to anxiety issues and as well as the need to get along with a
roommate could be another large cause of stress (Horvath, 2014). As much as students experience
independent and adulthood life, live alone, or with someone whom you do not know may give stress.
The level of stress between on-campus and off-campus is different and off-campus experience it highly.
This was so because sometimes they live with people who they rarely talk to, due to different activity
attendance (Schudde, 2011). In cases where your pockets are empty and you had not settled your bills
with the landlord off-campus students may be stressed.

In general, when these challenges continued placing pressure on off-campus students result in
disengagement. The cases of students getting withdraw letters from college authorities tend to increase
because they could not cope with the pressure on them to feed, pay rent and provide transport for
themselves. Mostly, this situation is associated with family background and economic status of where
these off-campus students came from. Very few could persist the pressure for we eat to live, and
Abraham Maslaw (1962) said in his theory basic needs are the source of motivation in human life. So if
off-campus students could be able to find food, shelter and followed by security then their studies will
go smooth keeping other things equal.

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2.6. WAYS OF DEAL WITH THE CHALLENGES FACED BY OFF-CAMPUS STUDENTS
A. Construction of additional hostels.
Construction of additional hostels could be in two phases; short term and long term. Temporary hostels
could be of iron sheets or plywood and for the long term, management could plan for the construction of
hostel buildings (Selamawit & Jibat, 2014). However, building these hostels does mean that everyone
would be accommodated but at least a good number of students would be accommodated. Talenda and
Celliers (2014) found that colleges’ management should build more on-campus accommodation in order
to reduce the proportion of off-campus students who experienced security problems when moving to and
from campuses. This could as well reduce the pressure on accommodation space.

B. Provision of transport
Respondent in Lynn research (2016) proposed that management should be providing buses in odd hours
for students who live in most unsafe places. In cases where off-campus students have late afternoon
classes and events, provision of buses could provide safety as well as solving the transport issue during
odd hours. Working in groups could provide another safe mode against street robbery according to Joel
(2019). This could work better to those who are many in the area where they live. Universities need to
ensure that walking routes and paths within the locality of the college premises are furnished with streets
lights.

2.7. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Bean and Metzner’s (1985) Student Attrition Theory had guided the study. Bean and Metzner developed
a conceptual model of students, which was directed specifically to the non-traditional students including
distant learners. According to bean and Metzner (1985), the primary difference in the attrition process
between traditional and non-traditional students was that non-traditional students were more affected by
the external environment than by social integration variables. They identified four factors affecting
persistence, which include; academic variables such as study habits and course availability; background
and defining variables such as age, education goals and ethnicity; environmental variables such as
finances, hours of employment, family responsibility, and outside encouragement; and academic and
psychological outcomes while at the college.

These variables could challenge students and push them out of the educational institution by putting too
much pressure on their time, resources, and sense of well-being. Environmental variables such as

15
finance would determine the type of house and area where to find accommodation for off-campus
students. Academic variables- Course involvement may have some effects on off-campus students, as
they might not be always around the campus to attend to group discussions and late laboratory activities.
When academic variables are positive, but environmental variables are negative, the favorable effects of
academic variables on off-campus students’ goal attainment are suppressed. Students may drop out of
college despite strong academic performance if they perceive low levels of unity, satisfaction or goal
commitment, or if they experience high levels of stress.

16
2.8. CONCLUSION
The chapter has discussed various views pertaining to the topic under study, which is exploring the
academic experiences of education business studies students who stay off-campus at Malawi University
Business and Applied Sciences. Through literature review, the chapter has focused on the history of
education business studies (EBS), the process of accommodation in the universities.

It has been shown that priority of accommodation to college students differ depending on the rules of the
regulating bodies of accommodation in a particular country. However, most of them offer
accommodation to first years. This was justifiable in the sense that first years could find it hard to look
for the private hostels, as they were unfamiliar with the area of the college where they have been
admitted. Unlike continuing students who most of them were familiar with the surrounding areas of the
college.

The chapter has also established the difference between on-campus and off-campus, where off-campus
means staying outside the college’s hostels and on campus means staying in the college hostels. It has
also looked at benefits of staying on-campus, which are high level of academic activity involvement,
safety and security and financial advantage. Benefits of staying off-campus, which are more living space
and personal privacy, suggested challenges faced by students staying off-campus and suggested
solutions to the challenges faced by off-campus students.

In general, it has been shown that students who stay on-campus are more advantageous compared to
those staying off-campus who face many challenges. These challenges faced by these students some are
controllable while others are beyond their control. Unless one is employed but the family’s income will
determine the type of the private hostel.

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CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY

2.0. Chapter Overview

This chapter outlines the procedures and strategies that were used to generate and analyze data. It
focused on research philosophy, research design, population and sampling techniques, data generation
and instrumentation, data analysis, validity and reliability and ethical consideration.

3.1. Research Paradigm/philosophy

The philosophical study of this research was interpretive which targets to understand a phenomenon, a
process, or a particular point of view from the perspective of those involved (Donald, Lucy, & Sorensen,
2010). According to Johnson and Christensen (2014), interpretative research requires the researcher to
make meaning out of the data to be generated so that it could be put into an understandable manner. In
relation to the same Mack (2010) stated that the main tenet of interpretivist was that reality must be
observed from inside through direct experience of people. The interpretivist paradigm was appropriate
for this research study because participants were able to reveal their perceptions towards off-campus
experiences to the researcher.

3.2. Research Design

In order to generate qualitative data, the study employed a qualitative research approach, which allowed

to gather data and make meaning, and discover new understanding about the participants (Borg, 2001).

Therefore, the researcher made meaning from the data generated and by doing so he understood how

they lived in a particular situation and correspondingly the study used case study research design; this

design seeks to focus on specific topic that is of interest. It originated in 1829 by Frederic Le Play (Borg,

2001). Case study is defined as an in depth study of a particular situation rather than sweeping statistical

survey (Donald, Lucy, & Sorensen, 2010). This design allowed the researcher in describing in depth the

experience of off-campus students at the college. This is in agreement with Michael (2008) who stated

that the principle of a research design is to guide the researcher on what type of data to collect, how to

collect, process and how to analyse and make meaning out of it in order to answer the research

18
problem(s) and used to make decision. In this case, the information gathered would help the college on

how best they could help off-campus students.

3.3. Population and Sample

A. Population
Population refers to a larger group to which the researcher hopes to apply the results (Fraenkel, Wallen,
& Hyun, 2012). A population is a group of elements that the researcher set out to study from which a
sample is selected (Bryman & Bell, 2012). This research focused firstly, on current EBS students from
year one to year four who stayed off-campus. There were 180 students who stayed off-campus of which
44 were from year four, 53 were from year two and 83 were from year one. Secondly, the dean of
students whose office is heavily involved in allocation of accommodation rooms to students. Lastly, the
landlords who are the owners of the houses or hostels in which these off-campus students stayed.

B. Sampling technique
The fact that this was a qualitative research, non-probability sampling technique was employed.
Sampling is the act, process, or technique of selecting a suitable sample, or a representative part of the
population for determining parameters or characteristics of the whole population (Fridah, 2002). In other
terms, sampling techniques is used in selecting a sample to be used in a research. The study employed
two sampling techniques namely, purposive and convenience techniques. Firstly, Purposive was used to
select landlords and the dean of students. According to Creswell (2014), purposive sampling technique
is the method employed whereby the researcher selects individuals and sites for study because they can
purposefully inform an understanding of the research problem or central phenomenon in the study. Four
landlords were interviewed each from different sides where students stayed. Secondly, convenience-
sampling technique was used to select off-campus students. This technique involves selecting
individuals or groups that happen to be available and willing to participate in the practice at that time
(Mugenda & Mugenda, 2003). A sample is chosen based on availability, time, location or ease of access.

3.4. Data Generation and Instrumentation

Instrumentation is the course of action or the process of developing, testing and using these devices or
instruments to collect data for the research project (Juggernath & Bob, 2011). In the study two methods
of generating data were employed, interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs).

19
A. Interview methods.
Interview has been defined as a two-person conversation initiated by the interviewer for the specific
purpose of obtaining research-relevant information and focused by him on content specified by research
objectives of the systematic description, prediction or explanation (Cannell & Kahn, 2002). Interviews
guide approach was employed because the topic and issues to be covered are specified in advance in
outline form and the interviewer decides sequence and making of the questions (Louis, Lawrence, &
Keith, 2011). Interviews allowed the researcher to generate data from people about opinion, beliefs, and
feelings about situations in their own words. And are used to help understand the experiences people
have and the meaning they make of them rather than to test hypothesis (Borg, 2001). This also helped
the researcher to get more and detailed information about the experiences and the challenges faced by
off-campus students. One on one interviews was employed where eight student were interviewed two
from each EBS class to answer the open-ended questions which aimed at addressing the researcher’s
objectives.

B. Focus groups discussion (FGDs)

A focus group discussion (FGDs) is an interview with a small group of people, typically six to eight, on
a specific topic lasting not more than two hours (Flick, 2014). This research employed this method of
generating data in which the researcher had to guide focus group discussion as the moderator. The FGDs
method is ideal for studying attitudes, opinions and practices of human beings in their contexts as this
corresponds to the way they are produced, expressed and exchanged in everyday life. In this study, the
method was appropriate because participants tend to provide checks and balances on each other which
weeds out false or extreme views (Ndengu, 2012). This meant that the information collected from
groups would be free from false or extreme views. Four groups each comprising of six members were
sampled from each EBS class to answer the open-ended questions in order to address the researcher’s
objectives of this study.

20
3.5. Data Analysis (Methods/Techniques)
Data analysis involves obtaining raw data and converting it into information useful for decision-making
(Bluman, 2012). Alternatively, Data analysis also known as data analytic, refers to a process of
inspecting, clearing, transforming, and modelling data with the goal of discovering useful information,
suggesting conclusion and supporting decision-making (Fransis, 2014). In this study the researcher has
used Thematic Analysis (AT). AT is defined as a method for identifying, analyzing and reporting
patterns within data (Cannell & Kahn, 2002). It has helped the researcher to examine the data and
identified common themes-topics, ideas and patterns of meaning that came up repeatedly from the
interviews and the focus group discussions guided by the objectives of the research being addressed.

3.6. Validity and Reliability

Validity is the extent to which an instrument measure what it is supposed to measure and that the
instrument performs as it is designed to perform (Shao, 2002). Alternatively, validity means showing
that the research is well founded (Niko, 2010). It is rare, if necessary impossible, that an instrument can
be 100% valid, so validity is generally measured in degrees through validation process (Juggernath &
Bob, 2011). The interview and focus group discussions guides were cross checked by the expert panel in
the field before used to verify if the instruments really captured objectives of this study. Then content
validity ratio (CVR) was measured. A value of 0.8 was found and value indicated that the instrument
reflected what it intended to measure (see appendix 1)

On the other hand, reliability can be thought as consistency of an instrument as well as how best it is
free from errors. Alternatively, reliability means replication of the same study under similar
circumstances should at least produce results which are not quite different from the results found
previously (Juggernath & Bob, 2011). Consequently, to check the validity and reliability of data
collecting instruments the researcher undertook an internal consistency measure.

21
3.7. Ethical Consideration
According to Bryman and Bell (2012), ethical considerations assist the research participants to be
subjected to investigation during data collection process and that they should not harm the study.
Subsequently this helps the results of research to be more meaningful. As a result, this research aimed at
achieving all ethical considerations with the following ethical standards. Allowed participants to consent
towards their involvement in the research and a written consent was obtained from the college as
evidence that i was conducting the study in the intended areas (see appendix 2), describing the nature of
research to the participants, observation of human rights and using confidentiality rules, where identity
of participants have been made anonymous.

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CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

4.1. Introduction
This chapter provides the findings of the research study based on the academic experiences of education
business studies students who stay off-campus at MUBAS. The findings were established through focus
group discussions (FGDs) and face-to-face interviews. Off-campus students, dean of students, and
landlords/landladies were the participants in this study. At MUBAS, the researcher focused on EBS
students who stay off-campus which include EBS 1, EBS 2, and EBS 4 where focus group discussions
of six members in each group and individual interviews were employed. The researcher went on to ask
one administrator, the dean of the student, who is responsible for issues to deal with students at the
school. The data was also generated from landlords/landladies in areas surrounding MUBAS namely;
Ndirande, Chichiri, Chitawira, and Mandala side where these off-campus students reside.

Background information about the mentioned participants

At the time of data generation, EBS 3 was not involved in data generation because according to the
academic calendar of MUBAS in the second semester students go for teaching practice, and for this
reason the researcher involved EBS 1, EBS 2, and EBS 4. There are 70 students in EBS 1, 45 students in
EBS 2, and 47 students in EBS 4, totaling 172 students. Table 1 shows the summaries of off-campus and
on-campus students in each year of study.

Table 1: Summary of the number of EBS students’ off-campus and on-campus.

CLASS NUMBER OF OFF- NUMBER OF ON- TOTAL

CAMPUS CAMPUS

YEAR 1 70 25 95

YEAR 2 45 12 67

YAR 4 47 11 58

TOTAL 172 48 220

From table 1 above we can see that the numbers of students who stay off-campus are higher compared to
those who stay on-campus.
23
To understand the analysis fully, the exploration of the experiences of off-campus students, the views of
the dean of students, and landlords/landladies had also to be incorporated in this research study. It was
for this reason that the exploration did not only target off-campus students but also the dean of students
and landlords/landladies. As such, the findings of the research were presented based on the experiences
of off-campus students, the dean of students, and landlords/landladies.

The researcher involved landlords/landladies in the study as well simply because these people are the
ones who provide accommodation services to these off-campus students in question. As stated above the
researcher researched four surrounding areas of MUBAS. Ndirande is a high-density area, which is close
to MUBAS. The cost of living is very lower compared to the other areas. Chichiri and Chitawira are
areas of middle class people and they are closer to MUBAS. The cost of living in these areas at least is
higher compared to Ndirande. Lastly, the Mandala side, which encompasses Catholic Institute, Mbayani,
and Mandala itself. These areas are a little bit far from MUBAS as compared to discussed areas and
cost of living in these areas is lower as well.

For ethical consideration the names of participants were identified as follows; landlords from; Ndirande,
Chichiri, Chitawira, and Mandala were identified as DLN001, DLC002, DLC003, and DLM004
respectively, one administrator identified as DA001, the focus groups were identified as GP001, GP002,
and GP003, and students were identified using their year of study.

In analyzing the data below, as provided in the presentation of the findings the researcher focused on
similar responses, which were categorized into themes through transcribing of data using coding
process. Data was generated guided by the specific questions and participants responded based on the
questions.

24
Research question
 What are the academic experiences of education business studies students who stay off-campus
at MUBAS?

Specific questions
I. What are the academic experiences off-campus students face?
II. What are the challenges faced by education business studies students who stay off-campus at
MUBAS?
III. What can be the solutions to the challenges faced by off-campus students?

For the results to be more effective and understandable, the researcher came up with themes that helped
to present the above questions. The following are the themes that describe the generated data:

I. Academic experiences off-campus students face

II. Challenges faced by education business studies students who stay off-campus at MUBAS
III. Possible solutions to the challenges faced by off-campus students

4.2. Academic experiences of off-campus students at MUBAS

According to the data generated from participants, the experience was categorized into two namely;
benefits of staying off-campus and challenges faced by off-campus students.

4.2.1. Benefits of staying off-campus students at MUBAS

The researcher found that participants shared some benefits of staying off-campus in their experiences.
The benefits are; sanitation, economic and choice of meal.

A. Economic
The researcher found that staying off-campus was advantageous to students, as they can buy in bulk and
store for later use. Students can collaborate in the contribution of buying foodstuffs. The researcher also
found that students could buy foodstuff from local markets at lower prices. These make off-campus
students be spending less in a day compared to on-campus students.

Participant identified as YR4ST2 made this statement;

25
 “You save by buying cheaper foodstuff in near local markets. You have options to where to buy
food kinds of stuff. Sometimes you collaborate with your roommates and contribute smaller
amounts of money to buy the type of food you want from the general market within the city”.

A member of GP002 stated that;

“Off-campus is Economic somehow, there is a small benefit because we can contribute and have a
“memo”. Sometimes we do buy the food staff in bulk and store them. So whenever, we want to eat
we prepare which serves us in times when we do not have money to buy them."

B. Sanitation.
In response to the interview question participant identified as YR1ST2 answered by saying that;

“There is only one thing I have loved staying off-campus, our bathrooms and toilets are always
clean if we are to compare with those on campus. Toilets are cleared regularly where I stay
which is good to our hygiene for there are no bad smells.”

Participant identified as YR4ST2 responded;

“In private hostels, personal hygiene is maintained as far as living as a group is concerned. Our
landlord does make sure that the living rooms, surroundings, bathrooms, and toilets are cleaned
twice a day”.

Participants in GP002 shared that;

“Most of the living areas in the private hostel are tidy and clean, talking of the toilets,
surroundings bathing areas unlike in hostels of on-campus students. The frequent cleaning help
to notice when something needs to be fixed which has a direct impact to us in as far as health is
concerned”.

The researcher found from the participants that the surroundings, hostels, toilets, and bathrooms that
these off-campus students use were clean. The researcher also observed as well in some of the hostels
where these students live when visiting landlords/landladies. This shows that some off-campus students
do live in a clean environment that is good for their health.

26
C. Choice of meals
The researcher found that off-campus students had a variety of meals that they could prepare for
themselves. Staying off-campus gave them an opportunity to be buying law foodstuffs from the
surround markets.

Participant identified as YR4ST2 made her statement by saying;

“There is this positive experience as we stay off-campus we have the liberty to choose a variety
of meals to eat. Staying off-campus means, we have to do all things by ourselves. we live a home
life where we can cook any type of meal we want at that particular time unlike those who stay
on-campus are controlled by the time when they food providers have brought the meals”.

Participant identified as YR2ST2 stated that;

“One thing I have liked about off-campus is the choice of preparing your own meal. In the
private hostel, they allow tenants to cooking. To some of us who like locally prepared foods, it is
not a problem then we just go to a market buy the food staff we want then prepare it at our own
time and no cost so long as you have managed to buy. Some foods are not sold by food providers
in the campus such foods are not a problem to have them because we simply have to buy the
ingredients”.

One landlady identified as DCL001 had to say,

“We allow them to cook any type of food so long as they do not damage or disconnect electric
wires”.

From the participants, I can say that students have the choice of what and when to eat because they can
prepare for themselves at free will.

27
4.3. Challenges faced by students who stay off-campus at MUBAS.
The researcher interpolated various responses to generate the challenges faced by off-campus students.
In responding to this question, it was found that they experience challenges like; long-distance covered,
insecurity, financial problems, environmental noise, rules and regulations, no access to library services,
and electricity problems.

A. Long distance
According to some participants in GP004, they singled outdistance as a major challenge to off-campus
students. For instance, one participant from GP002 stated that;

“I live 6 kilometers away from MUBAS and spend close to 2 hours walking if am to attend
classes. Sometimes there is no public transport to board for school because of location, no direct
route for buses. Most of the time I get tired by the time I arrive at school”.

Another member from GP001 pointed that;

“On the same long-distance we spend much of our time walking and we arrive at school while
tired. We stay from far because it's where cheaper hostels are. Sometimes when we have money
to use as transport we spend much of our time on load due to long queue in the morning and
evening time. This makes us arrive late at school or in our homes".

Another member from GP001 stated;

“Long-distance is a major challenge. We fail to attend classes on time and we do not spend
much time here on campus after we knockoff considering the distance we have to cover to reach
home on time. We fail to concentrate on our studies while at school because we always think of
how to travel from school to our homes.”

Another participant in GP002 stated

“I travel by foot from Kudya area (Soche east) to school and I take almost 1 and 30 minutes
walking. I opted for this place because rental changes are fair. I get to school premises late and
tired. I always take about 20 minutes to get to normal. I waste time resting instead of paying
attention to the lecture."

When the researcher interviewed one of the landlords identified as DLC002, he had this to say,

28
 “I feel petty for my tenants. The distance is too long. They start-off from 4am in the morning and
come back around 7pm in the evening. And one day I asked one of the students the time they
knock off classes and he mentioned of 3:20 pm. This showed to me that the distance covered is
too long. I do not know how they feel and manage to walk from here to their school. Our job is
to provide rent house services nothing much. They complain of the distance they cover but their
limiting factor not to move near the school is lack of enough house near their school and most of
them come from not well to do families. “

The researcher went on by interviewing the dean, who said,

“The first challenge that students face is distance. Most of them come to my office to complain
about the long-distance that they travel to school. Most of them it seems they come by foot due to
financial problems. This challenge seems to affect these students in academic performance. They
seek helped of being considered for the accommodation of which sometimes we do depend on the
availability of bed spaces.”

B. Financial problems
The researcher found that some of the off-campus students stay very far from the school because they
cannot afford to pay higher rental charges in the near hostels, thus why they opt for areas that offer
accommodation services at a cheaper rate. A member from GP001 had this to say,

“We opt to live in far locations to find cheap rental fees. In addition, we do not take lunch while
at school because meals are expensive so cannot afford to buy meal within the campus and due
to long distance to go and prepare our lunch and as a result, we do not eat while on campus
until we get home after classes.”

YR4ST1 pointed out that she spent about 2 hours walking daily back and forth where she stayed.
According to her, this was because she could not manage to pay for his transportation due to poor
background family she was coming from.

Two members from GP002 shared that they moved from a near private hostel to the Mbayani side
because of an increase in rental fee and pressure they could get from the landlord when they have not
paid rent on time.

A member from GP001 said

29
 “In spite that we cook at home, we have many aspects that need money. For instance, we have to
spend on daily foodstuffs, transport, meals at school, and monthly rental charges. However,
most of the time we do not have much money to spend on these aspects. The support we receive
from the college and the guardians is not enough to sustain our stay in the private hostels.
Sometimes we reach month end but we have zero in our pockets, we have nothing to pay to the
landlords. We are stressed thinking of where to get the money to cover the rent charges when
guardians say they do not have money to send for us. We even go for holidays with outstanding
balances to the landlords.”

Another member from GP001 said,

“We opt for a residence like Ndirande because rental charges are cheaper compared to private
hostels near the school. For instance, students who stay in a private hostel near the school pay
ranging from KK25, 000 to K50, 000 of which in our case is from K5000 to K15000. Another
reason is that we have access to local markets where foodstuffs are sold at a cheaper price. So
from the little, we receive from our guardians we can sustain ourselves with that. Our friends on
campus and those who stay near the school have limited choices on where to buy food because
they are surrounded by big shops where it is very rare to find local food at an affordable price.”

One of the landlords identified as DLC002 said,

“Most of the students do not pay their rental fee on time. They have challenges in finding money
to do with their guardians. Most of them stay on an accrual basis they pay later when they find
the money. Unless management of their school helps them with accommodation, they will
continue facing financial problems outside the campus. Because the world is changing and
things are becoming expensive as such rent charges are to be increasing now and again. This
will affect their academic life.”

According to the dean of students, financial problem is another challenge.

“Students complain about the upkeep provided by Loans board not being enough to sustain them
to the end of the semester. The amount they receive is small compared to the expenses they incur.
The rental fees are high in private hostels compared to what their colleagues are paying here
on-campus. Others fail to buy gadgets for online learning because they have no money to pay for
them. This brings worry into students' minds on how they will live throughout the semester.”

30
C. Insecurity
Another challenge presented was the issue of security. This insecurity was pointed out in either when
they are going to school or coming back from school. Participants in the focus group complained about
street thieves who do rob them when going to their homes especially during evening hours.

“We force ourselves to go home early because of “Zigandanga”. One member of the
participants in GP002 said, referring to street robbers. The participant continued, “This reduces
our time spent on campus in cases where we have other school-related activities like group
discussions, lab meetings and pair works after knocking off from classes.”

Participant identified as YR4STD1 said,

“In second year I was robbed while going home around 5 pm. I lost everything in my school bag
that evening, such as laptops, mobile phones, notebooks, and the little money I had at that time.
They threatened me when I tried to shout for help. One said we would rape you and then kill
you. That is how I lost my school materials and from that day, I make sure that before 5 pm I
should be home. Because of this decision, I do not attend late classes of the day and this has
affected my performance in class because I do not attend group discussions and some computer
laboratory sessions”

Participant identified as YR4ST2 said,

“We go home as soon as we get out of the last class of the day in fear of losing our school
materials to street lobbers e.g. laptops, phones, notebooks and sometimes they ask for to take out
our clothes if they found that we don’t have a tangible valued asset”.

One participant from GP001 had this to say,

“We fail to concentrate in our studies while at campus each time we think of how to reach home
safe without being robbed. The fear reduces our time of study during the day while on campus.”

Landlord identified as DLC003 said,

“For years, students have been being robbed at Chitawira Bridge on their way home. Others get
injured by being stabbed. This has resulted in health issues for these students. Most of them lose
their learning materials like laptops, phones, and notebooks to robbers. Such losses lead to

31
 emotional disturbances and complications on their budget as they try to replace what was lost.
We are even affected too because they delay rent payments.”

Insecurity is another challenge that students face. The dean of students had this to say,

“Others complain about how insecure they are where they are staying. They stay in houses,
which are not fenced and live in congested areas. We receive reports of lost properties to
robbers and even some being injured in due cause. Another group of students complains of being
robbed in the street when they are going to their homes or coming to school. Students have lost
their learning material to these robbers when attacked. Students are affected mentally and
physically, they develop fear and others get injured. This insecurity has affected students’
performance because most of them do not come for studies or attend late classes.”

D. Disturbance from surroundings

According to some participants, they singled out issues like noise from neighbors, loud music played
from bars and barbershops, and neighbors who want help of any kind disturbed these students.

Student identified as YR1ST1 said,

“We stay in hostels where we experience external noise from the surrounding houses and even
bars where they play loud music all day that makes the environment not a conducive one to
studies”.

Mostly these private houses and hostels have different students who learn in different colleges where
they have different academic calendars, which have different schedules of school times and holidays so
sometimes it happens that in the same hostel others are in school and others on holiday. Those on
holidays organize parties, play music, which disturbs others who want to study. This reduces time spent
on studies. It was revealed to the researcher that physical noise like sounds from heavy machines, cars,
sounds from near trading centers, and maize mail machines disturb their timing studies and
concentration to the studies.

Student YR4STD4 said,

“Some of us our houses are inside the local markets where we are prone to loud music from
Barbershops and bars. We fail to concentrate on our studies and this has contributed to low

32
 performance in class. Not enough time to study because in rare cases we wait until the
environment is free from noise then we study.”

E. Rules and Regulations

Another challenge aired outed by the participants are the rules and regulations set by
landlords/landladies in respect to usage of facilitates they provide. For instance, others restrict students
from cooking using electric appliances, bring the opposite gender to their residence, and set specific
times for cooking and washing even time to draw water from the taps. Landlord identified as DLC002
confirmed to the researcher that her fellow hostel owner set times for their tenants to draw water from
the taps and restrict them not to cook other kinds of foods like beans because to them they consume a lot
of electricity units. These rules and regulations do put students under stress and pressure. One member
from GP004 shares his experience as,

“In our case where I stay the landlord demands that rent payment should be paid for two months
at the beginning of the semester, failure to do so you are chased out of the room and as for the
remaining months payments are to be made exactly on the first day of the new month.”

F. Minimal access to school resources

It was also found that off-campus students face having little or no time to access library services,
internet service and one-on-one consultation with lecturers. Student identified as YR4ST2 said,

“Little or no time to access library services after class times. When we knock off all we think is
going in homes. We rush to our homes in fear of being robbed. At night eeshiii thus even risky.
Unlike those on campus who have chance to use campus internet services and the books in the
library to study and write assignments in cases where they do not have money to buy internet
bundles”.

Another student said,

“I come from kwachinseu in Ndirande township, so I make sure that by 4 pm I start my journey
of going home so that I reach on time as such I don’t have time to go in the library once we are
out of 3:20 pm class. I do this mainly for two reasons; in fear of street robbers and sometimes I
do go on foot so I need enough time of walking”YR1ST1 said.

33
In addition, failure to attend late-hour activities was another challenge. Activities like evening classes
and group discussions. This had an impact on student's performance as they could miss important
concepts. Missing of these activities was due to long distances and security reasons, which have been
presented above. One member of GP002 said,

When we were in the first year, we used to have a 6:30 pm-7:30 pm class. To most of off-campus
students it was very hard to attend and this evening class I believed contributed negatively to my
overall grade of first year”

G. Electricity problems
A member from the focus group identified as GP004 pointed out the challenge of blackouts. Sometimes
half of the day there is no electricity power to use for their studying gadgets like laptops and tablets.
Unlike on-campus electricity is not an issue; there is electricity almost day and night. Student YR2ST2
continued to say, “Sometimes in our area blackouts can go on for days without electric lights. This
means that we have to find our alternatives to lighten our rooms and study at night“.

Another participant identified as YR2ST1 had this to say,

“The researcher found out from student YR1ST1 that they did not spend enough time on studies
due to frequent blackouts during the day and at night. They relied on laptops and mobile tablets
for their studies, which required electricity. This challenge had effects on their performance
because most of them learned better when they had gone through the material learned in class.”

4.4. Possible solutions to the problems

The researcher found the following solutions from the participants.

A. Construction of additional hostels.

It was found that some participants suggested that management of the school should add some more
hostels so that it could be accommodate a good number of students. In view of the constructions, some
of the challenges faced by these off-campus students could be minimised. Participants had these to say,

Student identified as YR2ST1 said,

“The school should add some more hostels. Otherwise, the challenges we are facing will
continue hitting us. We will not be missing classes anyhow in fear street robbers or long

34
 distances. These hostels will in one way of the other help students to stay focused on their
studies, other things been equal”.

Another member from GP001 had this to say,

“Building more hostels will help many off-campus students to be accommodated within campus.
This will not only help students but also struggling guardians who find it hard to finance our
accommodation out there. We will not be paying the expensive rentals and spending money on
transport”.

Participant identified as YR4ST2 said,

“If school’s management cannot construct additional hostels then the number of intake should
be equal to number of bed spaces available at MUBAS rather than risking the lives of students to
dangerous robbers who usually injure us or sometimes they kill if a severe injure is sustained. So
more hostels are needed for the betterment of us students and guardians at our homes who can
not afford to loss a family member just like that.”

Provision of transport
The researcher found that if arrangements of bus to pick and drop students could be made, some of the
transport and security issues could be minimised. Some of the participants said,

Participants from focus group discussions identified as GP002 had this to say,

"If the school can be pproviding bus for transportationion, some of the challenges we face could
be reduced. The school can set assembly points and time so that by the set time everyone is there
waiting for the bus. If things had gone the way they were in the past, we could be safety all these
times."

Another participant in a different group identified as GP004 said,

“During night study, times school can be arranging transport inform of buses that can be dropping
schools in their private hostels. This arrangement would help us a lot in terms of security and
increasing our time spent on studies. Perhaps this initiative would improve our performance as we
would gain level of concentration and reduce the fear we develop when we are still on campus in late
hours. This will reduce the risk of been attacked.”

35
Pick point and drop point.

36
4.5. Summary
Initially, this chapter has presented the findings of the interview the researcher generated from the
participants. From the findings, the researcher found that off-campus students indeed have their own
experiences as shown from face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions. The researcher found
the following challenges; long-distance covered insecurity, financial problems, environmental noise,
rules and regulations, no access to library services, and electricity problems. Despite the mentioned
challenges, it was also found that when you stay off-campus you can be; economic, unsanitary
environment, and choose the type of meal. It was also found that the challenges face by off-campus
students can at some extend be minimized. Some of the possible solutions were construction of
additional hostels and arrangement of transport to those students who would like to study during evening
hours.

37
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

5.0. Introductions
This chapter presents the discussions of the findings obtained through interviews with off-campus
students, landlords and the dean of students and focus group discussions. The study aimed at exploring
academic experiences of education business studies students who stay off-campus at MUBAS. The
findings of the researcher were also related to other scholars on similar study. Furthermore, the chapter
provides the implications of the study.

5.1. Academic experiences of off-campus students at MUBAS

Through the data generated from participants, the researcher found that experiences were into two forms
namely; benefits of staying off-campus and challenges faced by off-campus students.

5.1.1. Benefits of staying off-campus students at MUBAS.

According to the study, the researcher found the following benefits of staying off-campus; economic,
sanitation, and choice of meal

A. Economic
Through interviews and focus group conducted by the researcher, it was found that staying off-campus
allows students to save. Staying off-campus allows students to use their financial resources effectively.
Students could collaborate and work as a team. The researcher found that this allowed students to save
money as they prepared their meals as a team. It was also found that students could buy foodstuffs from
local markets where they had varieties of food types. In local markets, foodstuffs are sold at cheaper
prices compared to super markets that had surround the school. Cheaper foods meant that students had
had left with some balances in their pockets that could be used for other things. Even though, the living
standards are low but students could spend less on rental charges. Thereby, allow the remained money to
be spent on other things like, buying breakfast and relish.

However, this is contrary to what other scholars had found in their studies. They found that on-campus
students are finically advantaged when it comes to spending. In Erica’s study (2021) it was found that
on-camps students had oppositive upper hand on expenditures. On campus students they only to spend
on meals compared to off-campus students who had to pay their rental charges, water bill, and electricity

38
bills. From the researcher’s view, it depends on whom you share the room with if you are to be
economic in private hostels.

B. Sanitation
The researcher found from participants that in private hostels there is cleanliness. Most of the facilities
in the hostels were kept clean. Facilities like kitchen areas, bathrooms and toilets were always tidy and
cleaned. The researcher found that the environmental conditions on-campus were not that good that
made many off-campus dislike on-campus but at a lower scale. Good health meant students would be
able to go school and learn better by participating in all activities. Good environment came because of
smaller numbers of students in private hostels, which were easy to control. This is in agreement with
what Dang (2012) found in his research. He found that stdents in private hostel could be managed with
problems because of their numbers per hostel. One could tell who had not follwed instructions. Unlike in
college hostels management was awalys a problem because they are in large numbers. It was revealed to
the researcher that even maitanance process was mauch quiker in private hostels when a problem had
been reported. In colleges hostels for mantaince to take place it could take months and months bebere
facilities got repaired. This had put students’ helth on risks for exaple when running toilets are damaged.
To some extend school could pay a lot when taps broke because water could run throughout.

C. Choice of meal
From the participants it was found that most of off-campus students have freedom of cooking any type
of food they want to eat at a particular time. Unlike on-campus students who are limited to what private
food, suppliers have brought. Whereas off1campus student could buy foodstuffs from the surrounding
markets and prepare for themselves. They could prepare in the food they wanted and unlike on-campus
students who could have no choice but to buy what was available on the market. This is in agreement
with the study of Dang (2012) who found that to some extend staying off_campus gave students chance
of preparing their own meal. However, it was also found that some landlords had set conditions on what
type of food to cook. They provided such conditions because some food took longer time to be boiled as
such they could consume a lot of electric energy.

5.2. Challenges faced by students who stay off-campus at MUBAS.

From the findings of the study, it was found that students who stay off-campus face the following
challenges, long-distance covered, insecurity, financial problems, environmental noise, rules and
regulations, minimal access to school resources, and electricity problems.

39
A. Long distance
The researcher found that some of off-campus student stay in far areas due to various reasons. Some
cover about 6 kilometers distance from where they stay. It was established that most of these off-campus
opted for such areas because of financial problems, shortage of private hostels within the school and
others follow their relatives so that they minimize cost of living. It was profound that this long-distance
affected off-campus students in many ways. For instance, these students found it tiresome to travel.
They could spend hours to travel either by foot or public transport. Therefore, it was time consuming. It
was also found that students arrive late at school and even miss some classes, which had negative effect
on their performance. The researcher found that off-campus students come late to school and leave
school premises earlier, due to long-distances they cover travelling. These acts had an effect on time
spent on campus, which include involvement in school activities like participation in-group works and
attend to late hour lectures. Which in general could make them miss learning objects completely or
partial just because of long queue on the roads. It was also established through the focus group
discussions that this long distance has an impact on time spend on studies. Off-campus students spent
some of their time traveling instead of studying unlike their colleagues who cover a shorter distance
within the school to reaching to learning and studying areas. As presented by Turley and Wodtke (2010).
Some of the off-campus students life out side campus because of shortage of houses within the school.
This forced some students to find houses or hostel that are far from the college. This is connected to
what the researcher found in the study. As some students came from places like Manyowe, Mbayani and
Nacholi which are very far from the college.

The findings of the study concur with Horvath (2014) who found that off-campus students have to work
out of schedule for travelling time which is time consuming and tiresome. Students are to plan well in
oder for them to catch up every school activity on time which is hard for most studens as per findings of
the researcher. Most studnets do not manage their time consitently. The study also concur with the
findings of Valencia (2014) who also found that some student reside in far areas because near hostels are
occupied already. This study revealed to the researcher that private hostels near the school are few and
this gave no choice to students but rather to go for far hostels. The researcher also found that student
went for far hostls because the charges of near hostels were higher compared to Mbayani, Ndirande and
other far locations. This reveaveled to the reearcher that most off-campus student come from poor
families thus why they chose to go for cheaper hostels. From the study this was shown as a challenge to
off-campus students that need to be resolved in one wy of the other.

40
B. Financial problems
The study found that most off-campus students come from not well to do families. This was evidenced
by the turnover of how they pay their rental charges. Most of them could find challenges in paying rent.
As quoted by one of landlords, “they do not pay rent on time”. The researcher found that most of off-
campus students pay their rental charges late or midway of the following months and even other going
to their homes with outstanding balances. Another contributing factor to late pay or delay in pay was the
late coming of students’ upkeep allowances. At some point, students at MUBAS receive upkeep
allowances and usually they receive late. It was also revealed to the researcher that this upkeep is not
enough to support and sustain the stay of these students in private hostels because of the dramatic
increase in rental charges. The study showed that some students moved out of near hotels to far ones
because of the increased charges of hostels. This indicated that students had financial challenges.
However, this had a negative impact on their time commitment to academic activities. It was established
that most of off-campus students had difficulties in their transportation. As most of them came from
poor families, it was hard for them to spare money for transport. This made them to be travelling by foot
to school and back home. This was also confirmed by the dean of the student at the school that most of
the students complaint that the allowance they received were not enough to sustain their living. It was
also revealed to the researcher that financial problems arose stress to students when rental charges are
due. Some students could get worried where to obtain the money to pay to their landlords.

The study concur with that of Dang (2012) in which it was revealed that staying off-campus as
associated cost thought its considered to be cheaper. Students are to pay for their house rent, water bills
and internet services unlike those on campus. In view of this the researcher found that off-campus
students complint about no ccess to free wifi offered within the campus which is accessible to on-
campus students almost all the times. Erica, 2021 in his researcher found that off-campus stuedents
require more money to support their living minus that their life could be hard. This is in aggreement to
what the this studdy had found throught reponse of the participants that they find it hard to stay because
of inufficient financial resources they receive from their guardians and the loans board. So it has shown
that most of off-campus students opt for cheaper areas so that they coud be spending within their
constraints.

41
42
C. Insecurity
It was found that most private hostels especially those that accommodated male students lacked fences
and security guards. This exposed students’ personal belongings to thieves. Students could lose their
personal properties in the rooms where they stayed. Because robberies could broke into their rooms and
stole their belongings. This contributed to insecurity of these off-campus students in their residence
homes. This also brought psychological problems to students who have been robbed. For they had to
think of where else would they get money to replace what they have been stolen. In addition, this
affected their general performance in class. Some were even injured during the robbery action. This had
effect on the health of the students. Other students had sustained life injuries that would be had for some
of them to understand considering that; they were born without physical disabilities. The findings of this
study are in agreement with what Muhammad, Hafazah, & Ishak (2012) found at a certain technical
college. They found that students’ security on personal property lalied upon the presence of landlords
otherwise they were prone to theft. So absence of landlords, lack of fences and security guards put
indenger the properties of students when they are away for school. This has shown to be a challenge at
this school as well. Unlike on-campus tudents who have full security services provided by the chool’s
outsourced institution.

In addition, the study had found that off-campus students could be robbed on their way home during rate
hours. This is a common problem to off-campus students whether they stay near or far from the school.
It was established that cases of street robbery at the school are reported almost every semester. This was
confirmed by the reports in the office of dean of students. The reports have shown than students could
lose their learning materials such as laptops, notebooks, drawing tools, mobile phones and bags. This
had caused many effects on off-campus students as most of them had developed fear. This fear had led
to early leave of students from school premises at undesirable time.it was also found that students could
spend less time or had no time to study on campus after they knocked off classes. The fear in them could
force them to start going home. Most student could also miss late hour classes due to the fear of being
robbed. Students could also not participate in-group works and lab sessions organized in the late
afternoons. The researcher found that student could lose concentration on their studies or lectures when
they decide to attend rate classes, for what they could think was how they will arrive home safely. This
had a direct impact on students’ exams performance because they could seldom attend to late lectures
that led to miss of important concepts. The researcher found that students who had ever been robbed
took time to get lead of the incident in their minds. This had caused psychological problems to such

43
students. These memories caused lack of concentration to lessons and any other school related activity.
So in one way of the other students had been affected by this insecurity challenge.

This point is in agreement with that of Hilmy, Abdul and Abdullah (2012), in their study it found that
off-campus students were exposed to undesirable living conditions. Off-campus students’ living
conditions remained unsecure because of the neighborhood in which they stayed as most of the
residents’ behaviour were unfamiliar. This concur with the residence of MUBAS where it has been
surrounded by people of different behaviour some acceptable and other not. This behaviour of stealing
and robbing has had impact on students as we have seen above.

D. Disturbances from surroundings

The researcher found that some of private hostels that students stayed were not conducive for living. The
researcher deduced from the date generated that some lived in rooms which were garages and the
landlords turned them into living rooms. Students could opt for them for two reasons namely; shortage
of rooms so they had nowhere to go, since some were new in town of Blantyre and secondly, because of
financial problems so they could choose based on what they could afford. As it has already been
discussed that most of near private hostels are expensive. That made those financially challenged to go
for distant hostels. These hostels sometimes are sounded by barbershops and bar which played music
loudly and 24/7. This act affected students on their studies as they could fail to concentrate and some
could not cope with the noise as such they had few hours of studies. As found by Muhammad, Hafazah,
and Ishak in 2012, most of the private hostels are not designed for students rather they improvise so that
they accommodate them. These hostels lack some facilities that are necessary for students’ studies, like
studying chairs, tables and a good room.

In additon, the researcher found that MUBAS off-campus students experienced internal noise. This was
the noise made by fellow roommates. This concur with the findings of Schudde (2011), private hostels
accommodated a mixer of students from diffenernt institutions. The researcher found that some of the
students lived with students who belonged to other colleges, like MCA, MIJ and BCA. So because of
different calenders it was found that others colud play music almost every night thereby disturbing those
intended to study.such act reduced the amount of time spent on studies to off-campus students.

E. Rules and Regulations

Where a contract has been signed there are terms and conditions, similarly, in these hostels where off-
campus students stay there areas terms that they are to subscribed to. The researcher found that some

44
landlords had set the following rules; not to use electric appliances like kettles, hotplates and shaving
machines and printing machines. Students could not live comfortably in such conditions for the reason
that such machines and equipment could lessen their time spent on cooking, going for where there are
printers and could shorten their time of preparations for classes. So restricting them to the usage meant
that their study times were reduced and increased the time of preparations for classes. This affected them
on their time of study.

In addition, the researcher found that landlords had restricted on who to visit theses off-campus students
especially female ones that had an effect on socialization. Some were effect on organizing group
discussions. It was also revealed that some had set entry and exit hours in the hostels. This rule affect
some students who had intentions of going to the library and discussion to their fellow rooms nearby.
These findings are contrary to what Erica (2021) found about off-campus and on-campus study. The
scholar found that off-campus have freedom on usage of resources in the private hostels, no restrictions.
Perhaps because of living styles which differ in countries. In Malawi, it has shown that off-campus
students live a restricted life compared to on-campus. Like communicated before this had impact on
socialization of these students and engagement in school related activities done outside school
campuses.

Despite of the rules and regulations, personal privacy could be observed in some aspects. Off-campus
students have private bathrooms, toilets and kitchens. It was found that one of the factor that could keep
off-campus students stay in private hostels was privacy. As discussed in the theme of sanitation, general
usage of some facilities on-campus lacked cleanliness due to number of people using them at a time. In
connection of this Frazier (2009), found that on-campus students complained of privacy to the usage of
hostel facilities. Moreover, off-campus students have choices on whether to stay alone or with a
roommate. This choice somehow could gave control on one another on usage of facilities.

F. Minimal access to school resources

The researcher found that off-campus students could find it hard to access school resources. These
resources are library services, on-campus internet, time to interact with staff members and laboratory
services. Students could rarely access the mentioned resources due to time. The study found that some
students lack study areas in their hostels. As such they lacked the chance to come to school for their
studies and instead they could go to where they felt it was good for their studies. It was established that
some hostels are not contusive for studies. It was also found that most off-campus student could leave

45
school premise early because they came from distant places. Another reason why they could leave early
was the fear to bump into street robbers on their way home. Most of the students could not attend late
hour classes, could not go to the library to study after classes and could not have time to search
information on the internet using free school internet. These have had an impact on the performance of
students as presented by the students themselves. This result is in agreement with what Oregon Institute
of Technology (2010) found, the instute found that most on-campus student had greater chance on
accessing school resources provided within the cmpus. Such students had chances of going to library
during odd hours, attend group sessions in the laboraties and accesing internet at anytime. Unlike off-
campus who have limitted time once they knock off. This was because of security reasons, challenge of
long-distance.and sometimes they are in hurry to chatch public transports. It was establised that this was
one of the factor that students wanted to be offered accommodation in the next selection process. are
subjected to missing.

It was also established that off students had limitted time to interact with their lecturers physically. The
researcher found that students had time time to meet with their lecturers for individual assistance but of-
campus student had little time because such free time was found after classses which mostly was late in
the afternoon. Unlike on-campus students who could meet their lecturers anytime after classes. This
concur with the findings of Schudde (2011). She found that on-campus students had greter chance of
consulting lecturers outside classrooms more ften comapred to off-campus students due to factors like
time. The researcher found that ideed off-campus students lack time as most of them priotised their
safety.

G. Electricity problems
The researcher also found that students’ study time was reduced by blackouts. Most of the areas in
which off-campus students stayed experienced electricity problems. As per the findings it was found that
this problem is not common in other countries because of different electric power sources and machines
used to produce electricity. Therefore, it’s a national problem that students need to act upon. On how to
deal with it. Some students could buy candles and torches powered by cells.

46
5.3. Possible solutions to challenges faced by off-campus students.
A. Construction of additional hostels
It was established from the study that building of extra hostels would alleviate some of the challenges
faced by some of off-campus students.as it was found that the school could not accommodate many
students, which led to majority of them stay in private house or hostels. Has it has been shown that most
of them do face challenges of transport, long-distances, disturbances from the neighbors building
additional hostel could be an ideal option which could provide total security and minimize transportation
cost and most importantly save them from paying the increased rental charges. Increasing the number of
bed space would reduce the burden guardians faced in looking for the finances needed by their children
in the schools. The findings of this research concur with that of Talenda and Celliers (2014), they found
that buy building extra hostels would reduce the proportion of off-campus students. As it was
established by this study that most of students stay outside the campus so by building more hostels
would reduce the number of off-campus students and eventually reduce the pressure on bed space.

B. Provision of transport.
Based on the outcomes the study it was established that the college’s management should be arranging
for school bus that would be transporting off-campus students to their hostels and houses in odd hours.
As participants proposed it, management should set assembly points and time where and when all those
who stay far from the school should be gathered i.e. at porters’ loge or library. This is in line with what
was found by Lynn (2016) in his research he found that management could take part in protecting some
of the off-campus especially those whose stay in far areas. The welfare of students had to be prioritized
by management. This involved meeting the students’ needs. Such needs are to be safe, have
accommodation and provision of good learning environment. Provision of bus would insure; those who
could not attend late class, lab sessions and group discussions because of fear to start attending, provided
an assurance of security, and also removed worries of not finding public transport in odd hours. These
would have a positive impact on number of hours spent on studies and engagement on some of the
school related activities that could take place during late hours. As Joel (2019) found it that provision of
school bus to take some of off-campus students would lessen the risk of exposure to street robbers.
Should could board the bus while on campus and be dropped near their houses or hostels thereby not
meeting with the robbers. This arrangement would ensure some security to their lives.

47
5.4. Implication of the study
The study was designed to explore the academic experiences of off-campus STUDENTS at MUBAS. In
his findings, the researcher had come across different aspects that some off-campus students
experienced. One of them were the challenges that some off-campus students faced. As discussed
earlier, these were financial problems, insecurity, disturbances from surrounding and minimal access to
school resources. This study had revealed and provided the awareness to school stakeholders about the
challenges faced by some off-campus students.

Furthermore, to consider improving the security of the students. As discussed in chapter five some of the
areas in which some of off-campus students stayed are not safe. Therefore, schools should consider the
physical safety of students, which is one way of providing the basic needs profound by Manslow (1875).
The fulfilment of the search need brings motivation to achieve the next insufficient need.

In addition, the study had found that there was pressure on accommodation space that existed due to
increased number of students selected to pursue different programs. This could force some students to
look for accommodation to near places surrounding MUBAS.

To prospective investors this will help in Site allocation. Higher learning institutions are to be located in
areas where students will not be distracted anyhow. The environment should be conducive for learning.

At least match the ratio of students to bed space provided by the school. This will lead to security
improvement. This include construction of hostels, which should be proportional to number of students
at the college.

48
5.5. Summary
The researcher has provided in depth details of the findings in his study. He had found that off-campus
students are not very disadvantaged but had found some benefits while staying off-campus. These
benefits are economic, sanitation, and choice of meal. These factors could force them and others to stay
off-campus. However, off-campus students were faced by challenges like long-distance covered,
insecurity, financial problems, environmental noise, rules and regulations, minimal access to school
resources, and electricity problems. These challenges had different effects on their living, studies and
performance in general as education is concerned. The study looked also at some of the possible
solutions to challenges met by some of off-campus students, which included. Construction of additional
hostels and provision of transport. These suggested solutions could reduce the level of fear, number of
injuries due to robbery actions and would improve the performance of students, as their concentration on
studies would be restored and provide security to some of off-campus students.

49
CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION

6.1. Conclusion
It has been found that the increase in enrolment in the colleges has made the number of bed spaces in the
college’s hostels to be insufficient. Due to this, many students have opted for off-campus staying. It has
been established that off-campus students have different experiences as they pursue their higher learning
education. These experiences could motivate students whether to continue staying off-campus or to have
a desire to stay on-campus. Majority of the participants of the study showed the desire to be considered
for on-campus staying because the challenges that they met outweighed the benefits they enjoy staying
outside the campus.

The study has shown that some of the of-campus students benefit from the surrounding markets that
allowed them to buy foodstuffs at lower costs and gave them the choice of what to buy for their meals.
Students could collaborate and do things as one family despite that each of them came with a different
purpose from their respective homes. Such acts allowed them to save the resources they had. It was
found also that off-campus students live in more cleaned environment. This could improve their healthy
life.

However, to some of the students staying off-campus meant that they had to travel from far distances
like Manyowe and Mbayani simply because they could not get the chance of finding near hostels or
because of financial problems, so they opted for cheaper hostels or houses to rent. The study has shown
that most of off-campus students are insure. Most of these students are robbed either on their way home
or at night at their place of residence. This has dragged them to square one of their developments.
Because when they lost the already acquired school materials, they are forced to look for similar
materials instead of progressing from where they were. Students who had been robbed at one point in
time were psychologically affected. The memories could make them to lose their concentration in their
studies. Because of the long-distance and fear of being robbed students could not attend to late afternoon
classes, be able to go to library in the afternoon or evening, participate in group activities and lab
sessions in the evening. These also had negative effects on their performance

Furthermore, off-campus students could be disturbed by the surrounding noise either from their
neighbours or near places where music could be played loudly from bars and barbershops. These

50
affected students on time spent in their studies and could make them lose concentration in what they
were doing. These eventually had an effect on their overall performance.

Lastly, some of off-campus students face challenges as they pursue their education. And these
challenges as discussed in chapter five need to be minimised so that their live and education should go
smoothly.

6.2. Recommendations
So based on the outcomes of this study I wold suggest that school management and students all other
stakeholders should can take part in improving the experiences of off-campus students;

 Firstly, to school’s management. Use of electronic system to select on-campus students. This
could provide trust on students that the selected students are based on merit and not on doubtful
means. The manual selection system is doubtful to most of students therefore migrating to an
electronic one would improve the integrity of the system.
 Management to arrangements with some selected private hostel owners near the school to
subsidise the hostels. This would ensure that more students are staying near the school. And
those with financial problems could at least pay smaller amounts to the owners of the hostels.
This arrangement could reduce the risks student could meet on their way home and the insecurity
in their houses and hostels.
 Management to liaise with the city council to install streetlights in all routes, which connect
directly or indirectly to MUBAS roads. These lights could provide light for proper passage of the
students. This could also minimise the presences of street thieves who usually hide in dark
places.
 Students to be walking in groups whenever it is rate. This move will bring courage and scare the
street robbers. Walking in teams enable students to be taking part in evening studies at campus,
which may eventually help in their performance.

51
6.3. Suggestions for further studies
 This study has focused on exploring academic experiences of off-campus students at MUBAS,
which is located in Blantyre, one of major cities of Malawi. Therefore, the same study should be
conducted in other universities like Malawi University of Science and Technology, which is
located in a semi urban area.
 A similar study need to be conducted with a larger sample size that would probably give the true
picture of experiences of off-campus students.

52
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55
Appendix 1: CHECKING FOR CONTENT VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY BY USING
CONTENT VALIDITY RATIO (CVR)

TOPIC OF STUDY: ACADEMIC EXPERIENCES OF EDUCATION BUSINESS STUDIES

STUDENTS WHO STAY OFF-CAMPUS AT MALAWI UNIVERSITY BUSINESS AND APPLIED
SCIENCES.

INSTRUCTION

Tick on ‘essential column’ if the item is related to the topic of study and

Tick on worthless column if the item is not related to the topic of study

Item Essential Worthless

For focus group (off-campus students)

1. What are your experiences while staying off-campus? 

2. What challenges do you face while off-campus? 

3. What do you think should be done to minimize or 

eliminate the challenges you face?

4. What factors can influence someone to stay off- 

campus in the next academic year?

For individual interview

5. Which area do you stay? 

6. How much do you pay per month in Kwacha? 

7. In which year are you? 

56
 8. Have you ever been offered accommodation? 

9. If yes, in which year of your study you were offered 

accommodation?

10. Do you wish to be offered accommodation again? 

11. If yes or no why? 

How long have you been staying off-campus?

12. What are your experiences while staying off-campus? 

13. What challenges do you face while off-campus? 

14. What do you think should be done to minimize or 

eliminate the challenges you face?

For dean of students

15. For how long have you been in charge of this office? 

16. What were your expectations before you took this 

office?

17. What are the most common issues that students 

present?

18. What are the challenges that these off-campus 

students present

19. As a college how do you handle the problems that 

require immediate attention?

20. What plans are on-board in solving the challenges 

being face by off-campus students?

57
 For landlords or landladies

21. For how long have you been providing rental houses 
to students?

22. What are the experiences you have learnt about these 
students?

23. How do your tenants (students) behave? 

24. Do they pay rent in time? 

25. What challenges do tenants (students) face? 

26. How do they respond to rent payment at the end of 

the month?

27. How can these challenges be solved? 

MARKED ESSENTIAL 24
CVR= = =0.8
TOTAL NUMBER OF QUESTIONS 27

58
Appendix 2: CONSENT LETTER

59
Appendix 3: WORKPLAN
The work plan includes all the activities of the research work from the beginning up to the end of the
research work. The table below shows the scheduled activities. The start and finish dates, and duration
of each activity is also shown in the table.

Table 2: Work plan

TASK NAME MONTH STARTING DATE ENDING DATE DURATION

Corrections June 18/06/2021 16/03/2021 One week
Data collection July 22/07/2021 29/07/2021 Two weeks
Chapter four August 04/08/2021 30/08/2021 Four weeks
Chapter five and six September 04/09/2021 04/09/2021 Four weeks
Thesis corrections October 01/10/2021 07/10/2021 One week

60
Appendix 4: BUDGET
The budget includes the resources together with their amount. The following table lists the resources and
their cost covered in the budget.

Table 3: Budget for the thesis

ITEM NAME DESCRIPTION AMOUNT (MK)

Airtime For internet and calls 5000.00
Transport Travelling to participants 4000.00
Printing cost Printing submission papers and tools 4000.00
Bidding cost To cover the outside document 1000.00
Contingency expense Extra money for overrun budget. 6000.00

Expected total cost 20000.00

61
Appendix 5: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR DEAN OF STUDENTS
MALAWI UNIVERSITY OF BUSINESS AND APPLIED SCIENCES (MUBAS)

SECTION A
My name is Vincent Kambuku, a student pursuing Bachelor’s Degree of Education (Business Studies)
from faculty of media studies, department of technical education (TED) Malawi University Business and
Applied Sciences.

In partial fulfilment of a Bachelor’s Degree am conducting a research on academic experiences of

education business studies students who stay off-campus at Malawi University of Business and
Applied Sciences

It is my humble request that you will help me in adding to the Knowledge of the world to the study that I
am doing by responding to the questions that I will ask you thorough the interview discussion process. I
promise you that the information collected through this interview will be used for academic purposes
only and no part of this information will be used beyond its intended purpose.

Your help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

SECTION B
1. For how long have you been in charge of this office?
2. What were your expectations before you took this office? ?
3. What are the most common issues that students present?
4. What are the challenges that off-campus students present
5. As a college how do you handle the problems that require immediate attention/solution?
6. What plans are on-board in supporting those students who face the mentioned challenges?

62
Appendix 6: FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS RESEARCH INTERVIEW.GUIDE FOR
STUDENTS
MALAWI UNIVERSITY OF BUSINESS AND APPLIED SCIENCES (MUBAS)

SECTION A
(INTRODUCTORY REMARKS)

My name is Vincent Kambuku, a student pursuing Bachelor’s Degree of Education (Business Studies)
from faculty of media studies, department of technical education (TED) Malawi University Business and
Applied Sciences.

In partial fulfilment of a Bachelor’s Degree am conducting a research on academic experiences of

education business studies students who stay off-campus at Malawi University of Business and
Applied Sciences

It is my humble request that you will help me in adding to the Knowledge of the world to the study that I
am doing by responding to the questions that I will ask you thorough the interview discussion process. I
promise you that the information collected through this interview will be used for academic purposes
only and no part of this information will be used beyond its intended purpose.

I thank you in advance for the help and I greatly appreciate the support you are going to render through
this discussion.

Can we now start the discussion!!!!!

SECTION B
1. What are your experiences while staying off-campus?
2. What challenges do you face while off-campus?
3. What do you think should be done to minimize or eliminate the challenges you face?
4. What factors can influence someone to stay off-campus in the next academic year?

63
Appendix 7: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR STUDENTS
MALAWI UNIVERSITY OF BUSINESS AND APPLIED SCIENCES (MUBAS)

SECTION A
(INTRODUCTORY REMARKS)

My name is Vincent Kambuku, a student-pursuing Bachelor’s Degree of Education (Business Studies)

from faculty of media studies, department of technical education (TED) Malawi University Business and
Applied Sciences.

In partial fulfilment of a Bachelor’s Degree am conducting a research on academic experiences of

education business studies students who stay off-campus at Malawi University of Business and
Applied Sciences

It is my humble request that you will help me in adding to the Knowledge of the world to the study that I
am doing by responding to the questions that I will ask you thorough the interview discussion process. I
promise you that the information collected through this interview will be used for academic purposes
only and no part of this information will be used beyond its intended purpose.

Your help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

64
SECTION B
Please circle the correct answer
1. Which area do you stay?
A. Chitawira B. Chichiri C. Ndirande D. Mandala E. Other (specify)___________
2. In which year are you?
A .Year one B. Year two C. Year three D. Year four
3. How much do you pay per month in Kwacha?
A .0-10, 000. B. 10, 001-20, 000 C. 20,001-30, 000 D. 30, 001-40, 000 E. 40, 001 and above
4. Have you ever been offered accommodation? Yes No
If yes, in which year of your study you were offered accommodation?
A .Year one B. Year two C. Year three D. Year four

SECTION C
5. Do you wish to be offered accommodation? Yes No
If yes or no why?
6. How long have you been staying off-campus?
7. What are your experiences while staying off-campus?
8. What challenges do you face while off-campus?
9. What do you think should be done to minimize or eliminate the challenges you face?

65
Appendix 8: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR LANDLORDS/LANDLADYS
MALAWI UNIVERSITY OF BUSINESS AND APPLIED SCIENCES (MUBAS)

SECTION A
My name is Vincent Kambuku, a student pursuing Bachelor’s Degree of Education (Business Studies)
from faculty of media studies, department of technical education (TED) Malawi University Business and
Applied Sciences.

In partial fulfilment of a Bachelor’s Degree am conducting a research on academic experiences of

education business studies students who stay off-campus at Malawi University of Business and
Applied Sciences

It is my humble request that you will help me in adding to the Knowledge of the world to the study that I
am doing by responding to the questions that I will ask you thorough the interview discussion process. I
promise you that the information collected through this interview will be used for academic purposes
only and no part of this information will be used beyond its intended purpose.

Your help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

SECTION B
1. For how long have you been providing rental houses to students?
2. What are the experiences you have learnt about these students?
3. How do your tenants (students) behave?
4. Do they pay rent in time?
5. What challenges do tenants (students) face?
6. How can these challenges be solved?

66
Appendix 9: TURNITIN REPORT

67