Factors Contribute to Misbehaviors of Students in State Universities of Sri Lanka - A Case Study of Eastern University, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Eastern University, a state owned University in Sri Lanka, had experienced many misbehavior activities of students range from involvement as a group in assaulting students, gathering to demonstrate against administration without following instruction of the Universities, gathering to block or obstacle the function of the universities. The higher authority of the university has to identify and analyze the factors behind the misbehavior activities. Therefore, a questionnaire was developed using the information such as study environment in the hostels, canteen facilities inside the hostels, communication ability of the Sub wardens, professional counseling by Student Counselors, and availability of Academic Sub Wardens in hostels. The questionnaire survey was conducted using 400 pre-tested self developed questionnaires and 343 responses were received. The analyses were done by using SPSS 2020 software. The results revealed that 94.2% of the hostel students were satisfied with the studying environment available in the hostels which is significantly different (p≤0.05). Also, the satisfactory levels of facilities of canteens in hostels, communication and language abilities of Sub Wardens, services provided by student counselors when students need psychological assistance, assistance of academic Sub Warden were found to be significant (p≤0.05) as 67.3%, 91.5 %, 74.0%, 91.5 % respectively. In addition, all variables were separately analyzed to identify the gender wise satisfactions revealed that female students expressed their dissatisfaction more than the Male students over canteen facilities, inability of Sub Wardens of the hostels to understand needs and wants of students, negative attitude of Sub Wardens, lack of professional Counseling provided by Student Counselor, Non availability of Academic Sub Wardens in hostels while Sub Warden handling student’s issues, and they expressed more satisfactions on studying environment in the hostels. Therefore, we can conclude that misbehavior in the hostels would be limited if sub warden’s communicate with student with their mother tongue, Sub Warden are given adequate training in improving attitude, and professional counseling service given to students. All other factors were found to be satisfied.