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This article presents the stakeholders’ perspectives on the current status of the orientation programme for first year students at universities. Survey method involving exploratory case study design was employed using the qualitative approach to generate the data, i.e. interviews and focus group discussion and later on subjected to qualitative analysis. Data were obtained from 88 informants who included 80 first year students who were pursuing bachelor degrees, 4 wardens and 4 deputy deans of students at the University of Dodoma. This sample was determined by saturation criterion and they were selected using purposive random sampling technique. The findings show that the orientations programme currently being executed at UDOM focuses much on students’ social adjustment behaviors while there is a little attention paid on the academic adjustment aspects. Besides, the study came up with the orientation course content for the upcoming orientation programme. Such contents are – campus tour, GPA, course information, UDOM SR, examination rules and regulations, lecture pre requisite, role and function of student advisor, accessibility of library resources, academic survival skills, and financial management were suggested as the key content of the orientation programme. In the light of these results, the paper concludes that UDOM has to develop its orientation programme by taking the learners’ needs into account as they are the primary beneficiary of such programme. Similarly, during the orientation programme, considerable attention needs to be paid to issues related to academics aspects since they are crucial in their academic journey. |
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