UNCOVERING THE MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS BEHIND FEMALE STUDENTS’ PREFERENCE FOR PRIVATE OVER PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN RWANDA

ABSTRACT : This study aimed to uncover the motivational factors behind female students’ preference for private over public universities in Rwanda, with specific objectives of identifying key extrinsic motivational factors and assessing how institutional factors, such as quality of services, learning environment, and academic support, shape this preference. Guided by a positivist research philosophy, the study adopted a quantitative descriptive, explanatory design. The target population comprised 440 female students from three higher learning institutions in Rwanda: The University of Rwanda, the University of Kigali, and the Adventist University of Central Africa. Using Krejcie and Morgan’s sampling table, a sample of 204 respondents was selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 27, employing descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression. The findings revealed that a student-centered and caring atmosphere was the strongest extrinsic motivator influencing female students’ preference for private universities, followed by the quality of the learning environment, academic support services, women-friendly facilities, and flexible learning schedules. Chi-square results indicated statistically significant associations between all motivational and institutional factors and university type. Logistic regression analysis showed that all factors increased the likelihood of choosing private universities, with flexible learning schedules emerging as a statistically significant predictor. Overall, the study concludes that extrinsic and institutional support factors collectively play a decisive role in shaping female students’ university choices in Rwanda. It recommends that universities strengthen student-centered practices, that the Higher Education Council enforce gender-responsive quality standards, and that the Ministry of Education implement policies and funding strategies to enhance institutional support, particularly in public universities—to promote equity and informed choice in higher education.

Key Terms: Motivational factors, extrinsic motivation, institutional factors, female students’ university preference, private and public universities, student-centered learning.