Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research

Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research (MJAAR)

The Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research (MJAAR) is a peer-reviewed online journal published monthly. The ISSN for the MJAAR Digital Library is ISSN: 3006-6417 (Online). MJAAR is a highly selective journal that covers a wide range of topics, catering to a broad audience interested in academic and applied research across various fields. MJAAR offers numerous advantages designed to enhance research skills and advance academic careers. Publishing in scholarly journals plays a critical role in career progression within academia. Author Benefits Specific to MJAAR Publications: Fast and Efficient Paper Publishing Process: Authors can expect a smooth and timely publication process. Indexing in Prominent Databases: MJAAR is listed in notable platforms such as Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Scirus, get CITED, and others. Expert Peer Review Panel: We are honoured to have a highly respected team of academic reviewers from leading universities around the world. Open Access Journal: This ensures wide visibility and promotion of your published work. MJAAR is managed by a distinguished Board of Editors and is supported by an international review board comprised of prominent academics and professionals from renowned universities, colleges, and institutions across Africa, the Middle East, and beyond. To ensure the highest quality standards, all manuscripts submitted to MJAAR undergo a stringent review process, which includes blind reviews by one or more members of the international editorial review board, followed by an in-depth evaluation by MJAAR editors. We are committed to supporting our authors in excelling across all areas of academic and applied research.

Latest Articles

Browse the latest peer-reviewed publications from Metropolitan International University Journals.

The effectiveness of the National Accelerated Education Programme (AEP) in re-engaging out-of-school youth

Authors: Dr. Arinaitwe Julius1 , Dr. Mategeko Betty2

Published on 06 Jul 2026

Background: Uganda's National Accelerated Education Programme (AEP) was established to provide flexible, condensed learning pathways for youth aged 10–17 who had dropped out of school owing to conflict, poverty, early pregnancy, displacement, and other structural vulnerabilities. Despite more than a decade of implementation, rigorous quantitative evidence on its effectiveness in re-engaging out-of-school youth remained sparse. Objective: This study examined the effectiveness of the AEP in re-engaging out-of-school youth in Uganda, with specific attention to the role of Programme quality, community support, and socio-economic status as predictors, and learner motivation as a mediating mechanism.

Read More

Regional disparities in school dropout: a comparative study of Karamoja and national trends

Authors: Dr. Arinaitwe Julius1 , Asiimwe Isaac Kazaara2 , Nabaasa Desire3

Published on 06 Jul 2026

School dropout remains one of the most persistent structural inequalities in Uganda's education system, and nowhere is this more acute than in the Karamoja sub-region. This study examined regional disparities in school dropout between Karamoja and national trends, drawing on a cross-sectional comparative design with a stratified random sample of 847 respondents, including students, teachers, parents, and local education officials, drawn from 32 schools across three Karamoja districts — Moroto, Kotido, and Napak — and a nationally representative comparison stratum of 18 districts across Uganda's four administrative regions. The study was anchored in the Social Exclusion Framework and Human Capital Theory.

Read More

The Use of Donor-Funded Programs to Address Structural Gaps in Ugandan Public Service Delivery

Authors: Dr. Twinomujuni Rosebell1 , Asiimwe Isaac Kazaara2 , Ahumuza Audrey3

Published on 04 Jul 2026

Uganda continues to face significant structural deficits in public service delivery, including inadequate healthcare infrastructure, low school enrolment rates, limited access to clean water, and weak governance frameworks, which collectively constrain inclusive development. Donor-funded programs have emerged as a critical mechanism for bridging these gaps, mobilising financial and technical resources to supplement government capacity. This study examined the role of donor-funded programs in addressing structural gaps in public service delivery in Uganda, drawing on a sample of 400 respondents drawn from five districts—Kampala, Wakiso, Mbarara, Gulu, and Mbale— using stratified random sampling.

Read More

Multi-sectoral coordination challenges in Ugandan social policy implementation

Authors: Dr. Arinaitwe Julius1 , Akampurira Sarah2 , Nabaasa Desire3

Published on 04 Jul 2026

Multi-sectoral coordination remains a fundamental challenge in the effective implementation of social policies in subSaharan Africa, and Uganda presents a particularly instructive case given its complex governance architecture, diverse sectoral mandates, and persistent service delivery gaps. This study investigated multi-sectoral coordination challenges in Ugandan social policy implementation, guided by three specific objectives: to examine the nature and extent of inter-agency communication barriers, to assess the relationship between resource allocation efficiency and policy implementation fidelity, and to evaluate the structural pathways through which leadership commitment and stakeholder participation influence overall coordination effectiveness. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, with data collected from 312 purposively sampled policy implementers drawn from five key social sectors — health, education, water and sanitation, agriculture, and social protection — across twelve districts in Uganda.

Read More

Auditing as ritual versus auditing as enforcement: rethinking public accountability mechanisms in Uganda

Authors: Dr. Mategeko Betty1 , Ahumuza Audrey2 , Dr. Twinomujuni Rosebell3

Published on 04 Jul 2026

This study examined the conceptual and operational tension between auditing as a ceremonial ritual and auditing as a genuine enforcement mechanism within Uganda's public accountability framework. Drawing on a mixed-methods design that combined structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, and documentary analysis, data were collected from 320 purposively and randomly selected respondents across central government ministries, local government districts, civil society organizations (CSOs), and parliamentary committees. Univariate descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation analysis, and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) were employed to interrogate the relationships between political independence, technical audit capacity, stakeholder engagement, follow-up compliance mechanisms, and accountability outcomes.

Read More

The role of higher education institutions in modeling knowledge-competency partnerships for national development

Authors: Dr. Arinaitwe Julius1 , Asiimwe Isaac Kazaara2 , Nabaasa Desire3

Published on 04 Jul 2026

This study examined the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in modeling knowledge-competency partnerships (KCPs) for national development, with a focus on five core dimensions: curriculum alignment, industry partnerships, graduate employability, research translation, and policy engagement. Using a mixed-methods quantitative approach, data were collected from 240 administrators, academics, and industry stakeholders across 20 HEIs in a developingcountry context. Descriptive statistics revealed that graduate employability (M = 3.

Read More

Conceptual Displacement In Public Policy Discourse: Lessons From Uganda's Education And Governance Debates

Authors: Dr. Arinaitwe Julius1 , Dr. Twinomujuni Rosebell2 , Dr. Mategeko Betty3

Published on 04 Jul 2026

Conceptual displacement the process by which the original semantic content of a policy concept is gradually supplanted by alternative meanings that serve different ideological and institutional interests — has emerged as a critical but under examined phenomenon in African public policy scholarship. This study examined conceptual displacement in Uganda's public policy discourse, with particular emphasis on the education and governance sectors, over the period 2010 to 2024. Drawing on a mixed-methods design that combined critical discourse analysis (CDA) of 214 purposively selected policy documents, 28 key informant interviews, and a structured survey administered to 312 policy actors, the study employed univariate, bivariate, and structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques to quantify and explain patterns of semantic drift.

Read More

Institutional 'gaming practices' and learner exclusion before Primary Leaving Examinations

Authors: Dr. Arinaitwe Julius1 , Musiimenta Nancy2 , Akampurira Sarah3

Published on 04 Jul 2026

School-level 'gaming practices' — covert, systematic strategies through which school administrators manipulate learner registration, attendance records, and examination entry in order to inflate institutional performance metrics before national assessments — constitute a critically underexamined mechanism of learner exclusion in Uganda's primary education system. This study examined the nature, prevalence, and institutional determinants of gamingpractice-induced learner exclusion before the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) in Uganda, focusing specifically on how such practices operate, which learner profiles are most disproportionately targeted, and what structural, socioeconomic, and institutional factors predict the probability of exclusion. A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed, using a structured questionnaire administered to 500 Primary Seven learners and recent school leavers from 30 purposively selected primary schools across rural and urban districts in Uganda.

Read More

Early pregnancy as a mechanism of female educational exclusion in Ugandan secondary schools

Authors: Dr. Arinaitwe Julius1 , Dr. Twinomujuni Rosebell2 , Asiimwe Isaac Kazaara3

Published on 04 Jul 2026

Early pregnancy constitutes one of the most pervasive yet structurally embedded barriers to girls' secondary education in Uganda, operating through intersecting social, economic, and institutional mechanisms that collectively sustain gender inequality. This study examined the role of early pregnancy as a mechanism of female educational exclusion in Ugandan secondary schools, with a specific focus on the prevalence of school dropout attributable to pregnancy, the socio-economic and institutional factors that mediate the pregnancy-dropout relationship, and the effectiveness of existing re-entry policies and school-based support systems in facilitating academic continuation. A cross-sectional quantitative research design was employed, utilizing a structured questionnaire administered to a sample of 500 female secondary school students and recent school leavers from 20 purposively selected secondary schools across rural and urban districts in Uganda.

Read More

Household Poverty And Ancillary School Costs As Drivers Of Primary School Dropout In Uganda

Authors: Dr. Mategeko Betty1 , Ahumuza Audrey2 , Dr. Twinomujuni Rosebell3

Published on 04 Jul 2026

Primary school dropout remains a critical barrier to achieving universal education in Uganda, with socioeconomic factors identified as key determinants. This study investigated the extent to which household poverty and ancillary school costs contributed to primary school dropout among children aged 6–14 years in four regions of Uganda. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,200 households sampled using a multi-stage cluster sampling approach.

Read More