Perceptions and Expectations of Medical Students towards the Quality of Educational Services offered at A Sudanese University: How Far is the Gap?

Elmuntasir Taha Salah; Wadie M Elmadhoun; Ahmed  Abdalla; Manal  Mohamed Khalid; Osman  K Saeed

doi:10.52981/sjms.v10i4.1019

Elmuntasir Taha Salah Faculty of Medicine Ribat National university Khartoum, Sudan
Wadie M Elmadhoun Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Nile Valley University, Atbara, Sudan
Ahmed Abdalla Faculty of Medicine, Gedarif University, Gedarif, Sudan
Manal Mohamed Khalid Faculty of Medicine, Elmogtaribeen University, Khartoum, Sudan
Osman K Saeed Faculty of Medicine, University of Gezira, Wad Madani, Sudan

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52981/sjms.v10i4.1019

Keywords: medical student, quality education, Sudan

Abstract

Background: Students are the primary customers of high education service, and are becoming more aware of their consumer rights and of gaps between their expectations of service delivery and the reality of services.

Objective: of this study was to investigate medical students’ perceptions and expectations of educational services quality at X University in Sudan.

Methods: One hundred ninety six registered medical students in the academic year 2013- 2014, were enrolled; sample was collected through convenience sample technique. The study was conducted by the use of Modified SERVQUAL questionnaire. SPSS version 20 was used for data analysis.

Results: There was a negative mean score for quality gap in all dimensions of service quality. Students perceived tangibles as quality indicators of the service quality at university, and expect universities to have modern-looking equipment, so that staff can provide efficient service to them. There was a strong student concern about teaching staff promises regarding timetables and exam schedules to be fulfilled on time, which indicated the area of most concern amongst the respondents (gap score – 1.94). A clear communication problem regarding service delivery was inferred, as students perception towards solving their problems was very low (gap score -1.91).

Conclusion: students’ perceptions of services delivered by X University falls below their expectations; that indicates student’s dissatisfaction. This large gap constitutes a great challenge to the administrators and educational policy makers, who are recommended to consider students feedback as a quality indicator in the quality assurance process.

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