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 Impact Of Bullying On Students' Academic Performance: A Case Study Of Selected Schools In Kyegegwa District

Authors: Kwesiga John1 , Dr. Okee Jill Margaret2

Published on 04 Jun 2026

This study examined the impact of bullying on students' academic performance in selected schools in Kyegegwa District, Uganda. Using a mixed-methods design, the study targeted 320 students, 24 teachers, and 10 school administrators drawn from six secondary schools. Stratified random sampling was employed to select 178 respondents.

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The Unclogged Mind: Tabula Rasa, Receptive Openness, and the Recovery of Primary Perception

Authors: Dr. Arinaitwe Julius1 , Asiimwe Isaac Kazaara2 , Ahumuza Audrey3

Published on 04 Jun 2026

This study examined the cognitive and experiential mechanisms underlying the recovery of primary perception through the conceptual framework of Tabula Rasa and receptive openness among a sample of 300 adult participants drawn from urban and semi-urban settings in East Africa. Primary perception, understood as the capacity to encounter reality with minimal cognitive filtering, conditioned interpretation, or habituated schema overlay, has been theorised as a fundamental aspect of psychological well-being and creative intelligence; yet empirical investigation of this phenomenon remains sparse. Using validated psychometric instruments including the Mindfulness Practice Scale (MPS), the Cognitive Load Index (CLI), the Primary Perception Score (PPS), the Perceptual Openness Scale (POS), and the Tabula Rasa Index (TRI), the study employed a cross-sectional survey design.

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CBC and Enhancing Training, Assessment, and Curriculum Delivery in Ugandan Undergraduate Education

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

Published on 04 Jun 2026

Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) has gained growing traction as a transformative framework for restructuring higher education systems across sub-Saharan Africa, yet its application within Ugandan undergraduate institutions remains fragmented and underexplored. This study examined the extent to which CBC principles were integrated into training, assessment, and curriculum delivery practices across selected Ugandan universities, and assessed the factors that predicted student academic outcomes under a CBC framework. A cross-sectional survey research design was employed, drawing on a stratified random sample of 385 respondents comprising 210 undergraduate students and 175 lecturers from eight universities, spanning public, private, technical, and faith-based institutions.

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Where Are Ugandan Graduates Putting Their Trust? From Academic Credentials to Precarious Side Hustles in an Era of Diminishing Formal Employment

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

Published on 04 Jun 2026

Background: Uganda's expanding higher education sector has produced an unprecedented surge in graduate output at a time when the formal labour market remains structurally incapable of absorbing new entrants, generating acute tensions between graduate expectations forged by decades of credential-based socialization and the realities of an economy dominated by informal, precarious work. Objective: This study examined the employment trajectories of Ugandan university graduates, assessed the sociodemographic and structural predictors of engagement in side hustles, and evaluated the perceived role of academic credentials in securing sustainable livelihood outcomes. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was employed, drawing a stratified random sample of 412 graduates from five Ugandan universities who had completed their undergraduate or postgraduate programmes within the preceding five years.

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Youth Innovation and Uganda's Economic Transformation: Who Holds the Keys?

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

Published on 04 Jun 2026

This study examined the relationship between youth innovation and economic transformation in Uganda, interrogating the structural, institutional, and human capital factors that either unlock or constrain the transformative potential of young Ugandans. Drawing on a cross-sectional survey of 400 youth entrepreneurs, innovators, and policymakers across five regions of Uganda, the study employed univariate descriptive statistics, bivariate Pearson correlation analysis, ordinary least squares (OLS) multiple regression, and structural equation modelling (SEM) to establish the magnitude, direction, and mediation dynamics of key relationships. Findings revealed that the Youth Innovation Index was the strongest predictor of economic transformation (β = 0.

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The Motivational Signal of Money: High Earnings, Behavioral Response, and Organizational Outcomes in Uganda's Dual Economy

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

Published on 04 Jun 2026

This study investigated the motivational signal of money among employees operating within Uganda's dual economy, examining whether high earnings translate into measurable behavioral responses and improved organizational outcomes. Grounded in Expectancy Theory, Self-Determination Theory, and Agency Theory, a cross-sectional survey design was employed with 400 employees drawn from formal and informal sector organizations in Kampala, Wakiso, and Mbarara districts. Structured questionnaires captured data on monthly earnings, motivation index scores, job performance, organizational commitment, retention intent, and composite organizational outcomes.

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Education Without Wisdom is Functional Illiteracy: Implications for Unemployed Graduates in Uganda

Authors: Dr. Arinaitwe Julius1 , Ahumuza Audrey2 , Nabaasa Desire3

Published on 04 Jun 2026

This study examined the paradox of educated but unemployed graduates in Uganda, conceptualised through the theoretical lens of functional illiteracy — a condition in which individuals possess formal academic credentials yet lack the applied wisdom, soft skills, emotional intelligence, and adaptive competencies required to translate learning into productive and sustainable employment. Using a cross-sectional survey design, primary data were collected from 420 respondents drawn from graduate job-seekers, employers, and university lecturers across four urban centres in Uganda — Kampala, Gulu, Mbarara, and Mbale. Structured questionnaires and semi-structured interview guides were used as primary data collection instruments.

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The Antiquity Paradox: What 3,000-Year-Old Roads Teach Us About the Failure of Modern Educational Design

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

Published on 04 Jun 2026

This study examined the structural, functional, and philosophical design principles embedded in ancient road engineering — particularly Roman, Persian, and Incan road networks spanning over 3,000 years — and applied these principles as analytical benchmarks against contemporary educational curriculum design frameworks. Using a mixedmethods approach that integrated time-series analysis of curriculum relevance trends from 2000 to 2025 and a thematic analysis of 80 documentary sources drawn from archaeology, educational theory, and comparative design literature, the research revealed a profound and statistically significant divergence: while ancient roads maintained a durability and functional relevance index consistently above 93% across the study period, modern curriculum relevance scores declined sharply from 82% in 2000 to just 20% by 2025, a net deterioration of 62 percentage points (Mann-Kendall τ = −0. 94, p < 0.

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The Paradox of the Present: Why Historical Models of Formal Schooling Cannot Be Replicated in Contemporary Classrooms

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

Published on 04 Jun 2026

This study examined the structural, pedagogical, and socio-contextual barriers that prevent the replication of historical formal schooling models within contemporary classroom environments. Grounded in critical pedagogy theory, social constructivism, and systems theory, the study investigated the degree to which adherence to historical instructional models contributes to pedagogical inefficacy, diminished student outcomes, and reduced classroom adaptability in modern educational settings. A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed, with data collected from 420 inservice teachers and 1,260 students drawn from five categories of schools across urban, peri-urban, and rural contexts.

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Paper vs. Physical Accountability in Public Sector Management: Situating Uganda's Reform Trajectory

Authors: Dr. Arinaitwe Julius1 , Ahumuza Audrey2 , Asiimwe Isaac Kazaara3

Published on 04 Jun 2026

This study examined the divergence between paper-based and physical accountability systems in Uganda's public sector, with a focus on how documentation compliance, service delivery performance, and institutional governance structures jointly determine reform outcomes. Drawing on simulated panel data from 45 local government units across Uganda's four administrative regions over a ten-year period (2013–2022), the study employed univariate descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation analysis, and three-level multilevel regression modelling (districts nested within regions nested within governance periods) to interrogate the structural conditions that enable or constrain genuine accountability. Findings revealed that while documentary compliance scores averaged 72.

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