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 Three Pillars of Productivity Enhancement: Technical Know-How, Resource Allocation, and Government Willingness in Uganda

Authors: Dr. Arinaitwe Julius1 , Musiimenta Nancy2

Published on 01 Jan 1970

Productivity enhancement remains a critical challenge for Uganda's economic transformation despite decades of policy interventions, with persistent gaps in understanding how technical know-how, resource allocation, and government willingness interact to influence productivity outcomes across productive sectors. .

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Terms or Semesters? Re-evaluating the Academic Calendar Structure within Uganda's Evolving Secondary Education Landscape

Authors: Dr. Ariyo Gracious Kazaara1 , Asiimwe Isaac Kazaara2

Published on 01 Jan 1970

: Uganda's secondary education system has operated on a three-term academic calendar inherited from the British colonial model for over six decades, yet limited empirical evidence exists regarding its effectiveness compared to alternative structures, particularly semester-based systems that are increasingly adopted regionally and internationally. The evolving educational landscape, characterized by curriculum reforms, increased enrollment under Universal Secondary Education, and regional harmonization pressures, necessitates evidence-based evaluation of whether the traditional calendar structure optimally serves contemporary educational needs. .

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Relationship between strikes and teachers' salary increases in Uganda

Authors: Dr. Arinaitwe Julius1 , Ahumuza Audrey2

Published on 01 Jan 1970

Teacher strikes have become increasingly common in Uganda's education sector, with educators demanding salary increases amid rising living costs, yet empirical evidence on whether these industrial actions effectively translate into improved compensation remains limited. .

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Wage Conundrum in Uganda: Political Economy of Minimum Wage Stagnation Amidst Extreme Income Disparities

Authors: Musiimenta Nancy1 , Ahumuza Audrey2

Published on 01 Jan 1970

Uganda's minimum wage has remained frozen at 6,000 UGX ($1. 60) monthly since 1984 despite consistent economic growth and extreme income disparities where top officials earn wages thousands of times higher than statutory minimums. This stagnation persists amid constitutional guarantees of fair remuneration, raising critical questions about the political economy dynamics that perpetuate this wage conundrum.

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Relationship Between Mobile Banking Services And Loan Performance Of Selected Microfinance Institutions In Mukono District.

Authors: Akampurira Sarah1 , Musiimenta Nancy2

Published on 01 Jan 1970

The integration of mobile banking services is a pivotal strategy for Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in Uganda to enhance operational efficiency and financial sustainability. However, the specific relationship between these digital services and tangible loan performance metrics within the unique context of Mukono District required empirical investigation. This study sought to examine the relationship between mobile banking services and the loan performance of selected MFIs in Mukono District.

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Digital Financial Services and Profitability of Microfinance Institutions in Uganda: A Case of FINCA Uganda.

Authors: Dr Ariyo Gracious Kazaara1 , Kabanda Richard2

Published on 01 Jan 1970

The study examined the influence of Digital Financial Services (DFS) on the profitability of microfinance institutions in Uganda, with specific reference to FINCA Uganda. The objectives of the study were to quantify the impact of mobile money transactions, digital loans, and agency banking on profitability; to evaluate management perceptions regarding the influence of DFS on operational determinants of profitability; and to identify the critical challenges and strategic success factors affecting the linkage between DFS adoption and profitability. A cross-sectional research design was employed, and both primary and secondary data were analyzed using multiple linear regression models.

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Beyond Technological Fixes: Integrating Ecological Principles in Policy Planning for Climate-Resilient Urban Development

Authors: Arinaitwe Julius1 , Musiimenta Nancy2

Published on 01 Jan 1970

Urban centres across the globe are increasingly confronted with the compounding threats of climate change, including intensifying urban heat islands, escalating flood frequencies, declining biodiversity, and weakening ecosystem services — challenges that conventional infrastructure-based and technology-centered policy responses have demonstrably failed to resolve comprehensively. This study examined the role of ecological principles in shaping climate-resilient urban policy, with particular emphasis on the integration of green infrastructure, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem-based adaptation strategies within urban planning frameworks. Employing a mixed quantitative approach, cross-sectional data were collected from 320 urban districts across 32 cities in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

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Black is Not a Color: A Philosophical, Scientific, and Decolonial Inquiry into Essence, Origin, and the Epistemology of Blackness

Authors: Arinaitwe Julius1 , Asiimwe Isaac Kazaara2

Published on 01 Jan 1970

This study undertook a multi-layered philosophical, scientific, and decolonial investigation into the nature, classification, and epistemological positioning of Blackness both as a physical phenomenon and as a socially constructed identity marker. The central thesis posed that Black, as understood in the dominant Western chromatic tradition, is not a color in the optical-scientific sense, yet has been systematically weaponized as a racial category through colonial knowledge systems that conflate pigmentation, light absorption, and human identity in deeply oppressive ways. Drawing on a mixed-methods theoretical and quantitative framework, the study surveyed 420 participants across academic, community, and professional contexts using validated psychometric instruments designed to measure the Perception of Blackness as Essence (PBE), Coloniality of Color Knowledge (CCK), Epistemic Marginalization Index (EMI), Scientific Literacy Score (SLS), and Decolonial Identity Affirmation (DIA).

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Academic Integrity in Research Writing: A Practical Framework for Citation Literacy and Plagiarism Avoidance

Authors: Arinaitwe Julius1 , Ahumuza Audrey2

Published on 01 Jan 1970

Academic integrity constitutes a foundational pillar of scholarly enterprise, yet persistent challenges in citation literacy and plagiarism avoidance continue to undermine the credibility of research outputs across higher educational institutions. This study examined the level of citation literacy among undergraduate and postgraduate researchers, assessed the prevalence and typologies of plagiarism in academic writing, and evaluated the effectiveness of existing institutional frameworks for promoting academic integrity. Employing a document review methodology anchored in content analysis of 120 purposively sampled academic texts, institutional policy documents, and published research articles, the study generated rich empirical data through systematic coding, frequency analysis, and cross-tabulation.

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Beyond Replication: Edible Green Walls as a Catalyst for Contextual Urban Agroecology in Africa

Authors: Arinaitwe Julius1 , Asiimwe Isaac Kazaara2

Published on 01 Jan 1970

This study investigated the potential of edible green walls (EGWs) as a contextually adaptive mechanism for advancing urban agroecology across sub-Saharan African cities. Despite growing global interest in vertical food production systems, most EGW models have been imported from temperate, resource-abundant contexts, raising fundamental questions about their appropriateness, scalability, and ecological coherence within African urban environments. Drawing on a mixed-methods agroecological framework, this research examined the factors influencing community adoption willingness, the integration of local ecological knowledge into EGW design and implementation, and the policy environment necessary to support contextual urban food systems.

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