Impact of Late Submissions of Grades on the Mental Health of Exam Officers Across Public Universities in Sierra Leone

Abstract

Late grade submission is a persistent problem for all the public universities in Sierra Leone and generates significant administrative and psychological workload for Examinations Officers (EOs) and registry staff. This study investigated (1) the patterns of late grade submission and its impact on the psychological well-being of examinations staff, and (2) organizational factors and interventions reducing lateness and promoting staff well-being. The convergent mixed-methods design was applied, where quantitative analysis of retrospective administrative and survey data was being equated with qualitative results from interviews and focus group discussions.
The study was conducted in six public universities Njala University, University of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology, Eastern Technical University, Milton Margai Technical University, and Freetown Polytechnic for the period 2018–2025. The respondents consisted of 150 participants, i.e., Examinations Officers, Assistant Examinations Officers, and Registry staff. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and multivariable linear regression.
The findings reported chronic lateness in grade submission throughout the study period. The mean lateness in days ranged from 8.2 to 11.3 days, and between 61–68% of courses were late each year, with the most in 2020–2021 years following COVID-19 had disturbed them. Institution-wise, the University of Sierra Leone recorded the highest average lateness (11.2 days; 67.0% late submissions). Mental health indices were noteworthy poor: 80.7% reported greater than the clinical cut-off for stress, 72.0% for anxiety, 65.3% for depression, and 64.7% for burnout (Maslach Emotional Exhaustion subscale). Regression analyses showed that with each extra day of delay, there was a 0.77-point increase in a higher stress score (95% CI: 0.51–1.03, p < 0.001), a 0.58-point rise in anxiety (95% CI: 0.29–0.87, p < 0.001), and positive rises in depression and burnout scores. Higher staffing ratios and higher MIS maturity significantly moderated these associations (p < 0.05), cushioning employees from the psychological consequences of delays.
Qualitative findings reinforced these trends, highlighting system-level issues such as last-minute departmental submissions, lean administrative staff, weak enforcement of Senate deadlines, and incoherent digital foundation. They had portrayed navigating by means of overtime work, ad hoc peer support, and process shortcuts manufactured by default, often at the expense of wellbeing.
The study confirms that chronic late grade submissions are a structural occupational health risk to examination workers, resulting in excessive stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout levels. Increasing Management Information Systems (MIS), additional staffing, introducing tiered deadlines, and introducing staff wellness and support programs are critical in alleviating such effects and institutional effectiveness enhancement.