The Relationship Between Class Attendance and German Language Examination Performance at Obafemi Awolowo University

This study examines the relationship between class attendance and German language examination performance among undergraduate students at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, South West Nigeria. Absenteeism is a recognised concern in Nigerian tertiary education, with potential consequences for learning outcomes across disciplines. However, the specific impact of attendance patterns on performance in foreign language courses, where cumulative exposure and practice are particularly critical, has not been formally examined in Nigerian German language studies. The study adopts a quantitative research design, drawing on attendance records and end-of-semester examination scores for 200 German language students across two academic years. Multiple regression analysis is used to determine the extent to which attendance predicts examination performance, controlling for variables such as prior language background, year of study, and gender. Findings confirm a statistically significant positive relationship between attendance and examination scores, with attendance accounting for approximately 28 percent of the variance in performance. The effect is particularly strong for oral and listening components of the examination. The study recommends the implementation of early warning systems to identify at-risk students and institutional policies that address the structural barriers to regular attendance. Keywords: class attendance, examination performance, German language, Obafemi Awolowo University, academic achievement.