DETERMINANTS OF SERVICE QUALITY PERCEPTIONS AMONG SCHOOL LEAVERS IN SRI LANKAN OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING (ODL) CENTRES

Abstract

The growing demand for Open and Distance Learning (ODL) in Sri Lanka has broadened access to higher education, yet research on students’ perceptions of service quality in regional ODL settings remains limited. This study examines key factors influencing service quality perceptions among school leavers at ODL centres in four districts: Matale, Monaragala, Badulla, and Kegalle. A 21-item questionnaire, based on the HEdPERF model and refined through expert review, was administered using a five-point Likert scale. Sample adequacy was confirmed (KMO > 0.70, communalities), justifying factor analysis despite the modest sample size. The study extends the HEdPERF model by validating its applicability in regional ODL contexts, emphasizing institutional prestige as an emergent dimension, reflecting the contextual importance of reputation in Sri Lankan ODL settings. A cross-sectional design yielded 162 valid responses (from 200), following the exclusion of multivariate outliers. Participants (aged 18–25, 60% female) primarily represented rural school leavers from middle-income backgrounds. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) identified five reliable dimensions explaining 70.67% of variance, retaining 16 items after removing low-loading variables. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) confirmed strong model fit: (χ²(94) = 138.751, p = .002; χ²/df = 1.476; CFI = 0.953; RMSEA = 0.055; GFI = 0.902, meeting recommended thresholds). Composite Reliability ranged from 0.741 to 0.891; AVE values exceeded 0.502, and discriminant validity was supported by the Fornell-Larcker criterion. The study validates a multidimensional model of service quality in regional ODL institutions, identifying five dimensions: Environmental and Academic Accessibility, Financial Accessibility, Institutional Staff Support, Institutional Prestige, and Student Support Services. Student Support was strongly linked to engagement and well-being; Financial Accessibility to inclusivity; and Institutional Prestige to trust and affiliation. Students assessed institutional quality through affordability, access, image, and support systems. These findings offer strategic insights for enhancing satisfaction, retention, and competitiveness. Limitations include a small, regionally confined sample and cross-sectional design limiting causal inference.