The nature of motivation and learning strategy use is vital to improving student learning outcomes. This study was intended to explore the motivational beliefs and learning strategy use by Liberian junior and senior high school students in connection with their academic performance. It also solicited students’ self-reports about presumed factors hindering their learning. Utilizing a cross-sectional quantitative research design, 323 participants took part in the study from 2 counties. Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) was adapted and 12 potential learning hindrances were identified and used as instruments. Data analyses were conducted using SPSS 17.0. The results showed the motivational belief component of extrinsic goal orientation as the most preferred belief and test anxiety was the least possessed belief. Rehearsal strategies were found to be the most frequently used, while help seeking was reported to be the least strategy considered. The result also showed significant relationships between the two constructs. In addition, the study found some learning hindrances. A number of conclusions as well as some practical recommendations for action relative to the improvement of student performance have been advanced.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the push-pull factors and motivations of African and Asian international students in Chinese universities. Design/methodology/approach Concurrent mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) design was used. The quantitative component included 537 Africans and Asians from five notable universities, while the qualitative aspect consisted of 30 participants in Wuhan and few other cities in China. Findings Findings revealed availability of scholarship opportunities, China’s flexibility (visa and program entry) and perception of better education quality as important push-pull factors. It also discovered several new pull factors, including citizens’ attitude and good report, development potential and hospitality and receptiveness, while career development and entertainment were found to be the most and least significant motivational factors, respectively. The study also found a significant relationship between push-pull factors and study abroad motivation (SAM) as well as cross-cultural differences between African and Asian students. Research limitations/implications Most of the participants were drawn from Wuhan city. Hence, the findings cannot be outrightly generalized to other contexts. Practical implications This research provides valuable knowledge for policy makers, higher education institutions, international students and other stakeholders in China to inform better student experience. Originality/value There was no study found that combines push-pull factors and SAM or comparatively investigates African and international students in China. Knowledge about sojourners push-pull factors and motivations, their relationship and cross-cultural differences is essential for evidence-based interventions.

Building strong synergy among policy-makers, school administrators, teachers and parents in the execution of their roles is very important to improve student learning outcomes. It helps to lay a firm educational foundation for children from Pre-K-12 and facilitates life-long learning in order to assist learners to acquire knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that empower them to contribute to sustainable development. As a remedy to deteriorating student learning outcomes (exemplified in Liberia), this paper examines and discusses synergic alignment of education stakeholders' roles towards the primary goal of better learning outcomes for students from pre-primary through high school, focusing on the need for combined efforts. It highlights why synergic alignment matters in spite of their traditionally ascribed roles and pinpoints some challenges and benefits of building synergy among stakeholders. Finally, this article offers suggestions aimed at improving student performance, particularly in developing countries through collaborative partnership. It sees synergy in group roles as one of the most effective solutions to cultivating better student learning outcomes and condemns children's education as the sole responsibility of school workers (administrators and teachers). It was concluded that the survivability of social institutions and continuity of human existence hinges on synergy built to support children's learning.

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