Tracer study is a tool used to track and analyze the curriculum and training programs.

It is important to be able to assess the effectiveness of providing students with training and skills.

Conducting graduate tracer studies can help to understand the needs of graduates to progress and

develop a better mindset to those still in the program. Quality and adequacy of staffs, and good

graduate performance will reflect the quality of education (Kebedom, 2010). Tracer study is a form

of an empirical study which can provide valuable information for evaluating the results of training

from an institution (Schomburg, 2003). According to Lange (2001), tracer studies are designed to

map the skills of the graduates and evaluate the relevance of the training they have undergone.

One of the goals of this tracer study is to track down the alumni on their journey following

the programme. According to Harold Schomburg, tracer study is defined as study to trace

graduates of higher education institute. “Graduate Survey”, “Alumni Research”, “Graduate career

tracking” or “Follow-up Study” is other term for it.

It is important to trace the graduate students, the data that will be collected can be used to

indicate possible deficit in a given educational program. It can give the school a feedback about

their experiences. The outcomes of a university’s tracer study will reflect the effectiveness and

relevance of the policies, curriculums, and strategies imposed by evaluating institutions. Through

identifying the current status of their graduates, they will not only be able to evaluate the

university’s performance but also identify possible deficits in a given educational program, the

results of which will serve as a basis for future planning of activities at both the institutional and

national levels, such that academic programs might be brought more closely in line with the needs

of the economy (Tertiary Education Commission, 2008). This information can be used in the

context of quality assurance to further develop the institution.

Objective

The main objective of this study is to trace the employment status, academic status and business

career of the graduates. Specially, to determine the employment / unemployment rate of DNHS-

SHS graduates. The survey also aimed to assess the perception of graduates about the contribution

of school program to the development of graduate’s skills and the degree of effectiveness,

adequacy and relevance of their training.

Statement of the problem

The main problem of the study is that there is no record about the DNHS-SHS graduates and it is

important for the school organization to have a record regarding the status of the graduates.