Students' Perceptions of English and Reported Factors Shaping English Language Learning in Higher Education: Evidence from Butembo, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract

English is increasingly important for participation in higher education, scientific communication, mobility, and professional development, yet students in predominantly Franco-phone settings often have limited opportunities to use it beyond the classroom. This study examined how non-English-major students in Butembo, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, perceive English and which pedagogical, institutional, environmental, and psychological conditions they report as shaping their learning. A quantitatively dominant mixed-methods cross-sectional survey was conducted with 125 students drawn from ten higher education institutions. Closed-ended items were summarized using frequencies, percentages, and unweighted Wilson 95% confidence intervals, while open-ended responses were grouped thematically. English was widely valued: 120 of 125 respondents (96.0%; 95% CI: 91.0%-98.3%) considered it important for academic, professional, and international purposes. Speaking was the most frequently identified difficult skill (68; 54.4%; 95% CI: 45.7%-62.9%), while only 49 respondents (39.2%; 95% CI: 31.1%-48.0%) reported regular access to English speakers outside class. Fear of speaking was the most frequently selected principal obstacle (36; 28.8%; 95% CI: 21.6%-37.3%), followed by limited vo-cabulary and difficulty understanding English-only lessons (26; 20.8% each). In addition, 78 stu-dents (62.4%) reported that they understood English-only lessons only sometimes or generally did not understand them. The results indicate that high perceived value coexists with restricted exposure, persistent oral difficulty, and affective barriers. The proposed framework therefore treats learning conditions as context for self-efficacy, anxiety, motivation, participation, and practice, without inferring causality from the cross-sectional design. Practical priorities are communicative pedagogy, low-stakes speaking practice, teacher development, and expanded access to low-cost digital and community-based English-use opportunities.