PERSONAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS FACED BY WOMEN IN GETTING HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

The participation of women in higher education continues to lag behind in Pakistan and the disparity is particularly high in north western districts. The barriers faced by women in higher education attendance were discussed in this study, which was conducted specifically in Nowshera, Pakistan. The design of this study was a cross sectional survey type. Participants were 250 women who were selected for the study and were asked to fill out a closed-ended, self-reported questionnaire that included 17 items on perceived barriers to higher education and demographic characteristics. The Response rate achieved was 92%. Data was analysed using the frequency distributions, PEARSON’S chi-square test of independence, and cross-tabulations on SPSS version 20 data in which enrolment status (currently enrolled versus not enrolled) was the outcome variable. A quarter (23.6%) was participating in a higher education programme during the survey. Of the 16 factors tested, 12 were significantly related to enrolment status (p < .05): area of residence, father’s occupation, fear of parents of an unsafe environment, poverty, preferred educational spending preference for son, early marriage, forced domestic work, misinterpreted religious teaching, unavailability of transport, family mindset, restrictions on co-education and shortage of female teachers. There were four factors not significantly related to enrolment status, which were; conservative cultural practices, belief that girls do not need to provide financial support, maternal education, and paternal education. The one at which it was really uneven was in rural areas; out of 81 rural respondents, only one was enrolled. Results show that the challenges of attaining higher education as a woman in this context are neither purely attitudinal, nor purely structural: social factors should not be overlooked, either, and that the series of challenges that should be addressed through policies includes ensuring safe environments, access to transportation, and availability of female staffed institutions.