WOMEN EDUCATION AND ITS SOCIOLOGICAL EFFECTS ON NIGERIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (A CASE STUDY OF SOME SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN OGUN STATE)
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to examine the act of women education and its sociological effects on Nigerian economic development. Two hypotheses were formulated. Descriptive research design of the survey type was used. The population for this study was made of men and women from three local government areas in Ogun state metropolis. Simple random, sampling technique was used to select the sample size for the study. The research instrument used in this study was a self designed questionnaire on women education. The instrument was validated and piloted, the reliability of the instrument was established using the test – retes and chi-square method at 0.005 level of significance, the result showed that women in recent times are being recognized as crucial to and effective for both social and economic sustainability and improvement. Thus, women need more motivation to increase their participation.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i Certification ii
Dedication iii Acknowledgment iv
| Abstract v
Table of contents vi Chapter One 1.0 Introduction 1-2 l. l Background to the study 2-9 1.2 Statement of the problems 9-10 1.3 Purpose of the study 10-11 1.4 Significance of the study 11-12 1.5 Research Questions 12 1.6 Research Hypothesis 13 1.7 Scope of the study 13 1.8 Limitation to the study 14 1.9 Definition of Terms 14-16 Chapter Two: Review of Literature 2.1 Introduction 17-21 2.2 The Concept of Gender and Sex 22-26 2.3 Women And Education 26-29 2.4 Women, Occupation and Labour-force 29-30 2.5 The Natural Position of Women 30-42 Chapter Three: Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction 43 3.2 Research Design 43 3.3 Population of the study 44 3.4 Sample of study 44-45 3.5 Sampling Techniques 45 3.6 Research Instrument 45 3.7 Data Collection Technique 46 3.8 Method of Data Analysis 47 3.9 Limitation to the Methodology 48 3.10 Validity of the (Primary Data) Instruments 48-49 3.11 Reliability of the (Primary Data) Instruments 49 Chapter Four: 4.1 Analysis of Data, presentation of Results and Discussion of Findings 50-83 Chapter Five: 5.0 Summary 84-85 5.1 Discussion on findings 85-86 5.2 Conclusion 86-87 5.3 Recommendation 87-88 5.4 Suggestions for Further Research 88 Appendix 89 Reference 93 |
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction
Evidently, women enfranchisement and women suffrage have actually spurred the uprising of other rights. In July 1948, Mott and Cady station issued a call for a convention of women and feminists to discuss the matter of women’s rights and to also pass a declaration that called for the woman total suffrage and for the right of women to education and employment opportunities. By 1972 the African woman was fully aware of her role, hence the agitation that sought equal right for women, giving them equalized status and representation and freedom to decide their own career and life pattern. And there was a challenge against the idea that women must receive equal opportunities as their male counterparts in education, work and politics, global development and advancement, the growth of the service industry. Which created unisex jobs; various pro-women laws and legislations, outstanding performance of women in chosen endeavor, active participation of women in politics, labour force and more importantly women mental and psychological emancipation have distinctively increased women contribution, social and economic status.
1.1 Background to the study
Several opportunities have exhibited that the role of women in the family (immediate and extended). Social structures e.g. church, mosques and many more and even in economic conservations and activities can no more be over-looked even at every local, municipal, national, international and global conference, commissions, the mandate to put in place mechanisms that would link the commitments to planned policies and programmes for the advancement of women are geared and created.
For instance, the regional conference of Novak Choft (1977), World Conference on women (Beijing China, September 1995), the African Regional Conference on women November 1999, etc. It is notably considered that the fight against women poverty go hand-in-hand with the economic empowerment of women, including the issue of efficient socialization and cultural reinforcement.
Consequently, it was regrettably acknowledged that the problems of women that deter their development in recent times is traceable to the denial of the rights of the girl-child which are violated through harmful attitudes, beliefs and practices which result in early forced and child marriages, son preference, violence, sexual exploitation, harassment and abused discrimination in food allocation over – burdening work load and restricted access to education.
Again, many economies of the world have attributed some of the socio-economic problems that ransacked their economics to be related to the girl-child literacy or education. Most women earn their livelihood from the informal sector of the economy and few who own land or inherited it, or other capital to enable them earn a decent livelihood would not do so because of illiteracy factor and discriminating cultural and social stratification. With high illiteracy rate and lack of access to savings and credit facilities, women have had little chance to cross the poverty line.
Most countries reported that women’s performance in trade and industry are poor. This was related to how capital, low educational levels, socio-cultural attitudes as well as legal barriers. Women are poorly represented in economics decision-making, formulation of financial and other commercial policies. Although, there was improvement in women’s participation in remunerated work, but they lack bargaining power to achieve equal pay for equal work.
Globalization, the uncertainty of the economic environment, reforms and the restructuring processes further enhanced gender inequalities in favour of men for instance, in the public and private sectors, women suffered lack of promotion and sexual harassment. The work place was family unfriendly, lacking child care facilities and having inflexible working hours that prevented women from balancing their domestic and external work responsibilities to achieve their full potentials. Moreover, constitutions laws and regulations do not necessarily discriminate on the basis of gender in the work place, but the reality of employment practices was different. Besides their lack of access to and control of economic resources women are over-burdened by family responsibilities and attitudinal obstacles, which inhibit their participations in economics matters that affect them. They are most times underutilized as a productive force to the detriment of the same economics that marginalized them. And national account under values women’s work and under estimates their economic and social contribution to national development.
Nevertheless, due to the relevant and pivot role of women education in the economy, concrete measures are being created to guarantee the equal opportunities for women in education and economic participation and performance and increase the productivity of the nations. For instance, Universal Basic Education Programme which was meant to reach particularly the rural illiterate dwellers (with preference for women) the better life for rural women, which was initiated to integrate the women folk into the benefits of education family planning, child care/health and many more.
In fact, some countries have established special inter departmental or homogenous national committees to monitor the girls performance and ensure gender equity. This is achieved through distribution of free school materials and awarding prizes for good performances establishment of schools and educational institution very close to the students to allow, creation of shift systems in schools.
Basic literacy and education social mobilization company to change community attitudes to girl’s education. Increase in rate of girls enrolment to school, establishment of community mobile schools particularly in pastoral areas, providing free transportation to school establishment of distance learning facilities and adult literacy class, the provision of bursaries to the intellectually gifted yet economically disadvantaged, increase in the number of female teachers to serve as a role model to the girls in school, involving both men and women to run school management, training of teacher, career guidance councilors, school directors have been organized.
Importantly, many countries are enacting and enforcing legislation as well as revising and adjusting national polices to promote gender equality and economic empowerment of women.
There is no doubt that a better educated mother tends to have fewer and better educated children. She is more productive both at home and in the work place. She is in a better position to raise a healthier and productive family. The often quoted statement from king and hill’s book “women’s education in developing countries” encapsulates the various social economic benefits which researchers have investigated in relation to women’s literacy. The quotation can however also serve to problematize the relationship between literacy, social and economic benefits. Aside from the problem of taking literacy rates as indicative of education this dominant research discourse has focused attention almost exclusively on women’s reproductive role and family welfare (Leach 2000), promoting an instrumental rather than rights-based approach to literacy (Robinson – pant 2004). The sole focus on women’s literacy has also raised questions about leaving men out of the analysis of the relationship between literacy and social and economic outcomes (Basu 1999). However, Bown (1990) pointed out that many studies correlating literacy and development indicators such as increased family earning, fertility rates etcetera are based on women’s literacy rates. These are a composite measure, of the worth of women who have been to school as well as those who became literate as adults. It has been argued that the findings about social and economic benefits achieved were due to the skills and knowledge from school, which is transferred to adult literacy. Nevertheless, recent revelations show that there have been more attention within the informal sector to educational processes: research on the impact of girls schooling on fertility (Jetfery and Basu 1996) has revealed that schools often teach girls to be sub servant, rather than assertive and that schooling can be the opposite of education (Longwe 1994).
The literacy/illiteracy divided and the isolation of literacy as an educational input, the social practice approach to literacy (street 2004) challenges the assumption that literacy people think and act in different ways from illiterate people and that literacy has universal benefits regardless of context. It is in this regard that the benefits of education of women can be evaluated on the socio-economic outcomes of the economy. For instance, the literate women are better valued efficient in the productive effort, have good communicating skill that boost social inclination, have the privilege of perception and understanding of social and economic issues such as child health cleanliness importance of education. In conclusion, the social and economic benefits of women literacy or education can be achieved and enhanced when literacy programmes are accompanied by supportive interventions such as skill training, credit facilities and access to public incentives.
1.2 Statement of the problem
The African woman (in particular) whose contributions to the society have frequently been over looked is suddenly and gradually finding herself liberated and emancipated from the many constraints placed on her in the past. The women who once grew up learning to cast down her eyes, tilling the soil, while her brother went to school, burying her own feeling and denying her own right as well is now learning good lessons. She is discovering a new sense of self worth by participating in women’s groups and adult literacy classes. She is sending her daughter to school, demanding for changes in laws calling for inheritance and property rights. And in the proves she is helping to build the community and developing her nation.
However, the study attempts to examine the input of women in the economy and how the self worthiness and product we and active contributions of the women folk particular in relations to women education has or can improve the social and economic lives of the nations.
1.3 Purpose of the study
The purposes of the research study are itemized as follows:
- To examine the factors this affected women social and economic performances
- To examine the origin and context of women in education and adult literacy
- To provide practical knowledge about the research problem through the administration of questionnaire
- To examine institutional mechanism for the advancement of women
- To examine how the environment affects women and women education and participation
1.4 Significance of the study
This study is no doubt important for many reasons. Foremost, it has been observed worldwide that no nation could make any desired progress without proper attention and improvement of women’s performance and participation. Secondly the study is important in the sense that its finding will assist in deciding whether our women could be regarded as agents of national development. Thirdly, attempt will be made by the study to enlighten political office holders on how best to permanently solve the problem of gender in equality, stereotype and legal impartiality against women. Fourthly, the study will attempt to enlighten management and administrators on the importance of women equality in work place, e.g. women training and development etcetera and lastly, the study will improve the knowledge of students on how to maximize women utilization and potentials.
1.5 Research Questions
The questions that will be answered in the research study include the following:
- What are the problems inhibiting women education?
- What are problems causing low female participation in social and economic activities?
- Can women truly be better builders of the economy?
- Are women truly efficient manpower for national development?
- How does the role of women in the society affect men in the society?
- Are women’s roles inferior to that performed by the men?
1.6 Research Hypotheses
The research hypotheses include:
A H0 = There is no significant relationship between a woman’s education and her participation in economic activities.
H1 = There is significant relationship between a woman’s education and her participation in economic activities
B H0 = There is no significant relationship between a woman’s education and her participation in social activities.
H1 = There is significant relationship between a woman’s education and her participation in social activities.
1.7 Scope of the study
The study will be limited to Ogun state in terms of coverage. The choice of Ogun was informed by the cosmopolitan nature of the state, as all native of Nigeria are likely to be adequately represented. Again, the population of the study is the inhabitants of Ogun state and this includes men and women from different ethnic backgrounds.
1.8 Limitation to the study
The research study cannot be said to be devoid of problem that limited it. Some of these problems include:
The problem of non-availability of materials and informational documents on the subject matter, which would have added to its richness and effectiveness.
The problem of understanding the questions of the questionnaire by some respondent such as “informal sector”.
The high cost of sourcing for and producing materials to generate information from a large population for the study. This however, limited its scope.
1.9 Definition of Terms and Concepts
Career: This is the occupational life history of an individual or a segment of it within a particular organization or industry.
Cross the poverty line: This idea signifies the ability of standard of living that is average. It means not poor and not wealthy.
Development: It is aimed at improving the rate of an employee’s current level of performance and specifically concentrating on impacting attitudes and knowledge of future job assignment.
Feminist: This refers to groups of interactives and concerned persons (including males and females) who support the advocacy of women’s rights, suffrage and enfranchisement based on a belief of the equality of the sexes.
Gender: This refers to whether male or female. It is used as social variable /construct.
Labour Force: The group of people in the society who are able and ready to work.
Labour Market: The market where human element or resource is sold and bought.
Service Industry: Industries, which concentrate on producing intangible products inform of services that are not tangible goods e.g bank, post offices. Production of tangible goods may be incidental to such organization.
Social Stratification: This signifies the various role and position which the society accord different people of different status e.g gender – male and female social stratification
Status: The place of a person or group in the rank order of power in a social system.
Training: This relates to the present needs of skills which enhances the efficiency of employees performance.
Women Enfranchisement: This means women’s freedom to participate in any election in a particular society.
Women Suffrage: The freedom of the women folk from their previous traditionally inclined status in the society
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