EFFECTS OF MARRIED WOMEN STANDARDS ON THEIR ACADEMICS IN NIGERIA HIGHER INSTITUTION

Abstract

This paper investigated Effects of Married Women standards on their Academics in Nigeria higher institution. A simple survey research design was employed to explore the issue. A 4 item questionnaire supplemented with oral interview sessions provided the data used for the study. The study involved 150 randomly selected women in b.ed part-time programme of the usman danfodiyo university. The data collected were analyzed using mean score, frequency count and simple percentages. The findings of the study showed that the major constraints or challenges of Female participants in the programme include time constraints, increasing marital demand, poor economic or financial base, poor learning environment, lack of encouragement from employers and spouse, increasing social pressure and poor psychological disposition. Based on the findings, recommendations were also proffered.among the recommendations are:women should be tutored on time maqnagement startegies.this can be incorporated in their programme as a means of helping them manage effectively the time available to them.counsellors and teachers should also understand the challenges of women and the prevailing situations which may influence the attitude of the women towars learning and level of achievement.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

‘There should be no barrier to educating women. Only when women have unhindered access to quality education can their potentials be fully developed and society made better by their contributions. ‘All religions, encourage women education’ (Hajjia Bintu Ibrahim Musa, 2005) the remarks made by Hajjia Bintu Ibrahim Musa (ibid.), former Minister of State for Education in Nigeria is a very good reference point here. From the remarks above, women education is said to be the most significant intervention for human and sustainable development. There is no doubt that education contributes to the growth of national incomes and individual earnings. The higher one’s educational status, the higher the earnings particularly in both the public and private sectors. This means therefore that university education is a critical factor to ones earnings and development and beyond this to efficiency. Without any doubt, universities play a critical role in generating new ideas, in accumulating and transmitting knowledge and also in generating incomes; this is because economic growth is deemed to depend on the capacity to produce knowledge based growth. Although, it is difficult to strictly identify which subsector of education contribute most to poverty reduction (IIEP Newsletter, Vol. SS5 No I. January-March, 2007).

In Nigeria, as in many developing economies, there is a gender gap in literacy with women at a disadvantage; this has led to government increase in literacy drive for girls in particular at the basic education level. Because of this, there is a tendency for government not to take cognizance of what goes on at the tertiary level particularly as it relates to female enrolment. Although, Nigeria educational reform as

stated in National Economic Empowerment and Development strategy (NEEDs) document also shows considerable focus on girls higher education. But one can say that up till now, a lot of Nigerian girls and women unlike their male gender are still not enrolled at the tertiary level.

Achieving gender parity in education is one of the aims of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and it is also a primary objective of the 1990 World declaration on Education for All (EFA) as well as the Dakar framework of action (2000). But till date, gender equality still remains elusive. According to UNESCO report (2006) girls make up 60% of all out of school children and women represents two thirds of illiterate adults, the Founder (2007) indicates that girls usually perform worse than boys in schools and that in some countries one in every four girls drops out before fifth grade. Roughly, 85 per cent of boys complete primary school compared to 76 per cent of girls.

For a long time, women constitute the majority of illiterates in Nigeria. At all

levels of education (primary, secondary and tertiary) males represent higher proportions than females (FOS, 1995). In 1990, the proportion of literate men to women was 54:31 and the total female literacy rate was far below 15%,while that of men was above 40%. A more recent survey in 2005 shows that 33.7% of females had no form of education in the North Eastern States of Nigeria (Borno, Yola, Adamawa and Bauchi). In the North Western States (Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto and Jigawa etc) 87.8% of women had no formal education. The case in Southern States was slightly better. In the South-East (Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Cross River, Anambra) only 36.2% of women have no formal education. In the South-West (Sokoto , Lagos, Oyo,

Osun, Ondo, etc) at least 26.1 % of women had no formal education. The Middle Belt States (Plateau, Benue, Taraba, Kwara, Niger, Kogi) are in between the South and North in terms of average figures of illiteracy of women.

The enrolment of children in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions also demonstrates discrimination against females. There are remarkable disparities according to regions and states. However, gender disparities are common in all regions and states. In all the states and regions of Nigeria, women lag behind men in access to education. For instance, only 7.6% of women interviewed in the Northern part of Nigeria had some primary education, whereas, in the Southern part of Nigeria, at least 25.9% received some education. In the case of primary school enrolment, only 12% of female children of school age are registered in the primary schools. In the South, 44.4% of girls are in primary schools.

By the time girls reach secondary school age, only about 4.2% of them in Northern Nigeria and 37% in Southern Nigeria are allowed to continue. This shows a sharp discrimination against women at all levels (FOS, 1995). The situation in the rural areas is even worse than that in urban areas. As UNICEF (1990) states, three- quarters of rural women aged 15-24 years are illiterates in Africa, and only half in urban areas are illiterates.

Generally, the illiteracy rate in Nigeria is gradually on the decline. Between 1985 and 1990, the percentage of girls enrolled in schools rose from 7.2% to 42%. The enrolment of females in technical schools rose from 4.5% in 1984 to 15% in 1990 and 20% of the present enrolment in Nigerian Polytechnics is made up of females. In Universities, there is a rise of 22% in 1980 to 24% in 1990. All these notwithstanding, there is a glaring case of serious discrimination against females in education in

Nigeria. This has created many gender gaps in school enrolment as well as teachers and lecturers (UNICEF, 1990)

The Blueprint on Women Education was concerned about various issues that inhibit women education such as poverty, child labour among others and made appropriate recommendations to correct these. Also, the promotion of science and technology, female hostels, and in-service training for females was recommended and gender stereo-typing in textbook was discouraged. Many States in Nigeria have affected some educational reforms backed by legislation to provide increased access to female education. Schools for nomads have also been established and funding of women education is made a joint effort of all tiers of government (Nigeria, 1986 Blueprint).

This scenario is important because under representation of women in higher education took its root from the basic education through secondary education levels.

Statement of the Problem

Women’s involvement in continuing education or their interest in pursuing further education is not without its challenges. In spite of the fact that there has been a remarkable increase in the participation of young girls and married women in educational pursuit and had continued to exhibit their desire or yearning for higher education, their efforts have continued to be limited by social norms and dictates (Marim and Greenberger cited in Kazeem 1998; Osunde and Omoruyi 2003). Studies according to the authors have also shown that the poor socioeconomic status of women has a relatively greater effect on the educational aspiration or desire to seek further education.

Therefore, women who enlist in educational programme are daily confronted with challenges that tend to undermine their efforts. The increasing interest in women education and its importance to nation building and development of individual woman demand that the challenges they face be exploited and identified with a view to helping to evolve measures that would enable women deal with them. It also seeks to tease out the implications it has for evolving an adequate counselling programme for women that would assist them deal with the challenges and for ensuring proper education of the women.

   Objectives of the Study

This study seek to investigate the Effects of Married Women standards on their Academics in Nigeria higher institution

• This essay seeks to determine the major challenges which confront women in continuing higher education.
  • It also seeks to tease out the implications it has for evolving an adequate counselling programme for women that would assist them in dealing with the challenges faced.
  • It also seeks to ensure proper education of the woman.

Research Questions

In order to achieve the purpose of the study, the following researcher Questions were generated:-

1. Do women in continuing higher education actually witness any major challenges in

the course of their learning?

• What are the major challenges confronting married female students in the programme?

• Does the content of the programme meet with the academic aspirations or interest of women?
• How do the women perceive these problems or challenges?

Research Hypotheses

1. There is no significance relationship between marriage and the academic performance of female students in tertiary institutions in Sokoto metropolis.

• There is no significance relationship between marriage and the study of science courses by female students in tertiary institutions in Sokoto metropolis.

• There is no significance relationship between attitudes of parents towards science education on the performance of female students in tertiary institutions in Sokoto metropolis

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Female students will gain from this study by learning that education is the only way to achieving greater goals in life, and this will help them in correcting the instability that had existed in girl’s education. Parents will gain a great deal in this study by getting to learn that women education is not a waste, and also if you educate a man, but if you educate a women you educate a family, a nation, and this will help change their attitudes and ignorance towards girls education.

Government, both the Federal, State and Local levels will gain from this study by realizing from this study that funds, higher access education, poverty easing programs should be made available for education at all levels. Educators, educational planners, the general public will gain from this study by learning that girls are in no way inferior to men, they also gain by learning how to educate, guide and counsel girls in career choices of educational courses.

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study focused on the effect of marriage on academic performance and well-being of female students who have experienced marriage while still schooling in selected Nigerian Universities in south-west.

However, the research has some constraints which are:

a) Availability of Research Material: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study

b) Time: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.

c) Unwillingness of the respondents to participate in the survey because of fear of victimization.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

a) Education: Education is defined as the process of easing learning, or the learning of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. It is the gradual process of acquiring knowledge and it is a preparation for life.

b) Marriage: This is legally or formally recognized as the union of two people as partner in a personal relationship (historically and in some jurisdiction specifically a union between a man and a woman)

c) Academic Performance: Academic performance is the outcome of education, the point to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their educational goals. Academic performance is commonly measured by examinations or continuous assessment but there is no general agreement on how it is best tested or which aspects are more important.

d) Well-being: Well-being is a general term for the condition of an individual or group. For example their social, psychological or medical state

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EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE AND CERTIFICATE RACKETEERING IN NIGERIA SCHOOLS

INTRODUCTION

The rampant occurrence of examination malpractice and certificate racketeering in the recent times has become an issue of growing importance and concern in the global education system. Most examinations are marked by complaints of various forms of malpractice, and in most of these examinations, cheating is a recurrent event (Petters & Okon, 2014).

Cheating in examinations is a worldwide phenomenon (Nyamwange, Ondima & Onderi, 2013) and, according to Anderman and Midgley (2000), about 80% of high-achieving high school students and 75% of college students admitted having cheated in an examination. Isangedighi (2007) also observed that the rising wave of examination malpractice amongst today’s youths poses a big challenge to contemporary society.

Adams and Esther (2013) lamented that it is regrettable, that in most countries of the world, the examination system is infected with examination misconduct or wrongdoing.

According to Shahid (2007), examinations are designed to evaluate the academic achievement of students and to ascertain whether they have achieved a standard of academic learning and knowledge. Examinations are considered the basis for promotion to higher classes, a source of motivation for learners to advance to additional studies, and a basis for prediction about students’ future education and job aptitudes. Nyamwange et al. (2013) opined that school examinations are a tool for measuring learners’ mastery of content and instructors’ effectiveness in delivering the content at different levels of schooling in education systems all over the world.

Educators have viewed examination malpractice variously. Busayo (2008) viewed examination malpractice as an improper and dishonest act with a view to obtaining an unmerited advantage. Bruno and Obidigbo (2012) viewed examination malpractice as any action carried out by stakeholders such as educational administrators, teachers, parents or students that is likely to render the assessment or examination ineffective or useless. Ifijeh, Michael-Onuoha, Ilogho, and Osinulu (2015) defined examination malpractice as dishonest practice that encompasses any action by an individual or group of students to gain an undue advantage in any form of assessment, be it coursework, tests, or examinations.

In the same vein, Petters and Okon (2014) argued that despite ugly penalties such as suspension, methods of cheating continue to increase in strength and sophistication.

They further argued that examination may no longer be a true test of one’s ability since most students are not serious with their studies and indulge in examination malpractice as a shortcut to success.

Examinations should be reliable and consistent as means of measuring students’ achievement (Wilayat, 2009), however, when irregularities or examination malpractice occurs, then the validity and resulting outcomes become questionable (Akaranga & Ongong, 2013). To this end, Fasasi (2006) concluded that examination malpractice is an unethical act because it encourages mediocrity in the sense that students who succeed through such unorthodox methods may be rated equal to those who struggle on their own to excel.

Petters and Okon (2014) observed that although many efforts have been put forward by different governments, school authorities and individuals to eradicate this malady, in most instances these efforts have proved unsuccessful. Examination malpractice is becoming a menace in many educational systems. Many reasons have been given for the prevalence of examination malpractice, and the causes are thought to be multi-dimensional.

Asante-Kyei and Nduro (2014) listed a number of additional factors that lead to examination malpractice, including cultural practices, school programs, teaching or learning environment, and characteristics of teachers and students. They noted that cheating has become an indicator of a serious breakdown in the cultural structure as a result of the confusion between cultural norms and goals and the capacities of members to act in accordance with it.

According to Anzene (2014), the root causes of examination malpractice include the following: an emphasis on paper qualifications or certificates, inadequate teaching and learning facilities such as classrooms, libraries, laboratories, high student/teacher ratios which in turn affect teaching and learning, poor moral upbringing of some of the youths by parents, and students’ vices such as cultism, drug abuse, sexual promiscuity, and truancy.

In a study by Suleman, Gul, Ambrin, and Kamran (2015), factors that contribute to examination malpractice at the secondary school level in Kohat Division in Pakistan were also identified. The study found the following as factors that contribute to examination malpractice: corruption, poor implementation of examination rules, poor

invigilation, students and parental threats, lack of fear of punishment, inadequate preparation for examinations, and collusion. Other factors included disloyalty of examination bodies, fear of failure, poor morale, and economic depression of supervisory staff. The sample for Suleman et al.’s (2015) study was made up of 840 respondents, selected through simple random sampling technique from 80 all-male secondary schools. A semi-structured questionnaire was used as a research instrument for data collection.

Descriptive statistical analysis, that is, simple percentage, mean, standard deviation as well as inferential statistics was conducted. Specifically, ANOVAs were applied for the statistical analysis of data (Suleman et al., 2015).

Furthermore, the Suleman et al.’s (2015) study revealed that the various forms of examination malpractice included the following: bringing unauthorized materials to the examination hall, sending of prepared answers to students by teachers and parents, impersonation of test takers, leakage of questions and papers, and script-changing.

The study made the following recommendations:

• Examination laws and rules should be implemented effectively. Students who are guilty of examination malpractice should be given severe punishment according to examination rules so that it may serve as a lesson to others.
  • Students should be thoroughly body-searched before entering the examination hall. A system of finger-printing should be introduced for identification of the students to avoid impersonation.

• The number of invigilators and supervisors should be increased in the examination halls.

Yusuf, Olofunke, and Bamgbose (2015) investigated undergraduates’ perceptions of factors responsible for examination malpractice in Osun State University in Nigeria.

Their findings revealed poor study habits, poor concentration during lectures, and peer influence. The descriptive study had a sample population of 200 undergraduates. Data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, mean scores, t-test and ANOVAs. The study recommended that functioning counseling units should be established in tertiary institutions to provide guidance to students on educational issues and other related problems. The study also recommended that the school management should enforce strong punitive measures to any students that engage in examination malpractice.

Examination malpractice has many negative impacts. According to Akaranga and Ongong (2013), examination malpractice often leads to expulsion of students from academic institutions. According to Adelakum and Lawal (2008), the effects of examination malpractice are erosion of confidence in the education system and loss of credibility in the education assessment, loss of confidence in examination agencies, which leads to loss of confidence in the certificates that are issued by the agencies, and rising cost of conducting examinations, especially in areas where leakage has been documented.

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