The relativity of socio-cultural factors on young people’s access to higher education in Africa

Abstract

This article is based on assessment of factors affecting youth's access to higher education in Kogi State, Nigeria. It analyses both quantitative and qualitative data involving 120 youth (respondents) in the survey; six focus groups (10 participants in each session) and 20 in-depth interviews making a total of 200 participants (100 females and 100 males), aged 18 to 28. The study illuminates the different social factors and contexts that were influential on youth's access to higher education. Evidence from findings in the study suggested that youth are confronted with various contradictory norms and social constrains with respect to their gender, economic status and relational positions in gaining access to higher education. This apart, the youth were constrained in many ways that were often in conflict with other expectations widely held in their religious communities. For instance, contrary to the social and religious norms within the local context of the youth that encourage youth to attend formal education up to higher educational level, the existing gender norm limits female access to higher education. The study concludes that socio-cultural factors played an essential role in youth's access to higher education while limited economic resources had a major impact on their educational pursuit. Accordingly, the article recommends the need for resources to be reallocated to introduce free education and subsidy at higher educational level. It also suggests the need for more research on youth's access to higher education through the voices of youth themselves and studies that attend to the contexts of what implicated on access for youth's education.