Barriers to Female Education and its Impact on Slow Socio-Economic Development of the Family: A Case of Africa International University

Abstract

Despite a global effort to ensure equal access to education, girls and women face difficulties accessing quality education, especially in African countries. Economic disparities, cultural norms, discriminatory attitudes, and early marriages contribute to the inability of females to access education equally as their male counterparts. Human Capital Theory holds that humans can increase their productivity with education and skills. The impact of the barriers to education among the girl-child goes beyond individual well-being because it negatively affects income growth and leads to the low socio-economic status of the family. There is an urgency to address the barriers to female education to promote sustainable economic development at the family and national levels. This study adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population was 447 female lecturers and students. Out of which, 51 were female lectures, and 396 were female students at Africa International University (AIU). With the stratified sampling technique, the sample size used in the study was 85 respondents, comprised of 20 lecturers and 65 students, which is 19% of the total population. Primary data was collected using an open-ended and closed questionnaire. The study revealed that 95.3% of the respondents are employed, and they support their families financially. The study further indicates that 74.1% believe parental discrimination is a key barrier to female education, while 72.9% believe poverty is a barrier to female education. Therefore, the study recommends a need for parental and community sensitization on eliminating barriers to female education.