AN EXAMINATION OF PARENTAL BEHAVIOURS TOWARD THE EDUCATION OF THE GIRL CHILD

AN EXAMINATION OF PARENTAL BEHAVIOURS TOWARD THE EDUCATION OF THE GIRL CHILD

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Girls’ education has become a major concern in the majority of developing countries, particularly in Nigeria, where Lagos State is located. In Nigerian society, women are considered second-class citizens. Women have always been considered the weaker sex, in need of male support and protection (Edewor, 2001). Many parents believe that educating girls is a waste of time and money because they will marry and the knowledge they acquire will only benefit their husbands and families. Furthermore, parents believe that males will be the breadwinners for their families and thus must be academically prepared for the work ahead. Because of their vulnerability to physical and sexual harassment, girls were deemed unfit for education.

One of the primary reasons for is a preference for male offspring. The majority of African countries have high fertility rates (Isiugo-Abanihe, 1994). The perceived worth or benefits of one sex influence parents’ preference for that sex. In many parts of Nigeria, male offspring are held in high regard for their role in preserving or propagating the family name, residing continuously in or around the family compound or dwelling, providing security for the elderly, and serving as a source of defense and social pride for their parents. When young male children help their parents on the farm, in their businesses, with errands, and, to a lesser extent, with housework. Female children, on the other hand, help their mothers with a variety of household tasks, such as cooking, washing dishes and clothing, sweeping and cleaning the house, and babysitting (Edewor, 2004).

The perceptions of parents about the advantages of male and female offspring influence their reproductive attitudes and desires, as well as their actual fertility. Parents have a large number of children in order to have at least one son to carry on the family name and inherit family possessions due to the predilection for boys (Edewor, 2001).

Aside from that, in many developing countries, girls are barred from attending school during puberty due to the risk of unintended pregnancy, and they are married off to spouses they may not choose (Muller, 2000). Gender disparities in education are not limited to Africa’s least developed countries. Many peasants in certain Asian countries, such as China, still value sons.

Poverty, according to Ekejiuba (2011), has

exacerbated the problem of females’ lack of access to education, because some parents prefer to educate boys rather than girls when funds are limited. These conventional beliefs, combined with family poverty, have been shown to produce unfavorable attitudes toward girls’ education, limiting parental support. According to Olomukoro and Omiunu (2011), other barriers to girl child education in Nigeria include cultural inhibitions, incorrect interpretations of religious injunctions, traditional practices, early marriage of girls, gender insensitivity in educational settings, societal preference for the male child, and overburdening the girl child with household chores and labor.

Education is a fundamental right that all people, particularly girls and women, have. According to UNESCO (2007), women can help to improve living conditions beyond their immediate families.

However, education has a broader impact on society as a whole. Education not only empowers girls, but it is also the best investment for national growth. The UNICEF publication emphasized the importance of education in empowering girls, allowing them to successfully participate in society, and protecting them from HIV/AIDS and other forms of sexual exploitation. It also claims that female education helps to reduce infant and maternal mortality, as well as illness control and health status improvement. Recognizing the importance of education for all segments of the world’s population has increased global interest in universal education.

As a result, governments and other interested parties are working hard to improve female child education. The National Policy on Education (2004) in Nigeria stated unequivocally that

All Nigerian children, regardless of gender or region, should have equal access to education.

The Pan African conference on the education of girls, according to Ekejiuba (2011), was a watershed moment in addressing the issues of achieving universal education in the twenty-first century. On October 28, 1993, the National Women Commission (NWC), which is now the federal ministry of women affairs and youth development, established the National Task Force for Female Child Education. Similarly, the UBE was founded in 1999 with the intention of ensuring that all Nigerian children receive compulsory education. Currently, the Girls’ Education Project (GEP), founded in December 2004 in collaboration with UNICEF, has made significant progress in the education of female children.

In addition. The unanswered question is whether parents have positively responded to these calls to educate girls. According to the literature, despite commendable and encouraging efforts by international communities, governments, civil societies, and gender movements, there does not appear to be a dramatic shift in parental attitudes toward girls’ education in Nigeria, as female children remain educationally marginalized.

According to Nwankwo (2007), many households continue to prioritize the education of boys over that of girls. Furthermore, he stated that some families see little or no value in investing in women’s education because they are frequently regarded as other people’s property. As a result, it is thought that no compromises should be made in order to send the girl child.

I’m going to school. As a result, the goal of this study is to ascertain parents’ attitudes toward female child education.

1.2 THE PROBLEM’S STATEMENT

To establish society, men and women must work together. In essence, development ensures that everyone, regardless of age or gender, has equal access to opportunities. While girls and boys are treated equally during childhood, there is a proclivity for some form of imbalance, also known as a gender gap, to develop as they grow older (Ekejiuba 2011). The fact that women are active participants in the development of any society cannot be taken for granted. It is regrettable, however, that millions of children, particularly girls, continue to face gender disparities in primary and secondary education more than two decades after the Beijing commitment to eliminate them.

despite a concerted international effort to champion the cause, be perceived as unable to attend school. In Nigeria, it is believed that the gender gap is widening, and prejudice persists in educational systems (Oleribe, 2007).

Despite the fact that it has been repeatedly demonstrated that educating girls has numerous benefits, including increased self-esteem, increased influence over their own lives and family and community decisions, lower fertility, improved maternal and child health, and aiding in the reduction of environmental degradation, considerable resistance to educating girls persists in developing countries. A series of negative consequences are unavoidable when a girl child is not educated or empowered.

Girls are frequently seen in metropolitan areas engaging in minor trade activities such as hawking pure water. To supplement the family’s income, I sell groundnuts, garden eggs, and bread during the school day. Many parents believe that the opportunity cost of education is too high. As a result, the money earned from such activities contributes to the family’s standard of living. Worse, women have been marginalized as a result of cultural norms and traditional values. Some cultural practices, such as early girl marriage and girl initiation, continue to prioritize the preparation of girls for womanhood and marriage over formal education (Ekejiuba 2011). These findings raise the question of whether parents still adhere to their culture and social position when it comes to educating their female child, despite the fact that UBE is now free and mandatory for all Nigerians. As

As such, this study will look at current parental attitudes toward female child education. As a result, the goal of this study is to determine parents’ attitudes toward female education.

1.3 THE STUDY’S OBJECTIVES

The primary goal of this study is to investigate parental attitudes toward the education of the girl child. This study specifically seeks to:

i. To investigate whether parental cultural beliefs influence girl child education in Nigeria.

ii. To investigate whether the level of education of parents influences girl child education in Nigeria.

iii. To investigate whether the socioeconomic status of parents influences girl child education in Nigeria.

iv. To investigate the difficulties that parents face in educating their daughters.

1.4 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH

The following study

This study will provide answers to the following questions:

i. Do parents’ cultural beliefs have an impact on girl child education in Nigeria?

ii. Does the educational level of parents influence girl child education in Nigeria?

iii. Does the socioeconomic status of parents influence girl child education in Nigeria?

iv. What are the difficulties that parents face in educating their daughters?

1.5 THE STUDY’S IMPORTANCE

It is widely held that girl child education is critical because it is the foundation of education and society, just as a well-built foundation is the strength of a structure. As a result, the following people would benefit from the recommendations and findings of this work:

the parents of

girl child: This study will demonstrate the significance and benefits of educating their girl children.

Teachers will be able to see themselves as both parents and teachers and will learn to be receptive to the education of girls. The findings of this study will help teachers to assuage parents’ concerns about the education of their daughters.

School authority: The school will learn to be accommodating and to counsel parents as needed, so that both the school and the parents can communicate and work together to develop the girl child.

The government: The government will be able to implement policies and incentives that will provide them with the special educational technique on

Education for girls.

1.6 STUDY OBJECTIVES

This research looks into parental attitudes toward the education of their daughters. It will specifically investigate whether parents’ cultural beliefs have an effect on girl child education in Nigeria, as well as whether parents’ level of education has an effect on girl child education in Nigeria.

Furthermore, this study will look into whether parents’ socioeconomic status has an impact on girl child education in Nigeria, and it will finally look into whether parents’ socioeconomic status has an impact on girl child education in Nigeria.

This research will be restricted to Ibadan, Oyo State.

1.7 THE STUDY’S LIMITATIONS

The researcher, like any other human endeavor, faces challenges.

While conducting the study, we encountered a few minor stumbling blocks. Because there was a scarcity of literature on the subject due to the nature of the discourse, the researcher incurred additional financial expenses and spent additional time sourcing for relevant materials, literature, or information, as well as during the data collection process, which is why the researcher chose a small sample size. Furthermore, the researcher conducted this investigation in conjunction with other scholarly endeavors. Furthermore, because only a small number of respondents completed the research instrument, the findings cannot be generalized to other secondary schools outside the state. Regardless of the constraints encountered throughout the investigation, all aspects were minimized to ensure the best results and most productive research.

1.8 TERM DEFINITION

A formal examination

detailed examination or research

Parental behaviors: Specific, goal-directed behaviors used by parents to socialize their children.

Girl child education is a catch-all term for a complex set of issues and debates surrounding (primary, secondary, and tertiary education in particular) for girls and women.