INFLUENCE OF MARITAL LIFE AND PARENTHOOD ON WOMEN'S ENROLMENT INTO POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMME IN EDUCATION IN NORTH CENTRAL ZONE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the influence of marital life and parenthood on women's enrollment in postgraduate programs in the North Central Zone of Nigeria. A correlational research design was used. The population consisted of 1,770 individuals, comprising 380 female teachers, 1,345 female postgraduate students, 25 staff members of postgraduate schools, and 20 staff members of university education departments in the North Central Zone of Nigeria. The sample size was 306. A researcher-designed questionnaire was used for data collection. Three experts in Educational Administration and Planning established the instrument's validity. The instrument's reliability was determined using the test-retest method, and the results were correlated using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC), yielding a value of 0.89. Frequency counts, percentages, and mean scores were used to answer the research questions, while the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that marital life and parenthood influence women's enrollment in postgraduate education programs. The study concluded that there is a significant relationship between marital life and women's enrollment in postgraduate programs in the North Central Zone of Nigeria. The study recommended that women be supported and encouraged by their families to pursue higher education and that marital life should not be considered a barrier to pursuing higher education.

DOI:  https://doie.org/10.0218/SER.2025687105