in terms of increased levels of hygiene, or the much sought after
government job simply do not outweigh the potential social risks or the
loss of labour. While studies suggest that increasing levels of education
may lead to lower levels of fertility, that issue cannot begin to be
explored until the education system itself is viewed as useful enough to
attract girls and their parents......
.........Clearly the system must be changed from one which produces
either civil servants or failures, to one which teaches skills and awareness
that are valued within the local community", (p. 19-20).
Nigeria
CSAPO, Marg (1981) 'Religious, Social and Economic Factors hindering the education
of girls in Northern Nigeria; Comparative Education, 17, (3) 311-319. and
AKANDE, Bolanle E. (1987) 'Rural-urban comparison of female educational
aspirations in South-Western Nigeria', Comparative Education, 23 (1), 75-83.
Csapo's article on girls' education in Northern Nigeria only just comes within the date
parameters of this Bibliography: published in 1981, it is based on figures from the
1970's. It is however useful in that it examines in some detail the factor of religion as it
affects girls' education among the mainly Muslim Hausa of Northern Nigeria. Many of
the West African countries normally classified as "Sub-Saharan" do in fact reach
towards the Sahara on their northern boundaries and their northern regions have a great
deal in common with north Africa because of Islamic influence. Csapo also points out
however that these northern regions are not only Islamic as compared with the
Christianized southern areas but also have less favourable agricultural conditions: the
economic factor is also important one as far as the education of girls is concerned.
Niles' article on parental attitudes to girls' education (1989, q.v) is a later study in the
same area which emphasises the urban/rural dichotomy.
Akande's article on girls' educational aspirations in Oyo State, Southern Western
Nigeria, also examines the differences between girls from urban & rural backgrounds.
Her research found a significant relationship between girls' family locations and their
educational aspirations. Urban girls were far more likely to aspire to University (63%)
than rural ones (26.3%). Rural girls' highest ambitions tended to be to train as a nurse or
a teacher, an interesting result of the role models available in rural areas and of the high
status accorded to nurses and teachers in the villages. Akande also found a significant
relationship between family location and girls' scholastic performance. Rural girls
perform less well overall than urban ones. More rural girls complained of interruption
to their homework from household chores and errands. It is not only the quality of
education in rural areas which may affect attainment but the demands of rural life.