women's opinions about the necessity of ...higher education (university and other post high...
TRANSCRIPT
WOMEN'S OPINIONS ABOUT THE NECESSITY OF WOMEN'S
EDUCATION
Doç. Dr. Özgün Bener*
ABSTRACT
In Turkey as in the rest of the world there are intensive studies underway on the subject of
women's education giving attention to its necessity and importance. In this study that was
conducted for the purpose of determining the opinions of women, the actual people affected
by this subject, about the necessity of women's education, it was determined that the factors
of educational level, age and employment status were all influential. The research sample
was composed of 1180 women.
Key Words: Education, women’s education, education and employment, women’s
educational activities, beneficial effects of education
ÖZET
Günümüzde gerekliliği ve önemi açısından dikkatleri üzerinde toplayan kadın eğitimi
konusunda, dünyada olduğu gibi ülkemizde de oldukça yoğun çalışmalar yapılmaktadır.
Konu ile ilgili gerçek kişiler olan kadınların kadın eğitiminin gerekliliği konusunda
görüşlerini saptamak amacıyla yapılan bu çalışmada öğrenim düzeyi, yaş ve çalışma
durumunun etkili birer faktör olduğu belirlenmiştir. Çalışmanın örneklemini 1180 kadın
oluşturmaktadır.
Anahtar sözcükler: Eğitim, kadınların eğitimi, Kadınların eğitimine ilişkin faaliyetler,
eğitimin yararları
Introduction
Education is the work of systematically equipping, particularly the new
generation, but generally all members of society, with knowledge, skills and values
and, most importantly, the ability to think, in institutions designed for the purpose
with people who have been trained to teach and train. Included in this definition are
a variety of courses that are given outside of schools (T.C. Başbakanlık, 1994).
Education is the means a society uses to continue and disseminate its own culture
(Verghese, 1991). While education reproduces capacity strong social structures it
also establishes the individual's (female/male) social position and individual (Gök,
1995). At the same time education is both the process of preparing an individual
for life and is life itself. For this reason it is a fact that educational environments
need to be considered to be a part of life
*Hacettepe Üniversitesi, Aile ve Tüketici Bilimleri Bölümü.
2
(http://www.bote.otdu.edu.tr/ot/onsoz.htm). Throughout the last 30 years in a large
part of the world influenced by an "education avalanche" student registration and
the length of basic education has increased. To increase the literacy rate many
national and international activities have been organized. In developed countries
and in a growing number of developing countries almost all of the young
population's literacy has been achieved. Women are also benefiting from these
developments that can be considered to be revolutionary (UN, 1995).
Literacy and education, which share in increasing human potential, are
elements that have developed both women's and men's views on life. Further,
education is a precondition for living a productive life in the modern world (Joekes,
1989). When we look at the situation in our country the population's literacy rate is
continually increasing for both sexes. However, although the literacy rate of
women is increasing more rapidly than men, the percentage of literate men in the
population is 93.3% and is 80.6% for women, and the difference between sexes in
the level of education continues. 45.3% of women and 50.3% of men are primary
school graduates (grades 1-5). The percentage of junior high school (grades 6-8)
graduate men is 2.1 times higher than the percentage of women, and the percentage
of men who are high school (grades 9-11) graduates is 1.8 times higher. The
percentage of men who are university graduates in 10.2% and of women is 5.4%
(Devlet İstatistik Enstitüsü, 2000).
It is a fact that action to strengthen women begins with education. In the
ICPD action program accepted in Cairo in 1994 the importance of education in the
strengthening of the role of women was emphasized; it prepares the foundation for
them to obtain a quality of life appropriate for humanity and to enjoy their rights.
Together with the assistance of UNFPA, UNICEF and UNESCO national and
international discussion and national efforts are helping the defense of and the
education of women and girls to become a reality (Obaid, 2001). It is known that in
parallel with an increase in the profitability of women's education there are
increases in personal income, decreases in rates of childbirth and deaths of
children, creation of social extroversion (having successful social relationships),
removal of the differences between generations with access to better health and
educational possibilities for their children, and ensuring equal opportunity for those
at low income level with those at high income level (Shultz, 1994). Because they
are beneficial in many ways, it can be said that using resources for quality
education of women and girls is one of the best investments that a society can
3
make (Obaid, 2001). An educated woman knows she needs to have confidence in
her own knowledge and skills and needs to be a better parent, employee and
citizen. An educated woman makes more independent, personal, political and
economic decisions. She increases her standard of living and the nation's
productivity (World Bank, 1993).
Finally today there is growing agreement of opinion on the subject of who
is given education contributing to independent development. It increases profit,
supports health and increases productivity. There is also an agreement of opinion
on the subject of more clear benefits that are being discussed on the status of
educating/training women (U.N, 1995). In many studies related to women's
education, it has been emphasized that the teaching of a woman is of equal value to
teaching a family and a nation and is more important than the teaching of a man.
Elevating the educational level of a woman increases the role of the family in its
interactions with all the institutions of a socioeconomic system in an effective
manner (Bubolz, 2001). This study was conducted to determine the opinions of
women on the subject of the necessity of women's education that has attracted
attention today because of its necessity and importance.
Method
The research was conducted for the purpose of determining the opinions of
the women who live in families in residential areas within the area of the
Yenimahalle Health Group Directorate under the Ankara Province Health Ministry
regarding the necessity of the education of women. Home establishment reports in
the health clinics were used to choose the 1180 women for the research sample.
Research data were collected in face-to-face interviews with the woman staying
strictly to questions on a form developed by the researcher. The women's opinions
about the necessity of women's education, their education age, and employment
status were recorded and examined. (The former education system in Turkey which
was used in this research is divided into primary education (grades 1-5), secondary
education (junior high school in grades 6-8 and high school in grades 9-11), and
higher education (university and other post high school education). With a new
application in Turkey education system in the education year 1997-98, primary and
junior high school graduations were abolished and compulsory education has been
put in force. Thus the compulsory education was increased from 5 years to 8 years
with this new system).
4
Findings and Discussion
The largest percentage of the groups of the women in the research were the
27-38 year old age group (43.6%), at most primary education or less educated
(60.6%) and women who were not working (88.1%). The percentage of working
women was highest in the 27-38 year old age group and in those with university
level education (39.0%) (p<0.05).The participation of women in the workforce of
our country begins at age 12 and rapidly increases to the highest level in the 20-24
year old age group. The percentage of women who participate in the workforce
slowly decreases from age 25 to age 64 (Devlet İstatistik Enstitüsü, 2000). On the
other hand it is known that there is an almost linear relationship between
participation in the workforce and educational level. Women's low level of
education is one of the reasons there are not enough places of employment for them
(Demirel at all, 1999). For this reason a woman's educational level is an important
factor in whether or not she works; as a woman's educational level increases her
desire to work increases (Shiffler, 1975). 96.2% of the women participating in the
study thought that women should absolutely be educated. Almost all of the women
at every educational level thought that women should absolutely be educated
(primary education or lss was at 94.4%, secondary education was 99.0% and higher
education level was 98.6%) ( p<0.05).
Taking into consideration the age group of the women, the women in the
51 and older age group had the lowest percentage compared to the other age groups
that women should absolutely be educated (<26, 97.3%; 27-38, 98.3%; 39-50,
95.0%; >51, 88.9%) ( p<0.05). Almost all of the working women (99.3%) thought
that women should absolutely be educated. The percentage of those not having this
opinion was only 0.7% (p<0.05). This finding can be interpreted that women are
aware of the place of education in their work life. In a study by Eyüpoğlu at all, as
well, it was reported that participation in the workforce increases with increase in
level of education and decreases level of unemployment. While 1106 (93.7%) of
the women at whatever age thought that women should be educated, there were
only 74 people (6.3%) who did not have that opinion.
Of the 1106 women at whatever age in the sample who stated that
education was necessary 63.0% thought that people need education at every age,
and 37.0% that it is necessary that people be educated because with time there
could be subjects that they want to know about or be trained to do (Table 1).
Higher education level women (68.5%) and women in the 51 and older age group
5
(67.5%) had a high percentage with the opinion that women needed to be educated
at every age ( p>0.05) (Table I) A higher percentage of women who were not
working (63.9%) thought that people needed to be educated whatever their age
than women who were working (56.8%) (p<0.05)(Table I). Of the 74 women in the
sample who stated that they did not think that women needed to be educated,
75.5% thought that women had more important duties that needed to be done and
24.5% that education didn't need to be given to women. While 95.8% of the
women thought that it was necessary to give education to a woman who had never
gone to school, 4.2% were not of that opinion (Table II). In parallel with an
increase in the educational level of the women was an increase in the percentage of
those who thought that it was necessary to educate a woman who had never gone to
school (94.5% of primary education or less, 98.0% of secondary education ,
100.0% of higher education level) (p<0.05) (Table II). When the subject of age was
examined, the highest percentage of women who thought that it was necessary to
educate a woman who had never gone to school were the women in the 27-38 year
old age group compared to the other age groups (p<0.05)(Table II).The percentage
of women who did not think that it was necessary to educate a woman who had
never gone to school was lower in the working women(1.4%)compared to the
women who were not working(4.5%) (p>0.05)(Table II).
6
Table I: Women's Opinions Regarding the Reason Women Need to be
Educate Needed Regardless Of Their Age
Variables
People Need
Education
Regardless of
Their Age
Sometimes
There are
Subjects or
Skills that
People Want
to Learn
Total
N % N % N % Educational Level
Primary education or less 414 63.7 236 36.3 650 100.0
Secondary education 233 60.8 150 39.2 383 100.0
Higher education 50 68.5 23 31.5 73 100.0
Total 697 63.0 409 37.0 1106 100.0
x²=1.849, p>0.05
Age < 26 91 65.5 48 34.5 139 100.0 27 – 38 305 61.5 191 38.5 496 100.0 39 – 50 245 63.5 143 36.9 388 100.0 >51 56 67.5 27 32.5 83 100.0 Total 697 63.0 409 37.0 1106 100.0
x²=1.562, p>0.05 Employment Status Working 79 56.8 60 43.2 139 00.0 Not working 618 63.9 349 36.1 967 100.0 Total 697 63.0 409 37.0 1106 100.0
x²=2.610, p<0.05
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Table II : Opinion about the Necessity of Educating a Woman who had
Never Gone to School
Variables Yes No Total
N % N % N % Educational Level
Primary education or less 674 94.3 41 5.7 715 100.0
Secondary education 383 98.0 8 2.0 391 100.0
Higher education 74 100.0 - - 74 100.0
Total 1131 95.8 49 4.2 1180 100.0
x²=12.060, p<0.05
Age < 26 141 95.9 6 4.1 147 100.0 27 – 38 506 98.3 9 1.7 515 100.0 39 – 50 396 94.5 23 5.5 419 100.0 >51 88 88.9 11 11.1 99 100.0 Total 1131 95.8 49 4.2 1180 100.0
x²=21.411, p<0.05 Employment Status Working 139 98.6 2 1.5 141 100.0 Not working 992 95.5 47 4.5 1039 100.0 Total 1131 95.8 49 4.2 1180 100.0
x²=3.008 p>0.05
A total of 1784 answers were given to the question about opinions of the
women in the study about subjects that women have a need to be educated about.
At the top of the list of answers to the subjects that women have a need to be
educated about was 34.7% on the subject of gaining a skill and a profession,
followed by 20.5% on health and health services, 13.3% to participate actively in
social, economic and cultural endeavors, 11.4% family planning(Graph 1). When
examining the subjects of the necessity of giving education to women based on the
sample's education, age and employment status, in all three variables the top of the
list for necessity of giving education to women was obtaining knowledge, skill and
a profession(Graph 1).
8
Graph 1: Research Subjects' Opinions of Subjects those Women Need to
be Educated About
1-a)
Primary education or less Secondary education Higher education
40
36,3
35 33,5
30 28,7
25 22,4
21,4 20,5
20
16,1
15 13,9 13,2
13,8
11,7
10 9,5
8,5 8,7
6,3 6,7 6,7 6,8 5,7 5,6
5 3,6
0 Gaining Skill, Basic Hygiene
Profession
Health and Health
Services
Family Planning To Participate Social Benefits From Social All
and Cultural Activities Facilities
9
-26 27-38 39-50 51+
1-b)
45
40 37,9
40,6
35 32,9
30 28,9
25
19,720,3
20
21 20,3
17,5
15
10,1
10
5
8,7
7,2
9,4
11,6
9,3 9,4
11,8
14,2
13,1
11,6
4,4
7,7
7,5
5,7 5,7 4,7
6,5
2,2
0
Gaining Skill, Profession Basic Hygiene Health and Health
Services
Family Planning To Participate Social and
Cultural Activities
Benefits From Social
Facilities
All
10
1-c)
40
35 34,4
30,5
30
25
20,8
20 18,5
18,1
15 13,5
12,5
11
10 8,7 8,1
6,6 5,8 5,7
4,6
0 Gaining Skill, Profession Basic Hygiene Health and Health Services Family Planning To Participate Social and Benefits From Social All
Cultural Activities Facilities
working not working
A total of 1946 answers were given to the question related to opinions of
the women in the study about the reasons women need to be educated. According
to these answers at the top of the list with 30.3% of the women was that women
need to be educated so that they can acquire economic independence. This was
followed by 19.6% to be able to make independent decisions so they can stand on
their own feet, 16.8% to gain respect in society for being educated. 84.5% of the
women were of the opinion that education should not just be given to certain
groups because of their different characteristics (youth, elderly, never educated,
etc.). The percentage of women who thought that only women in particular groups
should be educated (8.0%) and who did not have this opinion were similarly low
(Table III). The percentage of women who thought that it was necessary to include
women with particular characteristics (youth, elderly, never educated, etc.) in
women's education was highest for those at higher educational level (95.9%) and
the percentages were also high for the other education groups (79.7% for primary
11
education or less, 91.0% for secondary education)(Table III). A lower percentage
of women in the 51 and over age group thought that women's education should not
only be given to specific groups but should include women with different
characteristics than the women in the other age groups (<26, 87.1%, 27–38, 88.9%,
39–50, 81.6%, >51, 69.7%) (P<0.05) (Table III). A higher percentage of working
women (92.2%) thought that women's education should not only be given to
specific groups but should include women with different characteristics than the
women who were not working (83.4%) (P<0.05) ( Table III).
Table III : Opinions on Giving Women's Education to Specific Groups
Variables
Yes No I don' know Total N % N % N % N %
Educational Level
Primary education or
less 73 10.2 570 79.7 72 10.1 715 100.0
Secondary education 18 4.6 356 91.0 17 4.3 391 100.0
Higher education 3 4.1 71 95.9 - - 74 100.0
Total 94 8.0 997 84.5 89 7.5 1180 100.0
x²=33.483, p<0.05
Age
<26 12 8.2 128 87.1 7 4.8 147 100.0
27 – 38 31 6.0 458 88.9 26 5.0 515 100.0
39 – 50 38 9.1 342 81.6 39 9.3 419 100.0
>51 13 13.1 69 69.7 17 17.2 99 100.0
Total 94 8.0 997 84.5 89 7.5 1180 100.0
x²=30.359, p<0.05 Employment Status
Working 9 6.4 130 92.2 2 1.4 141 100.0
Not working 85 8.2 867 83.4 87 8.4 1039 100.0
Total 94 8.0 997 84.5 89 7.5 1180 100.0
x²=9.592, p<0.05
Of the women who participated in the study, 36.0% thought that educating
women was most important to the individual, 23.5% to the family, 21.4% to
society, and 19.2% to all of them (Graph 2). Together with in elevation in
educational level there was a decrease in those who thought that educating women
was important to the family (primary education or less, 26.2%; secondary
12
education, 20.5%; higher education, 13.5%); but there was an increase in those that
thought that educating women was important to society (primary education or less,
19.7%; secondary education, 23.8%; higher education, 24.3%) (p<0.05) (Graph 2).
Focusing on the women's age groups, women 27-38 (38.1%) thought that educating
women was important to the individual, women 39-50 (27.4%) to the family, and
women 26 or less (24.5%) to society (p<0.05) (Graph 2). Focusing on the women's
employment status, both groups thought that educating women was most important
for the individual (working, 31.2%; not working, 36.7%) (p>0.05)( Graph 2).
Graph 2: Opinions on For Whom Educating Women in the Most
Important
2-a)
40
36,6
36,5 34,8
30
26,2
25,7 25
23,8 24,3
20,5
21
19,7
17,5
15
13,5
10
5
0
Individual
Family
Society
All
Primary education or less Secondary education Higher education
13
2-b)
-26 27-38 39-50 51+
45
40 38,1
37,4 36,7
35 32,9
30 27,4
25 24,5
22,3 22,2 21,8 21 21
20,2 20,2
20 18,6 18,6
17
15
10
5
0
Individual Family Society All
14
2-c)
40
36,7
35
31,2
30,5
30
25
24,5
22,7 21,2
20 17,6
15,6 15
10
5
0
Individual Family Society All
working not working
Almost all of the women (93.4%) thought that women who had dropped
out of school for whatever reason absolutely should complete their education, and
the percentage of those who disagreed was 6.6% (Table IV).Parallel with an
elevation in the educational level of women there was an increase in percentage of
those who thought that women who had dropped out of school for whatever reason
absolutely should complete their education (p<0.05) (Table IV). Focusing on
women's age group, a lower percentage of women in the 51 and over age group
(86.9%) thought that women who had dropped out of school for whatever reason
absolutely should complete their education (p<0.05) (Table IV ). 95.7% of the
working women and 93.1% of the non-working women thought that women who
had dropped out of school for whatever reason absolutely should complete their
education (p>0.05) (Table IV).
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Table IV: Opinions About the Necessity of a Woman Who Had Dropped Out of
School For Whatever Reason Completing Her Education
Variables Yes No Total
N % N % N % Educational Level
Primary education or less 652 91.2 63 8.8 715 100.0
Secondary education 377 96.4 14 3.6 391 100.0
Higher education 73 98.6 1 1.4 74 100.0
Total 1102 93.4 78 6.6 1180 100.0
x²=14.740, p<0.05
Age <26 139 94.6 8 5.4 147 100.0 27 – 38 495 96.1 20 3.9 515 100.0 39 – 50 382 91.2 37 8.8 419 100.0 >51 86 86.9 13 13.1 99 100.0 Total 1102 93.4 78 6.6 1180 100.0
x²=16.693, p<0.05 Employment Status Working 135 95.7 6 4.3 141 100.0 Not Working 967 93.1 72 6.9 1039 100.0 Total 1102 93.4 78 6.6 1180 100.0
x²=1.438, p>0.05
Conclusions:
The majority of the women were in the 27-38 year old age group, had
primary school education or less, and were not working. The percentage of
working women in the 27-38 year old age group with higher education was high.
The majority of the women thought that women should absolutely be educated.
Important factors for those who did not have this opinion were the women's
educational level, age and employment status.
The percentage of women who thought that women should be educated no
whatever their age was higher than those who did not have this opinion, and first in
the list of reasons why education was necessary was that people at whatever age
need education.
Almost all of the women thought that a woman who had left school for
whatever reason should complete her education; the percentage that disagreed was
quite low. Parallel with an increase in educational level was an increase in those
who thought that a woman who had left school for whatever reason should
complete her education.
16
First in the list the women gave of subjects women need to be educated
about was a skill, profession. This was followed by health and health services,
active participation in social, economic and cultural endeavors, and family
planning. First in the list the women gave for why women need to be educated was
that she would gain economic independence. This was followed by ensuring the
ability to stand on her own feet, and gaining respect in society. The women thought
that educating women was important first to the individual, then to the family and
to society. Together with an increase in educational level was a decrease in
thinking education was primarily important to the family and an increase in
thinking that it is important to society. The majority of women thought that a
woman who had left school for whatever reason should complete her education.
The woman's educational level and age influenced this opinion.
Taking into consideration the results obtained from the research we can say
that our women were aware of the need for women's education. However although
it has been decreasing for years, still having 19.4% of our women not knowing how
to read or write is a problem that must be overcome by increasing the speed of
endeavors by both the state and voluntary institutions throughout the country
(Devlet İstatistik Enstitüsü, 2005). The reason is that today educated women can
ensure their own family planning, health, productivity, can more easily benefit
from environmental and substructure resources, improve their children's
upbringing, nutrition and their family's comfort, will be a factor in increasing the
country's economic potential with consumer behaviors and increased participation
in employment, and ease their active participation in the process of globalization.
In addition to these together with an increase in women's status there will be a
more effective utilization of human resources to meet the country's need
17
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