Factors of female participation in University Education in Nigeria: Policy Direction towards achieving SDG4

Abstract

This study examined the factors that influenced female participation in university education and identified factors that could be monitored and manipulated to enhance participation. The data collected to determine female participation consisted of students proportion admitted into various courses of study in Nigerian universities over four years while those used for regression analysis were collated by states and the FCT. The results of the analyses revealed that female participation rate in university education, based on year, ranged from 44.3% to 46.5% and on the basis of course of study, it oscillated between 13.9% for engineering, technology and environment courses and 56.6% for education. Also, the seven independent variables explained 94.5% of variance in female participation in university education. The results of the study suggest the need to recognise the complexities and range of supports required to enhance female participation in university education and by extension to reduce gender inequalities common in education, politics, and governance and generally in the society. It is recommended among others there is need for policies that will induce more collaboration and interaction among various organs and agencies within and outside the university, particularly those that would ensure inclusiveness of university education and guarantee sustainable development.