Myth and reality of gender inequality in education admission in Nigerian state universities

Abstract

The conspicuous and dignified role of African Women in sexual and reproductive health, commerce, agriculture, governance and education demonstrates the importance place of women in African society. Regrettably, women have been socially discriminated, economically deprived, politically alienated, and educationally disadvantaged, psychologically traumatized and sexually abused based on their sexual orientation. This study is embedded within the context of the prevailing scholarly debate on gender and education in Africa’s sustainable development. The researcher situates the discourse on the myth and reality of gender inequality in admission at state Universities in Nigeria. It examines the implication of this situation to educational attainment and policy initiatives. The study made use of secondary data already in the public domain to identify, discuss, compare, and analyze the evolving and complex issues of education admission in Nigeria. The study revealed that admissions in state universities in the southeast were in favor of female in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, while there male counterpart maintained their dominance in the south –south, southwest, north central, northeast and northwestern part of Nigeria within the period under review. In addressing these fundamental issues, the researcher identified cultural bias and patriarchal practices as the key factors militating against gender parity in promoting women’s education and by extension economic and political empowerment in Africa. Nevertheless, an attempt was made to suggest for a sustainable solution to the identified problems.

Keywords: gender inequality, economic empowerment, Education