“There and Back Again?”: Obstacles to the Prospect of Married Women’s Transition into Higher-level Degree Programs in Bangladesh

Abstract

Ever since Bangladesh first gained independence in 1971, the nation has focused much of its resources on establishing a concrete education sector. In the past, Bangladesh was amongst the lowest ranking countries in terms of its gender equity in schooling. Fortunately, updated education policies and intense programming, mainly with the World Bank, has drastically raised the percentage of girls enrolled in primary and secondary schooling. In fact, for much of early education in Bangladesh, girls actually outnumber boys in terms of enrollment rate. While policies directed towards girls in primary and secondary schooling are substantial, and still growing, this thesis identifies a gap in policies directed towards women in tertiary education. Namely, programs like the Higher Education Quality & Assurance Program (HEQP) are focused on increasing the research capacities of Universities but seem to neglect women’s enrollment rates. Hence, the main issue of concern in this thesis is that success seen in primary and secondary schooling does not necessarily transition into tertiary schooling. In addition, the societal burdens that women in tertiary education must face are hidden from policymakers. Women who are married while enrolled in tertiary education, around 18 years old, are following all legal guidelines. This study shows, however, that these women face unique societal obstacles that men do not and are not necessarily as well-off as they may seem on paper. This thesis fills the gap between policy-makers and the women who ought to benefit from their policies. Hence, this thesis observes the unique factors which influence the decision-making process of married Bengali women currently enrolled in an accredited Honours degree program. This study uses insight from five Bengali women who are enrolled in an Honours degree program in a rural area. Each insight that these women had to offer is immensely valuable and integral for helping narrow down a few key issues that policymakers should focus on.

The interviews conducted were used in this thesis to identify six key themes that relate to public policy concerns for women’s education. These key themes are: (1) there is a deeply rooted “shadow” education system which can push women to only attend Private lessons instead of classes at school. (2) Burden of cost is a significant barrier. Societal cost is a hidden burden. (3) Women often lack information or our misinformed about issues related to their academics and future career goals. (4) The role of the institution where these women are enrolled ought to be to provide assistance. This does not seem to be the case. (5) Families struggle with determining a rate of return for investments into their daughter’s education. And (6) There is a lack of knowledge of how marriages impact women because these marriages often go unmonitored. The participants of this study expressed that marriage can be both detrimental and beneficial.