The Impact of Cultural Practices on Female Students’ Academic Attainment in Mangu L. G. A. of Plateau State, Nigeria
Chapter One
Research Objectives
The main objective of the study is to examine the impact of cultural practices on female students’ academic attainment in Mangu l. g. a. of plateau state, Nigeria, the specific objectives are:
- To determine the extent to which traditional gender roles and beliefs affect female students’ access to and engagement in education.
- To investigate the impact of gender stereotypes and biases on female students’ academic achievement.
- To identify effective interventions that address cultural barriers to education and promote gender equality.
Chapter Two
Review of the Related Literature
Introduction
People are responsible for developing and possessing their own unique behavioural patterns, which are considered to be part of their culture. One school of thought maintains that a culture transforms into what is known as a tradition when its members are so immersed in it that they are unable to think critically about anything outside of it. It is interesting to note that tradition is described as a style of doing things that is founded on a belief system, and that it is postulated that each nation has its own common belief system, which can be viewed as the national average pattern of thought (Akali, 2000). Surprisingly, most people in a country tend to operate within this national average thought which may influence either negatively or positively the national economic development.
Education is often seen as a means of empowerment for individuals and societies, providing the knowledge and skills needed for personal and societal development. However, the attainment of education, particularly for women, is influenced by several factors, including cultural practices (Okon, 2017). Cultural practices, including traditional gender roles and beliefs, can have a significant impact on female students’ academic attainment. As such, the examination of the impact of cultural practices on female students’ academic attainment is a critical issue that warrants exploration.
Cultural practices are often deeply ingrained in societies and can shape individuals’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. These practices can influence the way individuals view education, particularly for women, and determine the extent to which they can access and engage in education (Schein, 2014). In many cultures, women are expected to prioritize domestic and family responsibilities over their education, resulting in limited access to educational opportunities. Furthermore, gender stereotypes and biases can affect female students’ academic performance by creating an environment where they are discouraged from pursuing certain subjects or career paths (Schein, 2014).
The impact of cultural practices on female students’ academic attainment is a multifaceted issue that requires an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the complex interactions between culture, education, and gender (Schein, 2014). This issue has implications for not only the individual but also for society as a whole, as the education of women is crucial for promoting gender equality, reducing poverty, and achieving sustainable development.
In the same manner studies by Gabati, (2018) stated that achievement encompasses actual accomplishment of the students‟ of potential ability: Kobal et al (2019):
“There are two broad groups of definitions of in academic achievement. The first one could be considered more objectives, because it refers to numerical scores of a pupil’s knowledge, which measure the degree of a pupil’s adaptation to school work and to the educational system. The second group is a more subjective one, as its determination of academic success in reliant upon the student’s attitudes towards his academic achievement and himself, as well as by the attitudes of significant others towards his/her success and him/herself.”
The above quotation focuses on both objective and subjective definitions of academic achievement brings students to a successful accomplishment or performance in particular subject area. It indicated as by grades, marks and scores of descriptive commentaries. Academic performance also refers to how students deal with their studies and how they cope with or accomplish different tasks given to them by their teachers in a fixed time or academic year (Hawis and Hawes, 2015). In the same manner studies by Gabati, (2018) stated that achievement encompasses actual accomplishment of the students‟ of potential ability.
Kobal et al (2015) stated the above quotation focuses on both objective and subjective definitions of academic achievements. The key objective performance indicator used here is a specific public or national examination. More subjective factors are used as explanatory variables. The current study focuses on subjective definitions of academic achievement. This is due to the fact that academic achievement is cultural bound. Therefore the cultural understanding of academic performance is regarded as the measure of their achievement.
This measurement has become a major tool to guide individual‟s performance in all cultures regardless of their gender, socio-economic position or individual interests and needs (Swai, 2010). Hence, academic achievement occupies a very important place in determining the worth of an individual. According to Good (2016), the knowledge attained or skills developed in school subjects are usually developed through interaction with peers, the teachers and the printed materials, but all require appropriate use of language.
Hoy and Dipaola (2018) outlined three aspects of organizational culture which includes values, assumptions and norms. Value aspect of organizational culture comprise of commitment to the school, commitment to teaching, cooperation and teamwork, trust and group loyalty, egalitarianism, service to students and High academic achievement. According to Schein (2010), fundamental assumptions reflect the basic questions people face, such as the way the organizational environment is perceived, the nature of reality and truth, the nature of human activity and the nature of human relationships. Organizational norms include support to colleagues, open criticism, handling one’s own problems, supporting students and being available to get your students for extra help. The indicators of culture in this study were values, norms and beliefs/assumptions. This study divulged any determination of particular culture based on assumptions, values, and interpretive frameworks of a school on students’ academic achievements. School cultures are very influential as they tend to shape and re-shape what people think, do, feel and behave within the institution. School improvement and students’ academic achievements have been positively connected to positive culture (Vislocky, 2015).
During the fabrication of school culture, school leaders have some fundamental duties, such as setting mission, vision, goals and objectives for the school. The leaders equally derive the desired values, norms and assumptions. These takes place at the school level guiding the members of the school community to implement goals and targets, hence creating and sustaining a school culture based on mutual trust. The school principals in the execution of their duties strengthen these values and standards of the schools through their statements and discourse with others. Brown (2018), argues that a school culture that supports hard work and high achievement needs leadership that encourages and protects the on-the-job learning, flexibility, risk-taking, innovation and adaptation to change.
Deal and Peterson (2016) argues that even though school culture is built on the history and deep values of the school society, replacing and renovating the school culture is contributed to through the basic function of the leader. This aspect of the relationship between school culture and leadership is associated with changing the culture in a positive or negative way. The most important role of the school leader is to make the shared values, assumptions and norms congruent and coherent with the school culture and attainable (Durukan, 2016).
The society is rapidly changing as a result of innovation in science and technology which has in turn caused changes in the education sector and other fields. Educational organizations have to keep pace with these changes in order to achieve their main aims. Bursalıoğlu (2015), argues that the system of education, which affects and is affected by social-economic and political systems, fulfills the function of ensuring the continuance of a nation socially, economically and culturally through educational organizations, and that schools have a special position obliged to ensure the socialization of children (Durukan, 2016), transfer the culture of society to them, enable the generation which it cultivates to accommodate to the political structure of the society, bring to light the young people who have leadership abilities, and cultivate qualified work force. Values expressed in school culture should therefore not be taken for granted, hence the rationale of this study.
Research has shown that cultural practices, including traditional gender roles and beliefs, can have a significant impact on female students’ academic achievement. (Jeynes, 2012; Naranjo-Gil & Cáceres-Reche, 2021). In many cultures, women are expected to prioritize domestic and family responsibilities over their education, resulting in limited access to educational opportunities (Gore et al., 2016). Furthermore, gender stereotypes and biases can affect female students’ academic performance by creating an environment where they are discouraged from pursuing certain subjects or career paths (Eccles & Wigfield, 2020).
Several studies have explored the relationship between cultural practices and female students’ academic attainment. A study conducted by Aikman and Unterhalter (2005) found that cultural practices, such as early marriage and limited mobility, have a negative impact on girls’ access to education in Africa. Another study by Khandker and Pitt (2003) showed that in Bangladesh, cultural practices, such as early marriage and restricted mobility, are significant barriers to girls’ education.
Furthermore, research has shown that interventions aimed at addressing cultural barriers to education can have a positive impact on female students’ academic attainment. For example, a study by Ahmed and Hasan (2016) showed that community-based interventions, such as the provision of stipends and the establishment of girls’ schools, can increase female students’ access to education. The impact of cultural practices on female students’ academic attainment is a critical issue that has been extensively studied in the field of education. While cultural practices can have a negative impact on female students’ access to and engagement in education, interventions aimed at addressing cultural barriers to education can have a positive impact on academic attainment. As such, the examination of the impact of cultural practices on female students’ academic attainment is crucial for promoting gender equality and achieving sustainable development.
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