WOMEN'S OPINIONS ABOUT THE NECESSITY OF WOMEN'S EDUCATION SOCIAL, CAPITAL AND COMMERICIAL ORGANIZATIONS

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,

(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

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

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

(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).

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

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).

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 8,5 8,7 9,5 6,3 _5,7 6,7 6,7 6,8 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

-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

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

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

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

Individual Family Society All

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

2-c) 40

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).

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.

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

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