Struggles and Coping Strategies of Student Mothers at the University of Cape Coast Distance Education, Ghana
- 1 College of Distance Education, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
- 2 College of Distance Education, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
- 3 College of Distance Education, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
Abstract
We investigated into combining motherhood with academic life concentrating on the struggles of student-mothers. The study adopted the mixed method design affirming the qualitative data with quantitative data. The purposive and convenient sampling procedures were used to select the sample from the University of Cape Coast Distance Education, Oyoko Study Center. The study found that majority of respondents go through academic struggles such as inability to attend face-to-face lectures regularly because of tiredness, sickness of child, taking baby to child welfare clinic and lack of lactating rooms for breastfeeding of babies. To cope with the struggles respondents relied on paid house helps, keeping children at day care centers, raising loans and relying on husbands and friends for support. The study recommended for the provision of lactating rooms, day care centers and counselling services for student-mothers on all centers of the College of Distance Education.
- Adofo, S. (2013). Challenges and Coping Strategies of Student Nursing Mothers in Tertiary Institutions in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Unpublished Thesis, Legon: University of Ghana.
- Adusah-Karikari, A. (2008). Experiences of Women in Higher Education. A Study of Women Faculty and Administrators in selected Public Universities in Ghana. Ph.D. Dissertation.
- Asiedu-Akrofi, K. (1978). School Administration in Modern Africa. Tema: Ghana Publishing Corporation.
- Beeler, S. (2016). Undergraduate Single Mothers’ Experiences in Postsecondary Education. New Directions for Higher Education, 2016, 69-80. https://doi.org/10.1002/he.20210
- Bruening, M., Argo, K., Payne-Sturges, D., & Laska, M. N. (2017). The Struggle Is Real: A Systematic Review of Food Insecurity on Postsecondary Education Campuses. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 117, 1767-1791. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2017.05.022
- Caplan, P. J. (1993). Lifting a Ton of Fathers. A Woman’s Guide for Survival in the Academic World. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
- Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
- Dankyi, J. K., & Dankyi, L. A. (2015). Perceived Effects of University of Cape Coast Distance Education on Teachers’ Performance in the Basic Schools of Kwahu West Municipality. International Journal of Research in Social Sciences, 6, 1-8.
- Dolphyne, F. A. C. (1991). The Emancipation of Women: An African Perspective. Accra: University Press.
- Edwards, L. N., Hasebe, T., & Sakai, T. (2019). Education and Marriage Decisions of Japanese Women and the Role of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act. Journal of Human Capital, 13, 260-292. https://doi.org/10.1086/702924
- Egenti, M. N., & Omoruyi, F. E. O. (2011). Challenges of Women Participation in Continuing Higher Education Programme: Implications for Adult Women Counselling and Education. Edo Journal of Counselling, 4, 131-143.
- Erickson, E. H. (1982). The Life Cycle Completed. New York: W. W.
- Eyster, L., Callan, T., & Adams, G. (2014). Balancing School, Work, and Family: Low-Income Parents’ Participation in Education and Training. Washington DC: Urban Institute. http://www.Urban.org/research/publication/balancing-school-work-and-family-low-income-parents-participation-education-and-training