The Challenges Faced By Muslim Women in Pursuing Postgraduate Studies

Abstract

This study investigated the highly influencing challenges which cause reluctance of Muslim women to pursue postgraduate education and their low level of interest in following postgraduate degrees. The study employed a quantitative method, and the data were collected through a questionnaire survey administered to about 200 participants out of the total Muslim female graduates of the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka who graduated from 2015 to 2019. The obtained data were subjected to analysis through the Numerical Outcome Prediction method with the help of SPSS software. The analysed data were interpreted to ascertain how each of the factors influenced the lack of Muslim women in postgraduate studies. Findings of the study show that while the husband’s refusal to allow was the most influential challenge in Muslim women’s reluctance to pursue postgraduate studies, ignorance about postgraduate studies, lack of some exclusive privileges for women to study, and the inability of women to engage in learning while shouldering family responsibilities, were also deduced as influential challenges. Furthermore, this study on Muslim women in Sri Lanka is significant as it can be a starting point for further research on this topic. Moreover, the findings of this study would be beneficial for policymakers and politicians to enhance future postgraduate education for Muslim women in Sri Lanka.