Married Emirati Students Pursuing Teaching Careers from the Perspective of their Spouses

Abstract

Women's enrollment in higher education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has increased dramatically over the years. In this paradigm of change, gender role delineation and the repercussion this has on values, thinking and priorities in life can be problematic but has been neglected in terms of research. One of the aims of the research study was to find out how spouses of female Emirati students enrolled in a Bachelor of Education teaching degree perceived the challenges their wives faced while undertaking tertiary level studies and the types of support they needed to succeed. Individual interviews with spouses were conducted and the themes discussed in this paper pertain to spouses' perception of teaching as a career for women, challenges their wives faced while undertaking higher education, and support factors contributing to degree attainment within the socio-cultural context of the UAE. The United Arab Emirates is passing through a period of rapid change and transformation to evolve into a developed society with high standards of living and a secure way of life. Traditionally, the UAE society is part of the larger Arab-Moslem society characterized by close interpersonal relationships emphasizing obedience, closeness and loyalty to parents in accordance with Islamic instructions. The family, not the individual, is considered the primary unit with communal interests usually overriding individual ones. Gender role delineations and shifts have implications in orientations towards family life and family processes (1). A. The status of Women in the Changing Emirati Society The Emirati society, though introduced to various foreign influences, preserves its cultural and religious traditions as it adapts to changing identities. The government has made notable strides in improving several aspects of womens rights over the last few decades. Certain steps in the right direction came into effect and became obvious to the observer. Article 20, according to which women are officially permitted to include stipulations concerning the right to continue education and work in the marriage contract, is just an example of the significant assurance of womens rights (2).