Motherhood and higher education in Ghana: Experiences of student-nursing mothers

Abstract

Education is vital to everyone, but it is significant for girls and women. The importance of education is true not only because education is an entry point to other opportunities, but also because the educational achievements of women can have ripple effects within the families and across generations. However, the effect of the inadequate support system in the University and home on academic performance, childcare and other domestic chores cannot be overemphasised. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to investigate the challenges encountered in school and the home and also to explore the perceived coping strategies adopted by student nursing mothers in a tertiary institution in Ghana. A qualitative approach using the descriptive phenomenological design was adopted. Eighteen participants were drawn from an accessible population of 30 student nursing mothers using a purposive and snowballing sampling method. The study employed a thematic approach to analyze student nursing mothers’ responses to interviews conducted. The study revealed a lack of concentration, lack of time to study and unfriendly lecture schedule as some challenging experiences of the mothers. On home challenges, student nursing mothers experienced a decline in marital happiness and inadequate care of older kids. Based on these findings, it may be deduced that the programme structure of the university programmes is not student mother-friendly and that student nursing mothers may have problems with grades and psychological wellbeing. Again, there may be some lack of lactating resources in the institution which students’ mothers may have utilized to ease the pressure in nursing of their babies. Recommendations were therefore given in light of the study.