Abstract:
Equal access to education is important in national development and promotion of gender equality. The SDGs and Vision 2030 spell out equal access to education as an important tool for empowerment and progressive development of society. In Kenya, National and institutional policies on gender and education have been formulated alongside sensitization programmes to promote girls and women access to education as a solution to persistent gender inequalities. However statistics indicate the enrollment, transition and completion rates in institutions of higher learning among female students is low. This creates a gap in ensuring equal access to higher education as stipulated in the constitution of Kenya. Several factors including the triple gender roles are some of the identified reasons among student mothers. This study therefore sought to investigate challenges, coping mechanisms and the support accorded to female student mothers in academic pursuit in Egerton University, Nakuru County. The study adopted role conflict theory and liberal feminist theory. The study also adopted a cross-sectional survey research design. The study target population was 360 student mothers. Simple random sampling was used to obtain a sample size of 101 respondents. The data was collected using interview schedules and survey questionnaires. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics with the help of SPSS software version 25. Findings of the study were presented using bar graphs, pie-charts, frequency tables and quotes. From the study findings, 80% of the respondents reported that economic challenges was a hindrance to academic performance. The findings indicated that 92% of the respondents had time management hurdle with respect to lecture attendance, co- curricular activities, childcare responsibilities, and domestic chores, academic trips, taking the child to clinic, assignments submission, academic group discussions and academic trainings. About 96% of respondents agreed that they received family support to meet day to day expenses while learning. The study therefore recommends social- economic support from the family and Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) to meet the financial challenges. The student mothers should create their own time to concentrate on studies and care for their children. The study proposes that the student mother be provided with societal and institutional support specifically psycho-social support for the student mothers to deal with individual stigma emanating from their peers in the University.
