CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Human capital enhancement is a critical element of National development. Therefore, women participation in tertiary institution plays an important role in the development of societal infrastructure in developing countries like Nigeria. Although strong negative correlation between women domestic responsibilities and educational achievement or attainment has been established less attention has been paid to the effect of married women domestic work on their schooling especially in this part of the world.The Federal Republic of Nigeria (2010) refers to higher education as education predator the tertiary level. In this study, higher education in Nigeria refers to institutions that are post secondary and offer qualifications such as diplomas, bachelor‟s degrees and postgraduate degrees such as masters and doctorates. From a global perspective,economic, social and political development is increasingly being driven by the advancement and application of knowledge, which is anchored, powered, propelled and determined largely by the type of higher education found in a country.
Higher education in particular is fundamental to the construction of a knowledge economy and society in all nations (World Bank, 2002). On account of this, higher education for women should be a critical aspect of national interest, especially in the context of accessibility,enrollment and academic performance The population of the world is estimated to be 6.8 billion (Population Reference Bureau,2009). Women constitute more than half of this number and more than 70 per cent ohem are illiterate and poor (Haese and Kirsten, 2006).
