Women's access to higher education in Tanzania: a qualitative study

The purpose of this study was to reveal the ways in which first-generation women in Tanzania explained their success in pursuing a university education despite cultural and social obstacles. Such obstacles include social policies, socio-cultural factors, and academic factors. A review of the literature revealed that issues such as patriarchy, proximity to schools, teenage pregnancy, domestic roles, religion, and initiation rituals serve as hurdles for women who seek to reach tertiary education. Ethnography was used to capture a deep slice of the women's background and educational experiences.