RURAL WOMEN EDUCATION ACCESS AND ITS EFFECT ON THEIR LIVELIHOOD IN KEBENA SPECIAL WOREDA, CENTRAL REGIONAL STATE OF ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess rural women education access and its effect on their livelihood in kebena Special woreda, Central Regional State. The study employed Descriptive and Explanatory research design. Purposive, proportionate stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 358 rural women, 20 interviewees from male headed households. Primary data was collected using self – administered and interviewer - administered questionnaires and interview. Secondary source of data was used by reviewing documents. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the quantitative data and multiple linear regression analyses were used. Qualitative data was collected and narrated systematically using content analysis approach to support the quantitative data analyses results. The findings’ of the study unraveled that no sufficient access to education for most of women and poor status of women education in the study area. The one – way ANOVA test results indicates the existence of significant differences between the educational statuses of women in their livelihood. Furthermore, the linear regression analysis results revealed status and access to education significantly affected the livelihood of most women accounted for 78.3% of the variance on the livelihood of most of the women in the selected kebeles. Therefore, from the results of the study it can be inferred that great majority of women are not in a position to manage their livelihood because of their low status of education and insufficient access of education. Thus, this study suggests that concerned bodies on rural women education and livelihood have to give serious attention and work hard in creating ways to improve women education as well as their livelihood