Challenges and Support of Female Students in Ghanaian Public Universities

The study was conducted to identify the challenges and support of 403 ladies in their daily lives as family members and students in five public Universities in Ghana. Challenges of the students were found to be: family relationship; the learning process; family care; financial constraint; and gynecological problems. Support needs of the students were: family life support; alternatives for missed lecture periods; funding; study facilities; and academic guidance. Their main sources of support for family and school work were their family members, hired domestic workers and class mates, while their expected sources of support were family members, classmates, the universities and the government. It is recommended that the universities should make their learning environments female learner friendly by considering the needs of female students in infrastructural and curriculum development, and also facilitate the transformation of cultural norms that make it difficult for women to achieve their educational goals, through university-community link.