What motivates women to go to secondary school? : A case study in Babati

Abstract: This case-study was conducted in Babati Town in Tanzania and examines what motivates women to go to secondary school and the goals that they have with their education. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 young women and a content analysis was conducted on the interview narratives. Motivation plays a vital role for being able to accomplish and perform well in education and to improve future life. Maslow’s theory of motivation, the needs hierarchy, is used to examine how the women’s motivations can be viewed. The concept of empowerment is used to examine if the women are motivated by empowerment. The results of this study show that control over their own life is a primary motivation for the women as well as having an income and a job. The results are connected to previous research showing that the goals of having a stable income and attracting a well-educated partner are primary motivations. The women are primarily motivated by the higher levels of Maslow’s needs hierarchy, i.e. the esteem needs and the study shows that women’s motivations can be connected to empowerment. The study also connects Maslow’s needs hierarchy and empowerment to development.