| Most studies done on the education of women in developing countries are based on social reproduction theory (Powers, 1994), and mainly limited to identifying the constraints of female education in these countries (Stromquist, 1989). The current study included the other half of the picture, i.e., resistance and coping of successful female students.;In this study, a qualitative method with a supplemental descriptive quantitative analysis was used. A survey questionnaire was distributed to all freshman female students in five colleges and/or universities in Ethiopia, namely Addis Ababa University, Alemaya University of Agriculture, Bahir Dar Teachers College, and Kotebe College of Teacher Education. The survey was utilized to study the profile of Ethiopian female students, and the larger context for the rural female students who were the main focus of this study.;In depth-interviews, observations, and document analysis were the sources of data for qualitative analysis. Twelve students from rural areas and five students from the capital were interviewed.;Findings indicated that more than half the students who entered college during the 1995/96 academic year were from the capital. Only 16.7% were from the villages where agriculture was the predominant activity. Among the 118 high schools the girls attended, 13 (11%) were private or Catholic schools. More than one quarter (34.9%) of the girls came from these private or Catholic schools. The illiteracy rate of parents was much higher for girls who came from rural areas than parents of girls from the city.;The qualitative findings showed that girls in rural areas encountered a variety of problems related to economic constraint, household responsibilities, culture, and lack of understanding and support on the part of families. Some of the problems identified were early marriage, abduction, school distance, harassment, and unfriendly school environments.;Critical/feminist theories and the transactional theory in psychology were applied in interpreting the data. The informants in this study resisted the attitudes and practices that interfered with their educations. In their attempt to overcome educational barriers, the informants accessed and utilized their personal and social resources; they were committed, diligent, and persistent. With the support of some individuals called 'Initiators' and 'Facilitators' in this study, they were able to persevere against all odds. |
