Dilema Wanita Berpendidikan Tinggi: Faktor-faktor Wanita Berhenti Kerja

Abstract

The enrolment of female students at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is impressive. This group appears to have dominated HEIs with a 60:40 ratio of female to male students. However, this ratio does not correspondent to the situation in the workforce. This study aims to identify the push factors that drive educated women to be full-time homemakers. In-depth interviews of 18 respondents which were collected by using a snow-ball technique through key informants were used in this study. The findings in this study showed that there are many reasons, ranging from distinctive 'nature versus nurture' factors which contribute to women's decisions to become full-time housemakers. By contrast, career women still maintain their gender roles at home as a mother and a wife. If more women with higher education can contribute to national development through the employment sector, the potential to achieve developed nation status by 2020 will be achieved along with the development of a balanced society. Therefore, this study is expected to contribute to the drafting of family-friendly policies and to enable women to contribute meaningfully to national development.