The Husbands’ Support: The Experiences of off-Campus Married Muslim Student Mothers in Private and Religious Institutions of Higher Learning in Uganda—A Case of Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU)

Abstract

While IUIU policies allow students to officially get married the same institution does not allow babies in halls of residence yet it has not put in place the necessary facilities and arrangements on campus to enable them juggle their multiple roles as Married Muslim Student Mothers (MMSM) in completing their academic undertakings. This poses a challenge due to constrained finances that make it difficult due to inability to pay maid thus causing frustrations which later affects their academic performance. The research adopted a Feminism theory and other supporting theories to explore the experiences of married Muslim student mothers, husbands support, institutional policies, challenges and coping strategies. The study was allocated within a qualitative research paradigm and involved semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 30 undergraduate university married Muslim student mothers. Key findings were that the married Muslim student mothers’ experiences were child care and excess workload: husbands’ support included emotional and financial support: institutional support comprised of lack of child care support, support from lectures, family and friends: challenges involved time management, lack of support from lecturers, transport costs, excess workload, fixed timetables and lack of social and financial support: coping strategies included time management skills, faith and Allah, assistance with child care, creating extra time and advise. These findings have implications for policy in terms of empowerment, support to enable them to amalgamate competing roles of student mothers. MMSM operate in a family system which influences their decisions hence failure to make independent decisions but rather seek approval from their husbands. If MMSM are to succeed with their endeavors of completing their education while married they should submit to their husband in order to receive emotional and financial support to fulfill their academic dreams and a better future.