Gender Disparity in Admissions into Tertiary Institutions: Empirical Evidence from Nigerian Data (2010-2015)
Description
Elimination of gender disparity at all levels of education is one of the major global goals in the pursuit of sustainable development across the globe. Although a good number of countries across the globe have achieved parity in primary education between boys and girls, the target is yet to be widely attained at tertiary level of education. In this data article, empirical data on yearly admissions into accredited tertiary institutions in Nigeria are extensively explored to reveal the existence of gender gaps in the national admission process. Thorough evaluation, correct interpretation, and contextual discussion of the data analyses provided in this data article may speed up the achievement of Goals 4 and 5 of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria. The data exploration provided in this data article will call the attention of national regulatory bodies, executives, administrators, and relevant stakeholders to the need for strategic advocacy and promotion of equal access to higher education among all women and men in Nigeria. Robust data exploration presented in this data article will help the United Nations (UN) to objectively assess the level of gender disparity in access to higher education in Nigeria. The contribution of this data article will further widen the coverage of evidence-based and reproducible research on gender disparity in higher education. In addition, the utility of the data may open doors for new research collaborations on the trends and patterns of enrollment by gender in higher institutions in sub-Saharan Africa.