Main University menu

• university »
• home
• colleges & services
• courses
• research
• contacts
• a-z
• help

Postgraduate Students

• • Full List
  • Mohammed Al-Shehri
  • Samaila Ammani
  • Matej Blazek
  • Laura Booth
  • Canford Chiroro
  • Neil Davidson
  • Catriona Fyffe
  • Will Halkett
  • Ambark Hamd
  • Amy Holden
  • Timothy Lewis
  • Elaine Morrison
  • Martin Muir
  • Stuart Muirhead
  • Victoria Powell
  • Shiraz Sheriff
  • Sophie Sherriff
  • Alexandra Stam
  • Josselin Rouillard
  • Morgan Windram-Geddes
  • Andrew Wooff
  • Mike Woolvin
  • David Yawson
  • Elizabeth Young

Ambark Hamd

PhD Thesis

The Impact of Education on the Rate of Fertility in El-Gebel El-Akhdar Region during the Period from 1973 to 2006 in Libya

Abstract:

The present study is interested in changes to fertility rates in the El-Gebel El-Akhdar region of north East Libya. This region is by far the most fertile and one of the most popular areas of north east Libya to live in. Since 1973, observers have noted a significant change in fertility rates in and around El-Gebel El-Akhdar. It is believed that this decline has been caused by a number of related factors. Research indicates that education is the most important driver of fertility change in the region. This mirrors global research findings as discussed below.

During the 1970s El-Gebel El-Akhdar was, like other regions in Libya, affected by the dramatic changes following the oil revolution. It had witnessed huge developmental projects, examples would include the agricultural projects launched in El Gebel Elakhader ( 9596 farm projects) and the Eljafara plain project (which had 4273 farm projects) Elkufra and Elsaris (Subhi et al, 2000).

Population was one of the aspects affected by these development programmes. Initially the population growth rate increased to approximately 4% during the period from 1973-1984, however, it declined in again in the decades that were to follow to about 2% (Census1973, 2006).

Mortality and fertility transitions were the reasons behind the drop of population growth rates. Thus; fertility decline is one of the most important factors affecting overall demographic trends. As evidence of the role of fertility, the above change in population growth rate can be linked to the decrease of fertility rates in the region from 56 per thousand in 1973 to 26 per thousand in 2004 (vital statistical 1973 and 2004). In addition to that, the TFR has also decreased from 8.9 in 1973 to 4.5 in 1995 (Census 1973, 1995). Despite this fertility rates in the region remain amongst the highest in Libya, making it a very interesting location to carry out the survey.

Many underlying causes are behind the fertility changes. These include, the increase of education among females which brought about a decline of illiterate percentage among female from 70% in 1973 to 24.9 % in 1995 (Census 1973, 1995), as well the time of completing the studies and the entrance of educated females into work places which led to delay of marriage age from 15 to 24 years old or above.

Aim

The key aim of research project will be to investigate the influence of the spread of education on the fertility rate and the decline in family size.

The Objectives of the study

This research specifically aims to:

• Examine the impact of female and male education on recent changes in fertility rates
• Understand the role of occupation of educated women on the fertility rate
• Understand what effect female education has on other important social, economic and political factors that impact on fertility
• Examine if there are differences between fertility rates in rural and urban areas and whether these differences are adequately explained by the variables discussed above.
• Understand the implications for future demographic trends of the so-called fertility transition.