Women’s Educational Equality as Expanding the Horizon of Choice

Munafaroh

doi:10.26740/jpus.v10n2.p146-154

Authors

Munafaroh Universitas Annuqayah

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26740/jpus.v10n2.p146-154

Keywords:

educational equality, women, capability, agency, life choices

Abstract

Educational equality for women cannot be considered complete when women merely gain access to education and successfully complete it. This conceptual study examines how substantive educational equality can encompass the benefits of education for women’s meaningful post-education life choices. Using qualitative conceptual literature analysis, the study brings scholarship on gender equality in education, the capability approach, lifelong learning, and women’s agency into dialogue. The analysis distinguishes achieved life outcomes (functionings), substantive opportunities to achieve valued outcomes (capabilities and opportunity freedom), and the exercise of voice and goal pursuit (agency). It proposes the “horizon of choice” as a related but distinct evaluative lens: the breadth of meaningful post-education life paths that women can recognize, deliberate upon, and realistically pursue. The concept does not rank employment, further study, marriage, family life, entrepreneurship, or combinations of these paths as superior outcomes. Instead, it asks whether meaningful alternatives are recognizable and substantively available and whether women can participate in deliberation within their social relationships. The contribution is therefore not to rename capability or agency, but to position the breadth of meaningful post-education life choices as an explicit dimension for evaluating substantive educational equality.

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