We often talk about the challenges faced by working mothers in balancing career and family and the ways that society as a whole can offer support. In this country, where many Emirati women get married right before or during college, the student mother is a fact of life and she needs a helping hand if she is to manage a family and her coursework – and succeed at both.
Zayed University's new Hareem support group for student mothers is tackling this issue head on, as The National reported yesterday. Hareem is run by and for student mothers and offers help and advice on an eclectic range of subjects that includes meeting college deadlines and babysitting. It is also playing an advocacy role by arguing for more part-time options for student mothers at ZU.
Hareem’s example should be emulated in other universities. Helping student mothers share coping strategies, tips, tricks – and childminders’ phone numbers – will make it easier for women to stay in higher education or go back to college after they have had children. Even without support groups, married women are doing extraordinarily well at university.
In 2012, a ZU study of 3,672 undergraduates showed that married students had a better grade point average (2.76) than those who were single (2.62). This is significant as women accounted for 90.2 per cent of the sample. It's worth noting that ZU's Abu Dhabi campus already has an early-childhood learning centre, where student mothers can leave their children while they're in class.
Young mothers deserve support in their endeavours because it is better not to leave having children to later in life and get into a situation, as has been reported recently in the UK, where the highest maternal mortality rates are among older women. Most of these women delay motherhood to pursue higher education, find a good job and earn more. So far, thankfully, this is not an issue in this country. And support for young mothers will help ensure it never is.
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
The%20Specs
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham v Ajax, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series
All matches at the Harare Sports Club:
1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10
2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Company%20Profile
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Company%20Profile
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m, Winner: ES Rubban, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Al Mobher, Sczcepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Jabalini, Tadhg O’Shea, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: AF Abahe, Tadgh O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: AF Makerah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Law Of Peace, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
The years Ramadan fell in May