Shifting Perceptions of Girls’ Higher Education Across Two Decades: Decoupling Educational Access and Social Support

This study examines long-term changes in public attitudes towardgirls’ higher education in Turkey, a context shaped by both moder-nization and enduring gender norms. While access to higher edu-cation has expanded significantly since the 1990s, it remainsunclear whether societal support for girls’ university educationhas advanced at the same pace. Using nationally representativesurvey data from 10,489 respondents spanning the mid-1990s tothe late 2010s, we apply probability regression models to estimatethe likelihood of disagreeing with the statement: ‘University is moreimportant for a boy than for a girl’. Demographic predictors such asgender, age, education, and marital status, are analysed to identifyshifts across subgroups. Surprisingly, support for girls’ universityeducation declined during this period, despite rising householdwealth and increased educational attainment. These findings chal-lenge assumptions that economic and educational progress natu-rally drive more supportive attitudes, emphasizing the importanceof addressing cultural and ideological barriers alongside structuralreforms.