Religious and Familial Beliefs Shaping Educational Aspirations of Secondary School Students in Bangladesh
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37899/mjds.v3i1.336Keywords:
Educational Aspirations, Familial Beliefs, Gender Inequality, Religious BeliefsAbstract
This research explores how family and religious beliefs influence educational aspirations among high school students in Bangladesh. This study seeks to understand the interplay between these beliefs and aspiration formation among students. The study used a mixed methods approach, integrating survey data of 450 students and interviews to examine quantitative trends and interpretative practices. The results suggest robust parental support and religious interpretations that support education are linked to higher student aspirations, with restrictive or conflicting beliefs constraining them. It also shows that congruence between family and religious beliefs enhances aspiration stability, while incongruence creates uncertainty and negotiation. Comparing gender effects, the aspirations of female students are more responsive to normative beliefs, but supportive contexts can reduce inequalities. This study is unique in its holistic approach to familial and religious beliefs as inter-related rather than isolated systems. The study adds to sociocultural theories of education by emphasising the relational and dynamic aspects of aspiration. The study offers practical implications for policy, which should seek to involve families and religious organisations in creating supportive and consistent belief systems.
References
Akhyar, M., Zukdi, I., & Deliani, N. (2024). Value-based leadership of Islamic education teachers and its role in disciplinary religious practice formation: A qualitative case study in an Indonesian public school. Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 13(2), 97-105. https://doi.org/10.14421/jpi.2024.132.97-105
Akther, W. (2022). Bangladesh’s journey towards SDG 4: A review of progresses. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Informative Research and Review, 2(1), 43-51. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7144688
Alam, A., & Mohanty, A. (2023). Cultural beliefs and equity in educational institutions: exploring the social and philosophical notions of ability groupings in teaching and learning of mathematics. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 28(1), 2270662. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2023.2270662
Alam, M. J., Hafaz, M. A., & Methe, F. H. (2024). Skills development for sustainable career planning in Bangladesh: the case of gender equality in education. Quality Education for All, 1(2), 60-79. https://doi.org/10.1108/QEA-01-2024-0014
Alkhwaldi, A. F. (2024). Investigating the social sustainability of immersive virtual technologies in higher educational institutions: students’ perceptions toward metaverse technology. Sustainability, 16(2), 934. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020934
Amin, M. I. (2023). The Role of Family in Shaping Identity: A Study of Internal Mechanisms and Socio-Cultural Transmission. Journal of Social Science Studies, 3(1), 381-382.
Archer, M. S. (2003). Structure, agency and the internal conversation. Cambridge University Press.
Arif, M., Ismail, A., Shaoan, M. M. R., & Namanyane, T. (2024). Barriers and resilience: The impact of early marriage on girls’ education in Balochistan. Culture, Education, and Future, 2(2), 200-216. https://doi.org/10.70116/2980274129
Bates, E., & Holt, L. (2023). The ‘Mirrored Ceiling’: Young undergraduate student women’s expectations of gendered career opportunities and constraints. Social & Cultural Geography, 24(2), 345-362. https://doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2021.1950821
Bernsen, N. R., Crandall, M. S., Leahy, J. E., & Biddle, C. (2022). How far to go? Community influences on youth educational aspirations in rural, resource-dependent places. RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences, 8(3), 189-207. https://doi.org/10.7758/RSF.2022.8.3.08
Bourdieu, P. (1977). Outline of a theory of practice. Cambridge University Press.
Chen, X., Allen, J. L., & Hesketh, T. (2023). The influence of individual, peer, and family factors on the educational aspirations of adolescents in rural China. Social Psychology of Education, 26(3), 735-759. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-023-09765-3
Christolouka, I., & Verdis, A. (2025). Mapping context through methodology: A framework for context-sensitive educational research. Learning in Context, 2(1-2), 100010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lecon.2025.100010
Chrostowski, M. (2022). The effects of religious education on prodemocratic positions in the face of the right-wing populism in Poland: Theoretical analysis and clues for educational practices. Journal of religious Education, 70(1), 43-62. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40839-022-00161-1
Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2018). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Dutta, P. (2025). Bridging the gender gap in education success: primary education policy in Bangladesh. Public Administration and Policy, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1108/PAP-10-2023-0138
Hasan, S. T., Bano, S., Imran, M., Ahmad, S., & Ayyub, A. (2025). Dual impact of family structure and parental beliefs on educational access for girls. Journal of Asian Development Studies, 14(1), 101-116. https://doi.org/10.62345/jads.2025.14.1.7
Hecht, C. A., Murphy, M. C., Dweck, C. S., Bryan, C. J., Trzesniewski, K. H., Medrano, F. N., ... & Yeager, D. S. (2023). Shifting the mindset culture to address global educational disparities. npj Science of Learning, 8(1), 29. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-023-00181-y
Judijanto, L., Siminto, S., & Rahman, R. (2024). The influence of religious beliefs and religious practices on social cohesion in modern society in Indonesia. The Eastasouth Journal of Social Science and Humanities, 1(03), 139-150. https://doi.org/10.58812/esssh.v1i03.276
Kasa, A. (2025). The Influence of Religious Beliefs on the Formation of Historical Events and Cultural Traditions: A Comparative Analysis of World Religions. Pharos Journal of Theology, 106(3). https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.106.3027
Khalil, H. (2024). Role of religion and secularism in shaping social values, norms and identities in various societies and communities in Egypt. International Journal of Sociology, 8(1), 40-52. https://doi.org/10.47604/ijs.2332
Khatib, I. (2026). Political and personal religious attitudes: the role of religion in intragroup and intergroup conflicts (evidence from the Middle East). Politics and Religion. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1755048325100230
Madeeha, M., Khattab, N., Samara, M., Modood, T., & Barham, A. (2024). Explaining the educational aspirations-expectations mismatch among middle school students: The role of parental expectations, attitudinal and demographic factors. Educational studies, 50(6), 1389-1405. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2022.2088228
McClain, A. L. (2024). New developments in transformative learning. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2024(184), 20-29. https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.20540
Merdiaty, N., & Sulistiasih, S. (2024). Empowering Learning: The Mediating Role of Teachers in Enhancing Students' Intrinsic Motivation. Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan, 16(4), 5163-5172. https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v16i4.6430
Mitrova, A., & Koceva, D. (2024). Socialization and education. Воспитание/Vospitanie-Journal of Educational Sciences, Theory and Practice, 19(1), 53-60.
Naragatti, S. (2025). A critical analysis of the ideological foundations of faith and belief: Exploring psychological, cultural, and spiritual perspectives. IJSAT-International Journal on Science and Technology, 16(2).
Naragatti, S. (2025). A critical analysis of the ideological foundations of faith and belief: Exploring psychological, cultural, and spiritual perspectives. IJSAT-International Journal on Science and Technology, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.71097/IJSAT.v16.i2.3603
Ncube, M. E. (2026). Reinforcing intergenerational solidarity in African societies: A social work perspective on tradition, disruption and renewal. International Social Work, 00208728251407835. https://doi.org/10.1177/00208728251407835
Okoye, K. M., & Ugwu, N. V. (2024). Ethical dilemmas in contemporary Igbo Christian marriages: Navigating modernity and cultural identities. Religions, 15(9), 1027. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15091027
Purnasih, U., Salam, A., & Karim, A. (2025). Contextual Leadership Strategies in Facing the Challenges of Cultural Change in Islamic Education. Eduprof: Islamic Education Journal, 7(1), 200-216. https://doi.org/10.47453/eduprof.v7i1.337
Rahman, M. A. (2025). The significance of religious values in forming sustainable life and economic progress. International Journal of Scientific Interdisciplinary Research, 6(1), 60-87. https://doi.org/10.63125/ev1csz66
Rainford, J. (2023). Are we still “raising aspirations”? The complex relationship between aspiration and widening participation practices in English higher education institutions. Educational Review, 75(3), 411-428. https://doi.org/10.1177/14680173251318618
Saito, A. (2024). “I chose to receive teacher training because…” Motivations for teaching and career aspirations among teacher education students in Japan. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 6, 100330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2024.100330
Sato, M., Thorne, S. L., Michel, M., Alexopoulou, T., & Hellermann, J. (2025). Language, people, classrooms, world: Blending disparate theories for united language education practices. The Modern Language Journal, 109(S1), 15-38. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12976
Sovbetov, I. (2025). Financial price of sin stocks across religions. Journal of Business Ethics, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-025-06072-z
Stromquist, N. P. (2007). The gender socialization process in schools: A cross-national comparison. In C. A. Torres & A. Antikainen (Eds.), The international handbook on the sociology of education (pp. 291–310). Rowman & Littlefield.
Sumar, W. T., Razak, I. A., & Akadji, F. (2025). Collaborative Roles in Character Education: Contributions and Challenges of Principals, Teachers, and Parents in Elementary Schools. AL-ISHLAH: Jurnal Pendidikan, 17(2), 3433-3451.
Tan, G. L. C., & Fang, Z. (2023). Family social and cultural capital: an analysis of effects on adolescents’ educational outcomes in China. The Journal of Chinese Sociology, 10(1), 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40711-023-00200-w
Trang, N. M., & Tran, H. (2025). The conflict between individual freedom and social order in Vietnam traditional communities. International Journal of Social Science and Economic Research, 10(05), 1703-1720. https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2025.v10i05.018
Tytler, R., & Ferguson, J. P. (2023). Student attitudes, identity, and aspirations toward science. In Handbook of research on science education (pp. 158-192). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367855758-8
Warner Colaner, C., Atkin, A. L., Elkhalid, A., Minniear, M., & Soliz, J. (2023). Communication in interfaith and multiethnic-racial families: Navigating identity and difference in family relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 40(6), 1673-1705. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075221137317
