BALANCING EDUCATION AND NIGHT-SHIFT EMPLOYMENT: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF CHALLENGES FACED BY FEMALE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the problems faced by female university students who engage in both academic education and night-shift work at Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. A qualitative, phenomenological methodology was used to shed light on participants lived experience and to understand how they manage their academic, occupational and personal responsibilities. The subjects were 15 female students aged 21-28 years who were purposively and snowball sampled. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The five major themes that arose were physical challenges and fatigue, work–study balance, academic challenges and concentration, workplace and occupational challenges, and transportation and safety concerns. Participants noted sleep disturbances, physical fatigue, poor attention span, limited study time, hectic work hours and the inability to travel safely at night. These challenges often intertwined, and the impact on employment, academic outcomes, and inadequate rest on the functioning of students as physical and psychological beings were all interwoven. Role Strain Theory serves as the basic theory to explain these experiences, as it suggests that demands for students, employees, and families are conflicting and that students have limited time and personal resources to attend to all these roles. The research reveals the importance of providing flexible academic solutions, encouraging workplace practices, counseling services, and safe transportation facilities for working female students who work at night.