IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

RESEARCH JOURNAL OF HUMANITIES AND CULTURAL STUDIES (RJHCS )

E-ISSN 2579-0528
P-ISSN 2695-2467
VOL. 10 NO. 4 2024
DOI: 10.56201/rjhcs.v10.no4.2024.pg139.152

---

Influence of Early Marriages on Girl-Child Enrollment, Retention and Progression in Secondary Schools in Nigeria

BEN-KALIO, Tubolayefa Florence, OGUCHE, ThankGod Emmanuel and USMAN, Mathew Barau

---

Abstract

This study investigated the Influence of Early Marriages on Girl-Child Enrollment, Retention and Progression in Secondary Schools in Nigeria. Descriptive survey research was adopted for this study. The target population was the parents in Nigeria. The stratified random sampling technique was used to select five hundred and ninety-nine (599) respondents for the study. Instrument titled Girl-child Enrollment, Retention and Progression Questionnaire (GERP-Q) was used to collect data for the study. The instrument yielded a reliability index value of 0.81. Descriptive statistics such as frequency count, percentages, mean score, and standard deviation were used to analyse the research questions while inferential statistical tools such as t-test was used to test the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significant. The study revealed that religious beliefs, ignorance, poverty among others were the factors responsible for early marriage of the girl-child in secondary schools in Nigeria. The study further revealed that early marriage has negative influence on girl-child school enrollment, retention and progression. This study therefore recommended that there should be public enlightenment campaign and sensitization to Nigerian parents about the importance of girl - child education. These should include workshops, seminars, posters, handbills, radio and television jingles this effort should be irrespective of gender or location.

keywords:

Early Marriage, Girl-child, Enrollment, Retention and Progression.

---

References:

Adedeji (2017). Early school leaving in Africa (ESLA) from Social Exclusion To Active
Citizenship. African Journal of Business and Economic Development | ISSN: 2782-
7658 Vol. 3, Issue 1 (January, 2023) | www.ijaar.org/ajbed
Ajako, S. (2015). parents’ attitude towards teenage marriage in Okene Kogi state, Nigeria. A
research work in Kogi State University. African Journal of Business and Economic
Development | ISSN: 2782-7658 Vol. 3, Issue 1 (January, 2023) | www.ijaar.org/ajbed.
Adeosun, A. F. (2015). Factors affecting school enrolment in Kwara State. Journal of
Educational Discipline, 3(4), 34-42.
Afu, O.M., Oguche, T.E., Sammani, Z.U. & Baba, G. (2023). Relationship Between Insecurity,
Depression and Students Academic Achievement in Nigeria: Implication for Guidance.
International Journal of Education and National Development, 1(3), 54-74
Akresh, R. (2008). School Enrolment Impacts of Non-traditional Household Structure,
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.
Admassie, A. (2003). Child labour and schooling in the context of a subsistence rural
economy: Can they be compatible? International Journal of Educational
Development, 23 (2), 167- 185.
Amadi, M.A., Role, E., & Makewa, L. N. (2013). Girl Child Dropout: Experiential Teacher
and Student Perceptions. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 3(5),
124-131.
Burgett, A.W (2001). The Schools Have Failed Us: New York: Voltage Press.
Garba, J. A. (2014). Factors Militating Against the Enrolment and Retention of Girl- Child
Students in Junior Secondary Schools in Kaduna State. Thesis Submitted to
Department of Educational Foundation and Curriculum, Ahmadu Bello University, 93
Zaria in Partial Fulfillment of the requirement for the Award of the master’s degree in
education.
Grace, E.T. (2010). Girls Child Education: Rising to challenge. African Journal of
Reproductive Health, 14(3): 107.
Kendall, J. (2016). Education-based interventions delay and prevent on Girl-child. The
Educational Psychologist Vol. 12 No.1
Mavis, L. (2019). African Marriage and Social Change. Enugu: Acena Publishers.
Oke, M. (2000). Gender gap and access to secondary school science education: The way
forward. WAEC Monthly Seminar Paper, 2:103-113.
Onuoha, D.N. (2012). Early Marriage and Female Education Nsukka: Cape Publishers
International Ltd.
Onyekwelu, M. (2015). Youth Empowerment: Solutions to the problems of youth. Enugu:
MacMena & Rose International Ltd. Fred Publisher.
Otoo-oyortey, N. Pobi, S. (2013). Early Marriage and Poverty: Exploring Links for Policy and
Program Development. International Planned Parenthood Federation.
Ottah, E. (2014). Problem of Early Marriage on the Education of Girl Child in Ebonyi State.
International Journal of Educational Psychologist Vol. 6 No.1.
Peters, R. (2017). Ethics and Foundation of Education. London: Rutledge and Kegan Paul.
Rury, J. L. (2012). Education and Social Change. Themes in the History of American
Schooling. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associate. Publishers.
UNICEF (2014). Early Marriage: A Harmful Traditional Practice. United Kingdom: London
Publishers. United Nation. The Millennium Development Goals Report. New York
Retrieved.

DOWNLOAD PDF

---

Back