AN EVALUATION ON THE IMPACT OF EARLY MARRIAGE PRACTICE ON ACADEMIC ATTAINMENT OF FEMALES IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the Study

A legal or informal relationship before the age of 18 is referred to as early marriage. Early marriage is described by Ango (2013) as the marriage of an adolescent girl or boy, or the marriage of an adolescent female to a matured man or vice versa, which occurs during puberty while the person is maturing. According to Molokwu (2000), the marital age is when a person is physically, socially, intellectually, and emotionally mature enough to deal with the demands of marriage. Early marriage was frequent throughout human history, and it is still popular now in certain parts of the globe, particularly in Nigeria's northern region. The rate of married adolescent has a significant impact on all aspects of human life, including social, educational, psychological, and health. When formal education was originally established in Northern Nigeria prior to independence, the government, via the Native Authority (NA) (which later became the Local Government Authority), had to compel parents to send their daughters to official schools. The NA paid for these girls' education who were recruited to different schools, many of which were outside of their area. However, with the biggest proportion of females not enrolled in school and those who leave out to be married, the socio-cultural and religious customs that arose later in Northern states, notably the North East and North West, altered. The majority of these girls never return to school to finish their education, learn a trade, or gain vocational skills that would enable them to become economically independent.

Early marriage has a number of negative consequences for girls' and society's well-being, including a sudden halt or delay in educational attainment, a lack of economic empowerment, and a lack of knowledge about reproductive health services that would enable them to make informed decisions, leverage resources, and participate in community decision-making. Poverty, unexpected pregnancy, parental pressure, peer pressure, and developmental stage are some of the causes often cited as reasons for females marrying young. It has a bad impact on the female kid, which includes emotional and mental discomfort, intolerance, school drop-out, VVF sickness, early widowhood, frustration, and hate for the father (Clark, 2016). Many ethnic communities across the globe, including Nigerians, have a tradition of marrying young. It has, however, resulted in a number of detrimental effects for both young girls and the culture in which they live. It is an affront to human rights in general, and to the rights of girls in particular (Abdallah, 2015). Early marriage has substantial physical, intellectual, psychological, and emotional consequences for both girls and boys, cutting off educational and professional prospects as well as chances for personal development. The effect is worse on females in Northern Nigeria, where the practice is common, since many of them marry young and with more intensity. Apart from having a detrimental influence on females, early marriage has negative implications for their children, families, and society as a whole (Adedokun et al., 2007). (2012). Early marriage, according to Giyan (2009), also affects international efforts to combat poverty in emerging nations. This underpins essential efforts by the three levels of government to address educational issues, poverty, HIV/AIDS, and other development challenges in developing nations like Nigeria, since the prevalent practice of daughters marriage makes it more difficult for families to escape poverty. If early marriage is permitted, it will have a detrimental impact on the country's labor force, raising fertility and death rates, among other things. The incorrect thinking of parents in attempting to pervert their daughter's virginity has resulted in a rise in maternal mortality and the chance of contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD) (Gupta, 2014). It's alarming to learn that Kano is one of the states with the highest proportion of married teens. An effort will be made to assess the effect of early marriage on female academic success in Nigeria in order to find a long-term solution to this heinous trend. The high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among married adolescents cannot be explained by age differences between the girls and their husbands (Kelly et al, 2003; Clark, 2004; Karlyn, 2007; Santhya et al, 2013); and the practice's pervasiveness has made a significant contribution to the burden of HIV/AIDS infection and death in Nigeria, which is ranked second among countries with the highest burden of HIV/AIDS, and tenth and eleventh with the highest burden of infant (Tukur et al, 2015; CIA, 2015).

According to studies, the behavior is more common among rural residents, the impoverished, and uneducated, as well as in less-developed regions (Ahmed, 1986; Lesthaeghe et al, 1989; Kabir, 1998; Yabiku, 2003; Saxena et al, 2004; Ikamari, 2005; Adebowale et al, 2012; World Vision UK, 2013; UNICEF, 2014). Nigeria is one of the world's high-risk locations for child marriage due to its high level of illiteracy, poverty, and huge number of rural people. Despite its extensive use and positive reproductive effects,it is against this background that the researcher intends to evaluate the impact of early marriage practice on academic attainment of females in Nigeria.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

Marriage is seen as a time of celebration and a turning point in adult life all over the globe. In general, the practice of early marriage is a source of great joy. The imposition of a marital partner on a kid all too frequently means that a girl or boy's childhood is cut short and their basic rights are jeopardized. Young girls are robbed of their childhood and forced to fill positions for which they are unprepared mentally or physically. Many people have no say in when they marry or with whom they marry. Some people are forced to marry, while others are too young to make an educated choice. Premature marriage denies them the potential for personal growth, as well as their rights to complete reproductive health and well-being, education, and civic involvement. There are several factors that combine to put a female child at danger of early marriage (UNICEF, 2001). According to the World Health Organization, the risk of mortality from pregnancy is twice as high for women between the ages of 15 and 19 as for those between the ages of 20 and 30. For girls aged 10 to 14, the maternal mortality rate might be up to five times greater than for women in their twenties. Pregnant teens, especially unmarried girls who generally get less prenatal care, have considerably more health concerns than older women. As a result, the repercussions of early girl-child marriage will have an impact on their educational practices. The challenges and prospects of early marriages have been well documented in Kano State, with studies focusing primarily on the challenges and prospects of early marriages, which include complicated childbirth, death of both the newborn child and the mother, becoming an economic burden to parents, frequent marital disputes, broken marriages, poverty for the couple or for one of the spouses in the marriage, loss of educational opportunities, poor family planning, and risk abortions (CDS, 2008). Early marriage has a number of negative repercussions for young women as well as the culture in which they inhabit. Early marriage has substantial physical, intellectual, psychological, and emotional consequences for both girls and boys, cutting off educational and job options as well as opportunities for personal development. Therefore, this research work seeks to evaluate the impact of early marriage practice on academic attainment of females in  Kano state Nigeria

1.3     Objectives of the Study

The general objective of the study is to evaluate the impact of early marriage practice on academic attainment of females in Nigeria, specifically the study intends to;

1.       To find out the factors responsible for the practice of early marriage practice in Nigeria.

2.     To examine the effect of  early marriage practice on the academic attainment of females in Nigeria.

3.     To recommend ways early marriage can be stopped in other to improve the educational attainment of females in Nigeria.

1.4     Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study

1.     What are the factors responsible for the practice of early marriage practice in Nigeria?

2.    What are the effect of  early marriage practice on the academic attainment of females in Nigeria?

3.     What are the recommend ways early marriage can be stopped in other to improve the educational attainment of females in Nigeria?

1.5     Significance of the Study

This research work will contribute to existing research on the effect of early marriage in the society. The findings in this research will expose the government and policy stakeholders, the northerners and the general public on the negative influence early marriage has on the education of female children and future of female child in Nigeria. The findings in this research will serve as a guide and reference points for other research on early marriage and female children education in Nigeria.

1.6     Scope of the Study

This research work will find out the factors responsible for the practice of early marriage practice in Nigeria. The study will also examine the effect of  early marriage practice on the academic attainment of females in Nigeria. Lastly, the study will recommend ways early marriage can be stopped in other to improve the educational attainment of females in Nigeria. Hence the study will be delimited to Kano state Nigeria.

1.7       Limitation of the study

Just like any other research, unavailability of needed accurate materials on the topic under study, and inability to get data were among the constraints the researcher encountered in the cause of this study. Financial constraint was equally faced by  the researcher, in getting relevant materials  and  in printing and collation of questionnaires. Furthermore, time factor pose another constraint because the researcher have to shuttle between writing of the research and engaging in other academic work which made it uneasy for the researcher.

1.8       Definition Of Terms

Early marriage: marriages in which one or both spouses are under 18 years old

Academic attainment: the highest grade completed within the most advanced level attended in the educational sy

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