The Impact Of Early Marriage On The Educational Attainment Of Adolescents

Project and Seminar Material for Sociology

The Impact Of Early Marriage On The Educational Attainment Of Adolescents (Charles)

Abstract

This study was carried out to examine the impact of early marriage on the educational attainment of adolescents using some selected secondary schools in Giwa Local Government Area, Kaduna state as a case study. The study was carried out to determine the prevalence of early marriage among adolescents in Kaduna state find out causes of early marriage among adolescents in Kaduna state, find out how early marriage affects the academic attainment of adolescents in Kaduna state, and find out the ways of ameliorating the implications of early marriages on adolescents in Kaduna state. The survey design was adopted and the simple random sampling techniques were employed in this study. The population size comprised of students of some selected secondary schools in Giwa Local Governemt Area Kaduna state. In determining the sample size, the researcher conveniently selected 200 respondents and 150 were validated. Self-constructed and validated questionnaire was used for data collection. The collected and validated questionnaires were analyzed using frequency tables and mean scores. While the hypothesis was tested using Chi-square statistical tool. The result of the findings reveals that the prevalence of early marriage among adolescents in Kaduna state is high. The study also revealed that early marriage affects the academic attainment of adolescents in Kaduna state as it leads to poor academic performance, truancy, school drop out, poor learning outcome. Therefore, it is recommended that government should introduce free education so as to alleviate the poverty level among parents that make them to give out their child at very tender age subsequently hindering their educational development in life Also, Government and educational administrators should come up with a policy, formulate laws forbidding early marriage (below 18 years of age) and enforce sanctions on perpetrators of this human right abuse after proper-adjudication. To mention but few.

Table of Content

Title Page
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Table of Content
List of Tables
Abstract

Chapter One:

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objective of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Research Hypothesis
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Scope of the Study
1.8 Limitation of the Study
1.9 Definition of Terms
1.10 Organisations of the Study

Chapter Two:

Review of Literature

2.1 Conceptual Framework
2.2 Theoretical Framework
2.3 Empirical Review

Chapter Three:

Research Methodology

3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population of the Study
3.3 Sample Size Determination
3.4 Sample Size Selection Technique and Procedure
3.5 Research Instrument and Administration
3.6 Method of Data Collection
3.7 Method of Data Analysis
3.8 Validity of the Study
3.9 Reliability of the Study
3.10 Ethical Consideration

Chapter Four:

Data Presentation and Analysis

4.1 Data Presentation
4.2 Analysis of Data
4.3 Answering Research Questions
4.4 Test of Hypotheses

Chapter Five:

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
REFERENCES
APPENDIX
QUESTIONNAIRE

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Education is the process by which society through schools, colleges, universities and other institutions transmits its cultural heritage, values, skills from one generation to another. (Ukeje, 1980). According to Ozochi (2008), Education too many is seen as a solution for vast range of task of the society and bed rock for national development. The National policy in Nigeria education (2004 revised) saw education as a dynamic instrument per excellence for effecting national development and a potent means for ensuring the welfare of the people and the equalization of life chance. The benefits derivable from educational investment equip the individual for proper understanding of important phenomena and further exploitation of human and material resources.

It is on this background that Okeke (2004) opined that who so neglect learning in his youth loses the past and is dead for the future. Ocho (1988) is of the opinion that the central purpose of education is virtue or character training, acquisition of knowledge, understanding and physical skills. Every nation should therefore take its educational system and process very serious because an error made in the training of the child becomes a perpetual and mortal error and disabilities in education in subsequent decades. Education is equally the process whereby one is prepared for the task of living happily with one’s neighbours and advancing the cause of one’s society as well as finding solution to its nagging problems (Okeke, 2004).

In traditional African society, the role of female was pegged and circumscribed. It was considered a taboo sending a female to school. This is because of the attitude towards of education for women. It was considered a waste of money, time and effort considering that most women in no time get married into another family, to raise the children that serve as farm hands for their father. In addition to raising the children for the man, the women still helped to keep the house and provide meal for all. Hence the saying some years back that women’s education ends in the kitchen. This primitive attitude exposes women to early marriage.

According to UNICEF (2008), Early marriage better known as child marriage is defined as marriage carried below the age 18years before the girl is physically, physiologically and psychologically ready to shoulder the responsibilities of marriage and child bearing. Early marriage also means the individual becomes sexually active early, raising children while children themselves. The marriage of a young girl affects not only her life but the life of the children she will bear.

According to AGHI (2003), both boys and girls are affected by child marriage but the issue impacts more negatively on girls in far larger number, with more intensity and is wide ranging. Child marriage is practised with the belief that it reduces promiscuity among girls. This is purely because of the importance attached to virginity. Often time’s husbands want their wives to be virgins and for their parents, it is a great honour for their daughters to be found virgins by their husbands, and so girls are marriage off long before they attain maturity.
In the past, when a young girl is married, her husband is expected to wait until she reaches puberty age before consummating the marriage.

The girl will stay with her mother in-law for two to three years. This is no longer taking place nowadays. Uzodike (1990);suggested that cohabitation between the husband and the wife should not occur until the girl reach puberty stage, it is not into practice today rather children under thirteen years of age who are scarcely developed are subjected into intercourse with their husbands long before they attain maturity. The young girl that is not fully matured enters into marital life without completing her education and when pregnant is likely to develop childbirth complications like VVF (Vesico Virginal Fistula). This poses problem to both the girl child and the society in general.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The present state of the nation (Nigeria) demands that youths should be educated first before marriage. It is on this note that the researchers would like to investigate on the causes of early marriage among adolescent of Enugu north L.G.A. the study also identified the impact it has on the educational attainment of our youths. Consequently determined the involvement of parents in such marriage since education is a major instrument for the development of any nation. Early marriage puts the youth at a disadvantage by their loss of educational opportunities. The level of the development for any nation is measured by the level of the educational attainment of the people in the area. The more people in the area are educated, the more the area will be developed. This study therefore focuses to examine the impact of early marriage on the educational attainment of adolescents.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to examine the impact of early marriage on the educational attainment of adolescents. The study has the following specific objectives.

Determine the prevalence of early marriage among adolescents in Kaduna state.
Find out causes of early marriage among adolescents in Kaduna state
Find out how early marriage affects the academic attainment of adolescents in Kaduna state
Find out the ways of ameliorating the implications of early marriages on adolescents in Kaduna state

1.4 Research Question

The research is guided by the following questions.

What is the prevalence of early marriage among adolescents in Kaduna state?
What are the causes of early marriage among adolescents in Kaduna state?
What are how early marriage affects the academic attainment of adolescents in Kaduna state?
What are the ways of ameliorating the implications of early marriages on adolescents in Kaduna state?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

Ho: Early marriage has no negative impact on the educational attainment of adolescents.
Ha: Early marriage has a negative impact on the educational attainment of adolescents.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The research is very important because it will help to find out the impact of early marriage on the educational attainment of adolescents.
The research will help the government to see the need of reducing early marriages in order to improve the performance of students. The research will help researchers and academicians to increase on the available literature for further studies. The teachers will be helped by this research as they will be able to educate adolescents on the problems of early marriages and its effects on their academic performance. The learners will be able to learn the effect of early marriages on their academic performance and social life.

1.7 Scope of the Study

This study focuses on the impact of early marriage on the educational attainment of adolescents. Geographically, the study will be delimited some selected secondary schools in Giwa Local Government Area Kaduna state.

1.8 Limitation of the Study

This research project, like all human endeavors, had some challenges that threatened to derail the study’s completion. One of the reasons is that the time allotted for this work was so limited that the researcher did not have enough time to complete the task thoroughly. During data collection, the researcher also had to put forth extra effort to understand the respondents’ interview schedules, several of whom fell into the incomprehensible age group. Also, there were financial and transportation constraints to deal with. Insufficient funds tend to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire, interview).

1.9 Definition of Terms

Marriage:

Is the union between a man and a woman to become husband and wife.

Early Marriage:

Is the union of a boy and a girl and a man to become husband and wife below the age of 18 years.

1.10 Organization of the Study

The study is categorized into five chapters. The first chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research questions and hypothesis, the significance of the study, scope/limitations of the study, and definition of terms. The chapter two covers the review of literature with emphasis on conceptual framework, theoretical framework, and empirical review. Likewise, the chapter three which is the research methodology, specifically covers the research design, population of the study, sample size determination, sample size, abnd selection technique and procedure, research instrument and administration, method of data collection, method of data analysis, validity and reliability of the study, and ethical consideration. The second to last chapter being the chapter four presents the data presentation and analysis, while the last chapter(chapter five) contains the summary, conclusion and recommendation.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations:

5.1 Introduction

This chapter summarizes the findings on the impact of early marriage on the educational attainment of adolescents using some selected secondary schools in Giwa Local Governemt Area, Kaduna state as a case study. The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations.

5.2 Summary of the Study

In this study, our focus was to examine the impact of early marriage on the educational attainment of adolescents using some selected secondary schools in Giwa Local Governemt Area, Kaduna state as a case study. The study was specifically set to determine the prevalence of early marriage among adolescents in Kaduna state find out causes of early marriage among adolescents in Kaduna state, find out how early marriage affects the academic attainment of adolescents in Kaduna state, and find out the ways of ameliorating the implications of early marriages on adolescents in Kaduna state.

The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 150 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent are students of some selected secondary schools in Giwa Local Governemt Area Kaduna state.

5.3 Conclusions

Based on the findings of this study, the researcher made the following conclusion.

The prevalence of early marriage among adolescents in Kaduna state is high.
The causes of early marriage among adolescents in Kaduna state includes: poverty, illiteracy, religion, indiscipline and cultural values.
Early marriage affects the academic attainment of adolescents in Kaduna state as it leads to poor academic performance, truancy, school drop out, poor learning outcome.
The ways of ameliorating the implications of early marriages on adolescents in Kaduna state includes: provision of free and compulsory secondary school education for female students, implementation of sex education, campaign and sensitization of the society on girl-child education for effective and efficient educational development and federal government should as matter of emergency make laws forbidding early marriage.

5.4 Recommendation

Based on the findings the researcher recommends that;

Government should introduce free education so as to alleviate the poverty level among parents that make them to give out their child at very tender age subsequently hindering their educational development in life Also, Government and educational administrators should come up with a policy, formulate laws forbidding early marriage (below 18 years of age) and enforce sanctions on perpetrators of this human right abuse after proper-adjudication.
Curriculum planners should endeavor to include sex education as part of school curriculum so as to enhance educating students on the danger of premarital sex to their lives as well to their educational development in schools.
Counseling services should be extended to non-school setting to help parents eradicate the notion or superstition of early marriage among their children especially the females.
Educational Administrators should embark on massive sensitization of parents on the importance of girl child education also organizing public campaigns educating parents on the negative effects of early marriage to the female child in the society. Also, parents/guardians should be discouraged from the temptations of giving out their female child to marriage at an early age.

Get Complete Project Material