EXPLORING THE EFFECTS OF EARLY MARRIAGE ON GIRLS' EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: CHALLENGES TO ENROLLMENT, RETENTION, AND PROGRESSION

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.