INFLUENCE OF EARLY MARRIAGE ON ENROLMENT AND RETENTION OF GIRL- CHILD IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNITY COLLEGES OF NORTH- CENTRAL, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of early marriage on enrolment and retention 
of girl child in Federal Unity Colleges in North Central Nigeria. The study was 
guided by two objectives, two research questions and correspondent null 
hypotheses. The study adopted an expost facto research design and the population 
of the study comprises of 15, 177 SSII female students from twenty- nine Federal 
Unity Colleges in North Central Nigeria out of which a sample size of 375 
respondents was obtained using Multi Stage sampling procedure. A questionnaire 
tagged “Early Marriage, Enrolment and Retention of Girl Child Questionnaire 
(EME&RGCQ)” was developed by the researcher to obtain data from the female 
students of Federal Government Unity Colleges of North Central Nigeria and 
Proforma on Girl-Child Enrolment and Retention in Federal Government Unity 
Colleges in North Central Nigeria. Mean and standard deviations were used to 
answer the research questions while the formulated hypotheses were however 
tested at 0.05 level of significance using t- test. Findings from the study revealed 
a significance influence of early marriage on enrolment of girl child in Unity 
Colleges in North Central Nigeria. The results also showed a significance 
influence of early marriage on retention of girl child in Unity Colleges in North 
Central Nigeria. The study concluded that early marriages are common 
phenomena in the north central zone of Nigeria and in most African societies 
where some socio-cultural norms and practices such as value attached to bride 
wealth influenced parents to marry off their daughters before maturity or before 
completing their secondary education which had negative impact on enrolment 
and retention of female students from Federal Government Unity Colleges in the 
area.  The study therefore recommended among others that there is need for 
Government at all levels to come up with legislation that will protect the right of 
girl- child by not marrying her before the age of 18 or age of maturity to safeguard 
their education.