The Sway of Early Marriage on the Girl Child Education among Some Ethnic Groups in Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

The research braces that education is necessary for everyone, regardless of gender. The study aimed to ascertain the impact of child marriage on girl-child education among the ethnic groups, determine the relative contribution of religious belief as a determinant of child marriage on girl-child education among the ethnic groups, and determine the relative contribution of cultural values as determinants of child marriage on the girl-child education among the ethnic groups in Lagos state, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive research design while the population comprised all the girls within the Agege area, Lagos State, Nigeria. A sample of 141 married girls was purposively selected based on those who married as teenagers. A questionnaire titled “Impact of Child Marriage on Girl-child Education’’ was deployed to gather the data. The data were analysed using Chi-square and ANOVA with the mean (x ̅ = 2.48) and standard deviation (SD = 0.69) values of the participants. The result revealed that there was a statistically significant difference in the religious belief (F (2, 138) = 7.80, p < 0.05) of child marriage on girl-child education. Lastly, the findings showed a statistically significant relative contribution of cultural value (χ2 = 24.07; df = 4; p < 0.05) as a determinant of child marriage in the girl-child education among ethnic groups in Lagos State. The study recommends, among other things, that the Lagos State Government, via health education practitioners should constantly enlighten the public about the jeopardies of encouraging early marriage among girl-child.