IMPACT OF EARLY MARRIAGE ON GIRL-CHILD EDUCATION IN POTISKUM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

ABSTRACT This study aimed at examining the Impact of Early Marriage on Girl-Child Education in Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State. To guide this study, four research questions were formulated in line with the objectives of the study was formulated to guide the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of this study was comprises of 2500 girl-child from 10 primary schools within Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State. The Random sampling techniques was adopted to select one hundred (100) girlchildren to constitute the sample size of the study. The structured questionnaire was the major instrument used for this study. The data obtained was analyzed using mean and standard deviation. The findings revealed that, emergencies and disasters increase economic pressure on families, High level of poverty among parents, traditional and religious practices among parents, gender bias promotes early marriage, families perception that a girl’s education will only benefit her husband’s household, shortage of girls in the community and fear of unwanted pregnancies among parents are some of the major causes of early marriage in Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State. The findings of the study revealed that, psychological and emotional stress like forced sexual relations girls undergo severe health problems like pregnancy and childbirth, threat to contracting sexually transmitted diseases increases when girls are exposed to an early marriage, exposing girls to early marriage increased risk of premature labour, low birth rate in the community, early marriage results in serious medical complications of Vesico-Vagina Fistula (VVF) and Rectum Vagina Fistula (RVF) are some of the impacts of early marriage in Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State. The findings of the study further revealed that, Girl-child education increases productivity and self-employment in the informal sector, Girl-child education helps in the enhancement of the quality of living-food, housing, health and clothing and educated girl-child contributes to the development of the society, socially, economically, politically, morally, intellectually, and spiritually as well as technologically are some of the benefits of girl-child education to community development in Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State. Finally, the findings of the study revealed that, provision of legal and law enforcement against the early marriage, use of mass media campaign to create awareness about the harmful effects and dangers of early marriage, creation of youth clubs in the schools and community, provision of free education for girl-child from primary school up to tertiary institutions of higher learning and use of religious leaders in the community to preach about the dangers, effects and consequences of early marriage are some of the possible ways to address the challenges of early marriage of girl – child in Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State. Therefore, religions institutions, government and other concerned bodies should make law enforcement to reduce the causes of early marriage to the minimal level in Yobe State.