Access to and Dropout of Girls from School: A Quantitative Analysis of the Effects of Marriage Arrangements on Girl-Child Education in Urohi

Abstract

The education of the girl-child has suffered many setbacks both in the past and at the present. As a result some girls are denied access while others are forced to drop out-ofschool especially in rural Nigeria. This study therefore examined the effects of marriage arrangements on girl-child education in Urohi, a rural community in the Ekpoma, Esan West of the Central Region, Edo State. The study adopted a quantitative method of research design and employed questionnaire in collecting data. Eighty respondents were sampled for the study. The study used simple regression analysis to determine the relationship between marriage arrangements and girl-child education while t-test was used to validate the hypotheses. Exchange, Betrothal and preferred marriage arrangements all had relationships with girl-child education and the effects of such relationships were inimical to their ability to access school or remain in school. Hence the increase in the number of girls involved in a marriage arrangement led to a corresponding increase in the number of girls who were either denied access to or dropped out from school. It is recommended that, school social workers, community workers and gender activists should educate parents to do away with such marriages and invest in their girls’ education.