CHILD MARRIAGE AND FEMALE EDUCATIONAL PROGRESSION IN THE WA WEST DISTRICT: THE PERSPECTIVES OF STAKEHOLDERS

Abstract

Child marriage in the Wa West District is visibly the biggest barrier to female participation in education as it is in other parts of Ghana. The study set out to identified how and why child marriage is a threat to female educational progression in the district. This study is based on the theory of human capital development and on the theories of patriarchy and feminism to emphasis the relevance of education, barriers to education and efforts being made to bridge those barriers. Situated in social constructivism paradigm, designed on phenomenology and employing qualitative approach, the study identified among others that, school dropout is the ultimate negative effect of child marriage on female education in the Wa West District. It found socio-cultural factors to be the leading cause of child marriage, which are supported by mixed perceptions and attitudes towards child marriage and female education. Hence, stakeholder interventions on child marriage and female education has achieved minimal gains. The study concludes that, child marriage contributes to low female educational progression in the district and recommends massive stakeholder collaboration in ending child marriage in the Wa West District.