Original Research Article
The effects of early marriage and early fertility on women educational attainment: Evidence from Lesotho
Katleho J. Tjamela1 , Ernest Ngeh Tingum*2 and Mapalesa Rapapa1
1Department of Economics, National University of Lesotho (NUL), Roma, Lesotho.
2Department of Economics, University of Namibia (UNAM), Windhoek, Namibia.
*Corresponding Author Email: etingum(at)unam.na
Tel: +27 620343627
Katleho J. Tjamela |
Ernest Ngeh Tingum |
Mapalesa Rapapa |
Article Number: IJEPRR.21.005 | Pages: 35-42 | Vol. 8 (2), April 2021 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.15739/IJEPRR.21.005
Received: December 30, 2020 Accepted: February 23, 2021 Published: April 23, 2021
Abstract
Lesotho, like many developing countries, has a high rate of adolescent births and a high prevalence of child marriages. Despite all of the government’s efforts to reduce early child marriage and adolescent fertility, the problem persists. Theories and literature suggest that endogeneity exists in early marriage. This is due to socioeconomic and cultural factors, as well as a reverse causal relationship between early marriage, early fertility, and educational attainment. As a result, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of early marriage and fertility on women’s educational attainment in Lesotho. To account for the presence of endogeneity, a two-stage residual inclusion is used. Early marriage and early fertility, according to the findings, are barriers to higher educational attainment for women in Lesotho. Based on the findings, it is suggested that the government strengthen its policies by raising national awareness of the negative consequences of early fertility and early marriage, as well as emphasising the importance of higher female educational attainment in the country.
Keywords:
Early fertility, early marriage, women, educational attainment, Lesotho.
How to Cite this Article
Tjamela KJ, Tingum EN, Rapapa M(2021). The effects of early marriage and early fertility on women educational attainment: Evidence from Lesotho. Int. J. Educ. Pol. Res. Rev. 8(2):35-42.
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