By Aisha Talba Ballama
Zainab is 17 years old. She was married at 13 to Mallam Ali, a businessman, and has two children. She is now divorced. Although Zainab says she does not regret marrying Mallam Ali, she deeply regrets leaving school in Primary 4. Financial hardship, the long distance to school, and the responsibilities of marriage and motherhood made it impossible for her to continue her education. Her story illustrates how early marriage and structural barriers intersect to interrupt girls’ schooling and highlights the support needed to help girls return to learning.
At 13, Zainab transitioned almost immediately into the roles of wife and mother. That transition ended her education before she could complete the foundational years of primary school. Two major factors kept her out of the classroom. First, her family could not afford school fees, uniforms, books, and transportation. Second, the distance to school became increasingly difficult to manage alongside household chores and childcare responsibilities. For a young married girl, the journey was both time-consuming and unsafe.
Now divorced, Zainab sees an opportunity to return to school. However, significant challenges remain. At 17, she has been out of school for more than four years and is responsible for raising two young children. Her greatest regret is leaving school before acquiring the literacy and numeracy skills that could have expanded her opportunities and improved her future prospects.
Zainab’s experience reflects the reality faced by many adolescent girls. Early marriage often forces girls into adult responsibilities before they complete basic education. Once they leave school, returning becomes more difficult with each passing year due to age, stigma, and widening gaps in learning. Economic hardship and geographic barriers further limit opportunities for re-entry. Even when girls are eager to continue their education, the costs of schooling, lack of learning materials, and long travel distances make regular attendance difficult without support. For young mothers, the absence of childcare makes participation in formal education even more challenging.
The long-term consequences of dropping out in Primary 4 are severe. Limited education often confines girls to low-income and informal work, reduces their earning potential, weakens their decision-making power within the household, and limits their ability to support their children’s education. In this way, interrupted schooling can perpetuate poverty across generations.
To address these barriers, education systems and community partners must create flexible second-chance learning opportunities. Accelerated learning programmes, as well as evening and weekend classes, can help adolescent mothers and young women who left school early continue their education. Such programmes should condense the curriculum and recognise prior learning so students can progress more quickly.
Financial support is equally essential. Scholarships, free learning materials, and transportation assistance tied to attendance can make education more accessible. Evidence from similar contexts shows that conditional cash transfers can help keep girls in school and encourage those who have dropped out to return.
Childcare support is also critical. Establishing community crèches near schools or learning centres would allow young mothers to attend classes without leaving their children unattended.
Community engagement plays an equally important role. Religious leaders, traditional rulers, parents, and local organisations can help shift attitudes toward girls’ education after marriage or divorce and normalise school re-entry for young mothers.
In addition, psychosocial and peer support should be integrated into re-entry programmes. Counselling and peer support groups can help girls like Zainab process stigma and regret, rebuild confidence, and remain motivated to continue learning.
Zainab’s divorce has reopened a door she once believed was permanently closed. Her story demonstrates that preventing early marriage is only part of the solution. Systems must also support girls who have already married young so they can return to education and rebuild their futures. With flexible learning opportunities, financial assistance, childcare support, and strong community backing, girls like Zainab can reclaim their education and create better futures for themselves and their children.
