Girl students suffer virus blow; many may not go back to school

Prolonged school closure continues to take its toll on the adolescents as many of them think they may not go back to school anymore for various reasons.

They have cited a gap in learning, household economic crisis and early marriage as the reasons.

The government has extended closure of educational institutions again until January 30, 10 times in a row since March 18 last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Although some of educational institutions are holding online classes, most of students at district level could not join classes due to several reasons including lack of access to internet, proper devices, IT literacy, etc.

Halima Banu, who worked as domestic help in the capital, found it difficult to bear expenses of her two daughters aged between 14 and 15.

As a single mother, she used to bear family expenses with her income. In April last, she lost her job as apartment owners barred the part-time domestic help from entering their buildings during the Covid-19 pandemic.

She had to go back to her small village Panchani in Chandpur district. Her neighbours and family members suggested early marriage of her daughters.

"As I have no income to bear their expenses, I'm not ruling out the suggestion," she told the FE.

Experts, however, express fears that the Covid-19 pandemic will escalate the cases of early marriage especially in rural areas and slums.

Nine-month closure of educational institutions made the adolescent girls more vulnerable to early marriage.

According to a recent survey, about 63 per cent of the surveyed girls think that they will not be able to keep up with next grade's lessons.

The survey titled 'Bangladesh: Covid-19 knowledge, attitude, practices and need' conducted by Population Council with the support of UNICEF, has found higher evidence of child marriage.

"There is an increase over time in the proportion of girls who reported child marriage in their communities during the Covid-19 pandemic," it said.

The survey, conducted in November 2020, compiled the data in three rounds from the adolescents in districts with high rates of child marriage.

The objective of the survey was to assess the impact of Covid-19 on adolescent lives and design programmes that would contribute to protecting the girls and meet social distancing guidelines imposed by the government.

Phone interviews were conducted with 479 girls living in the districts of Chapainawabganj, Kushtia and Sherpur who were participants in a programme focused on reducing child marriage by increasing school attendance and grade progression among girls aged 12 to 15.

There were some 479 girls who responded to the survey.

The survey has also found that household income has rebounded gradually with the cessation of lockdown, but economic and food security continue to be a major concern.

"Households are still cutting back on important needs such as protein in meals, sanitary pads, clothing and health service," it said.

Girls reported an increase in their own marriages and marriages of their peers in the community during the pandemic, the survey said.

"Out-of-school girls and girls aged 16 and older are at higher risk of child marriage compared to in-school and younger girls," it said.

Girls also reported hearing their parents talk about their marriage plan, the survey report said.

Earlier, Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) in a study also found an alarming increase in child marriage during this pandemic.

The findings of 'Telephone Survey on Violence against Women and Children: COVID-19', MJF said 462 girls were victims of child marriage in June alone while 206 child marriages were prevented during the same period.

The number of child marriages was 180 in May and the number of child marriages prevented was 233.

Talking to the FE, MJF Executive Director Shaheen Anam said another study on this area was in the process with collaboration of Unicef but MJF conducted a six-month long survey from April to August and found evidences of over 400 child marriages in 30 to 40 districts.

Child marriage had been showing an upward trend as the possibility of going back to school by many children was poor, she said.

She cited financial vulnerability and long-time absence from school as major reasons behind early marriage.

Morium Nesa, manager, women rights and gender equity of ActionAid Bangladesh (AAB), said child marriage was related to the dropout of the students from school.

Closure of school for a longer time led to the rise in child marriage, she said.

"We have observed an upward trend in child marriage in the communities where the AAB works," she said.

[email protected]