CHAPTER ONE

General Introduction

This study investigated Correlates of cultural practices and the formal education of the girls in the Bamenda II subdivision.  This study examines the effect of cultural Practices on the formal education of the girl child. This study focused only on the Correlates of cultural Practices and the formal education of the girl child. In these light, specific components regarding cultural Practices and formal education of the girl child within different context such as: Early marriage, religious practices (belief systems) and gender roles and other social factors were examined in relationship to formal education of the girl child.

Based on the above, chapter one of this study presents on the back ground of the study, statement of the problem, objectives of the study, research questions, hypothesis, significance of the study, and scope of the study and operational definition of terms. Character two opens the read to review of related literature, chapter three presents the methods of the study, chapter four presents the findings of the study and chapter five presents the discussions of findings, contributions to the study, conclusion, recommendation of the study, strengths and weaknesses of the study and finally suggestions for further research.

Back Ground to the study

Education is as old as man. Traditionally, informal education existed and it was equally offered to both boys and girls. Both boys and girls were taught all those aspects which were considered vital in their lives. Girls were taught by their mothers and aunts issues like discipline, cultural practices, work especially that which was considered to be for woman such as farming and fetching water, cooking and baby-sitting, while boys followed their father to learn a trade, split firewood and learn the customs and traditional norms. During adolescents, they were subjected to traditional Practices as per their societal cultures. ( Mbiti 1968: Ssekamwa, 1999).

Education is very important to all both boys and girls alike. It is a human right policy and should be highly respected by all society. When Education is everyone’s priority, we are able to shape a better society to live in by knowing and respecting rights, laws and regulations. Access simple means the right to Education. Access deals with the availability of resources, convince and the ability to be educated. It is true that many government even that of Cameroon make provision for Education for their citizens but most at times, this provision do not take into consideration the peculiarities of the girl child. Formal Education is a fundamental human right. Research has shown that millions of girls di not have access to school despite this human right policy.

Quality Education is the corner Stone of a prosperous nation. In Cameroon, 53% of children attend secondary School. Also, the state of girls Education is troubling since they do not have access to quality Education and many of them are not even enrolled in school. According to UNESCO institute of statistics, 70% of Cameroonian girls are illiterates

Since the development of the Education For All, ( EFA) . Goals and the 2000 world Education forum in Dakar, significant progress has been made on a global level with respect to gender priority in school enrollment. According to the 2012 EFA global monitoring report, ( UNESCO ,2012a), significant work is needed to ensure that educational priorities and outcomes are equitable for girls.

Cultural Practices has an adverse effect on the formal education of the girls in that; when they are not formally educated, it may led low self-esteem and they will not be able to socialize in the community as they should. Thus, affecting their roles as woman that they ought to play in the society which is the social, economic and reproductive roles.

Statement of the problem

The girl child has been neglected and discriminated against in almost every community in Cameroon with case of rural communities being to the extreme. One of such discrimination is the case of early marriage. The lack of education makes the girl child not to develop conformist behaviors that are correlating with societal norms. However, the aspect of early marriage over education has both long and short term consequences on the entire community as a whole and the girl child in particular.

Also, religion (belief systems) as a way of life of a people makes it very difficult for the girl child to have access to formal education, as the practitioners think and feel that the woman’s place is in the kitchen and that woman is not to be over educated because she will get married some day and be subjected to her husband and will abandoned her own family.

Again, the aspect of gender roles has made matters worse for the girl child. The society See’s girls/ woman to be weak and vulnerable and therefore, privileges are giving to boys/ men. The girl child as been limited just to the reproductive role forgetting the economic and social.  Thus, the denial of the girl child access to Education through early marriage is a denial of her basic human right, which exposes her to a low social status, her inability to actively participate in the society and her limited role in decision making in public, household and sometimes her private life. She therefore lives under bondage from men, all in the name of cultural Practices.

This study seeks to explore a people’s Culture that is belief systems especially early marriage and the extent to which they serve as barriers to the education of the girl child in the Bamenda II subdivision.

Objectives of the study

General Objective

The main objective of this study is to fine out the effects of Cultural Practices on the Education of the girl child in the Bamenda II Sub-Division.

Specific objectives

Research questions

To investigate the impact of early marriage Practices on the Education of the girl child in the Bamenda II Sub-Division.

To find out how belief system has affected the education of the girl child in the Bamenda II Sub-Division

To find out the extent to which gender socialization Practices has affected the formal education of the girl child in the Bamenda II Sub-Division.

Main Research Question

Correlates of cultural practices and the formal education of the girl child.

Specific research questions

 In what ways has early marriage Practices affects the education of the girl child in the Bamenda II Sub-Division?.

How the belief system has effects the Education of the girl child in the Bamenda II Sub-Division?

In what ways has gender socialization Practices affects the education of the girl child in the Bamenda II Sub-Division?