Kanchanpur: School dropout rate of the girl students in the district has increased due to early marriage. Illiteracy, poverty and lack of awareness are the causes behind the early marriage.

Most of the girl students from the freed kamaiyas (bonded labourers) communities are found to drop out, said Durga Chaudhary of Bani Freed Kamaiyas Camp.

The girl students of lower secondary and secondary level drop out due to early marriage, said Chatur Sen Rana, headmaster at the Bal Kalyan Lower Secondary School. About 25 to 30 per cent girl students drop out from the school, he added.

He said 50 of the 400 students who enrolled in the school this academic year dropped out, 20 of which are girls who quit school after they were married off.

A large number of girls studying in grade 6 and 8have dropped out of school, he added. Especially, girls below 15 years of age are married off, said Basanti Rana, a Tharu social worker.

She said this problem is growing mainly because the people marrying girls at early age have been providing financial enticements to the girls' parents.As per the law girls can marry at the age of 18 years with the consent of the parents.

source: the himalayan times,1 June 2013