Table 3 Comparison of the age groups within each subtheme (theme: family poverty)

“I wanted to quit (school). No one made me do it. I was wild at that time.” (No. 5, Malay, married at 17 years old.)

My husband was one (of the reason to quit school), and I was pregnant also. (No. 6, Malay, married at 17 years old.)

“(I quit school) because I wanted to get married. No one asked me to quit.” (No. 9, Malay, married at 16 years old.)

“I quit school and worked in a canteen. I myself wanted to quit because my parents could not afford it anymore.” (No. 12, Malay, married at 17 years old.)

“I was in the middle of Form 4 (at 16 years old) and then I quit. Because um... pregnant.” (No. 4, Malay, married at 16 years old.)

“I quit school because I got married.” (No. 11, Malay, married at 16 years old.)

“Because we only lived a simple life; my parents were unemployed, my brothers worked but were not so rich, and then I decided to quit school when I was in Form 1 (at 13 years old).” (No. 13, Malay, married at 16 years old.)

“I quit school because I had to work after my mom died.” (No. 19, Malay, married at 15 years old.)

“I was too lazy to go to school. At that time I was waiting... (I had) the PMR (Lower Secondary Assessment examinations) at that time, and I worked. I liked working, and I’ve lost interest in studying. Besides that, our lives were difficult back then. I had many siblings.” (No. 20, Malay, married at 17 years old.)

“(I quit school and) worked at a restaurant. I wanted to work. When I was little at the time, I was too lazy to study and it wasted my parents’ money.” (No. 1, Malay, married at 15 years old.)

“[It was] my aunt’s choice (for her to stay with her while going to school) because my parents wanted me to quit school. My siblings were still too little; we were villagers.” (No. 2, Bidayu, married at 16 years old.)

“I quit when I was in Standard 6 (at 12 years old). My parents could not afford it.” (No. 7, Iban, married at 14 years old.)

“I was still a student, but because of pre-marital sex, and because he agreed as well, we just got married. I was in the middle of school.” (No. 17, Malay, married at 17 years old.)

“I thought that my marriage would not burden my parents because my husband is able to take care of me, and we do not have to ask money from my parents anymore.” (No. 12, Malay, married at 17 years old.)

“After I quit (school) I wanted to continue, but then I pitied my parents, so I couldn’t.” (No. 13, Malay, married at 16 years old.)

“I quit school when I was 15 years old because I worked after my mom died. She was sick. Because at that time, my mom was sick and my dad didn’t have a stable job. I have brothers, but all of them were already married.” (No. 19, Malay, married at 15 years old.)

“Sometime after 10 years old, I went back to my mother’s house. At that time someone was looking for a nanny to take care of their children. So, my mother said, ‘You have no job, so it’s better if you work now,’ she said. So, my sister and I agreed to take the job. Both of us became a nanny to take care of the children.” (No. 20, Malay, married at 17 years old.)

“(I quit school and) worked at a restaurant. I wanted to work. When I was little at the time, I was too lazy to study, and it wasted my parents’ money.” (No. 1, Malay, married at 15 years old.)

“Because we were in a difficult life, and when we get married, the husband will pay for everything. So, we have an open mind to, as they say, when, how to say this, we won’t burden our parents too much (by getting married) because I have four siblings, I got married and then there are three, and my brother lived on his own. So, my parents had fewer burdens and could send my younger siblings to school. I, too, after I got married, I could help my siblings. I bought them clothes, trousers, and a little food. At the end of the month, I sent them money too. I got married, and my parents’ lives got easier.” (No. 7, Iban, married at 14 years old.)