IMPACTS OF GIRL CHILD LABOR ON EDUCATION OF FEMALE STUDENTS IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ABAKALIKI EDUCATION ZONE OF EBONYI STATE.

Abstract

The


purpose of this research work was to assess the impacts


of girl child labor on education of female students in junior secondary schools


in Abakaliki Education Zone of Ebonyi State. The design of this study is survey research. The population of the


study consisted of 1481 teachers and a sample of 300 teachers randomly selected


from three secondary schools in each of the four Local Government Areas in


Abakaliki Education Zone of Ebonyi State were used for the study. The


instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Girl


Child Labor Questionnaire” (GCLQ) which was developed by the researcher. Four research questions guided the study.


The result indicates that girl child labor has an impact on the education of


girl children who are involved in child labor. The implication is that girl


child labor has an impact on the female students’ school attendance,


participation in classroom activities, achievement in examination and social


relationship with students in the school in secondary schools in Ebonyi North


Education Zone. The study maintained


that the calamity of girl child labor is not just the havoc it wrecks in our


educational system but the gradual discouragement of female students from


studying. It was recommended among other things that all Ebonyi State citizens and stakeholders should work collaboratively


to minimize the root causes of girl child labor which among others include


poverty, socio-economic instability and political unrest and that the


Government of Ebonyi State needs to place more emphasis on the girl child’s


physical, psychological, and social health care.