Child Labour and Educational Attainments of Students in Mbulamuti Subcounty in Kamuli District

Table of Contents

DECLARATION

APPROVAL

DEDICATION iii

ACKNOWLEDGMENT iv

ABBREVIATIONS ix

ABSTRACT X

CHAPTERONE 11

INTRODUCTION 11

1.1 Background 11

1.2 Statement of the problem 12

1.3 Objectives of the study 15

1.3.1 Purpose of the study 15

1.3.2 Specific objectives 15

1.4 Research Questions 15

1.5 Scope of the Study 15

1.5.1 Geographical scope 15

1.6 Significance of the study 16

1.7 Definition of Key Terms 17

1.8 Conceptual Framework 18

CHAPTER T’vVO 20

LITERATURE REVIEW 20

2.2 Child Labor in Practice . 20

2.2.1 Forms of Child Labor 21

2.2.1.1 Worst form of child labor 21

2.3 Perception of Child Labor 22

2.4 Child Labor and school performance 23

2.5.1 Factors that Affect School Performance 25

2.5.1.1 Teacher’s Characteristics 25

2.5.1.2 School Administration 26

2.3.1.3 Pupil’s Characteristics 26

2.6 Measures to Curb Child Labor 27

2.6.1 Legislation Framework 27

2.6.1.1 ILO No 138 (1973) 27

2.6.1.2 ILO Convention 182, 1999 27

2.6.1.3 ILO Recommendation 190, 1999 27

CHAPTER THREE 29

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 29

3.0 Introduction 29

3.1 Research Design 29

3.2. Unit of Analysis and observation 29

3.3. Target Population 29

3.4. Sample Size and Sampling Procedure 30

3.5 Methods and Tools of Data Collection 31

3.5.1 Collection of quantitative data . 31

3.5.2 Collection of qualitative data 31

3.6 Research Ethics 31

3.7 Data analysis 31

CHAPTER FOUR 32

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS 32

4.0 Introduction 32

4.2 Social and Demographic Characteristics of the participants 32

4.2.1 Age of the respondents 32

4.2.2 Gender of the child 33

4.2.3 Class level in secondary school 34

Table 4.3: Distribution of students according to class level 34

4.2.4 Marital status of parents 34

4.2.5 Highest level of education attained by parents 35

4.2.6 Mother’s Highest Level of Education Attained 36

Table 4.6: Distribution of Respondents by Mother’s Highest Level of Education 36

4.3 Occupations of the parents 36

4.1.1 Family’s main source of income 38

4.4 Social and demographic characteristics and child labor 38

4.4.1 Knowledge of child labor 39

4.4.2 Education of parents and child labor 40

4.7 Measures to mitigate child labor 50

Table 4.16 Measures in place to mitigate child labor.................................. 51

CHAPTER FIVES 52

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 52

5.1 Summary 52

5.2 Conclusions 55

5.3 Recommendations 57

REFERENCES 58

APPENDICES 62

APPENDIX 1: Questionnaire for child laborers 62

APPENDIX 2: Interview guide for Teachers 67

INTERVIEW GUIDE (Teachers) 67

APPENDIX 3: Interview Guide for Educational Officer /Chief 68

VIII

ABBREVIATIONS

ANPPCAN : African Network for the prevention & prevention against child abuse and Neglect ICDC : Industrial & commercial development Corporation

ILO : International Labour Organization

UNESCO : United Nations Educational, Scientific& Cultural Organization

UN : United Nations

UNICEF : United Nations Children’s fund

NGO’s : Non-governmental Organizations

WOFCL : Worst Form of Child Labour

WHO : World health Organization

FPE : Free Primary Education

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ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of child labor on students’ educational attainments. The objectives for this study were to establish the causes of child labor in the area of study, establish the relationship between child labor and performance in primary schools and lastly to find out the measures in place to mitigate child labor among school going children. A systematic random sampling of 100 respondents was carried out; questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data. While face to face in-depth interviews were conducted to collect qualitative data from key informants. The data obtained was analyzed using frequency distribution tables percentages, descriptive statistics and regression tables From the study findings, the causes of child labor involve domestic chores which children are subjected to before going to school and after school in the evening. Fifty percent of the children studied worked for some form of payment which agrees with the ILO report (1983; 12) which observes that most children are involved in paid and unpaid work. The findings, a/so showed that child labor affect students’ academic performance as was revealed on the POO~ academic achievements by students exposed to labor were mostly female% compared to their male counterparts. The study therefore recommends that the government should government should develop strategies to reduce or eradicate child labor activities as well as enforce poilcies on child labor spelt out in the international agreements it has signed and the constitution which spell out the rights of the children.