Empirical Research
CHILD WORK, CHILD SCHOOLING AND EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: AN EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FOR NIGERIA
By Dr. Afolabi Popoola, Dr. J.B. Ayodele, and Dr. I. A. Ajayi
Volume 7 - Issue 3
Aug 10, 2009 - 4:24:11 PM

The study investigated the influence of child work on schooling and educational achievement of children in Nigeria. The study also examined the factors that make a family prone to having working children. The study was conducted among primary four pupils in Ekiti State, South Western Nigeria. Data from the study came from a survey conducted with the assistance of the Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB). A schedule, seeking information on child and family variables such as age, sex, work status of the child, parents'' occupation, family size, family status, time of work (child) and who pays for school materials among the parents, was administered throughout the state by the officials of SUBEB through the head teachers of the primary schools. The scores of pupils in the quality assurance tests conducted by the State Ministry of Education in Mathematics and English Language were used. Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Multiple regression statistics were used to test the hypotheses at 0.01 and 0.05 probability level. Findings from the study revealed a negative correlation between work status of children, hours of work and academic achievement. The findings also showed that child work is injurious to the academic achievement of school children especially males. Attention of policy makers has therefore been drawn to the variables such as parents' occupation, family size and number of wives, which tend to predispose families to engage children in work while schooling.