Abstract

  The essence of the project was to investigate child labour and academic performance amongst teenagers in Molyko- Buea. The objectives of the study were as follows to begin with the main objective, the project intended to examine the effects of child labour on academic performance of teenagers in Molyko, the specific objectives included’ to investigate on the relationship between child labour and academic performance of teenagers in Molyko, to examine the causes of child labour and finally suggest solutions to curb child labour in Molyko. The study was guided by Theory of Exploitative Child Labor and Expectancy Valency Theory. The research adopted a descriptive survey design The study targeted 50 primary school pupils, systematic sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 50 primary school Based on the findings, 42% of the children live with their relatives as opposed to 36% of them who live with their parents. Findings also reveal that hawking was the predominant activity done by those teenagers found with child labour thus representing a percentage of 40% with 38% been domestic work. As a solution to curb child labour, disintegration of African societies which use to help in guidance and counseling of children should be shifted to teachers so as to help them implement anti child labour laws.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

According to Pinzo and Hofferth, (2008) child labor is a far reaching and complex problem in developing countries. It has existed in various forms (force labor, trafficking and street trading) in different parts of the world since ancient time. The types of child labor vary according to the country’s culture, and family culture, rural or urban residency, socio-economic condition and existing level of development among other factors. A survey by Global March (2008) state that child labour emerged as an issue during the industrial revolution when children were forced to work in dangerous conditions for well up to 12 hours in a day. In 1860, 50% of children in England between the ages of 5 and 15 were said to be working. However, 1919 saw the world systematically begin to address the issue of child labour and the international labour organization (ILO) adopted standards to eliminate it. Throughout the 20th century, a number of legally binding agreements and international conventions were adopted but despite all this, child labour continues to this day. The highest number of child laborers are said to be in the Asia pacific region, but the largest percentage of children, as proportion of the child population, is evidently found in sub-Saharan Africa with Cameroon (south west region-buea) having a fair share.

Child labour remains a major source of concern in Cameroon in general and Buea in particular, in spite of legislative measure taken by the government at various levels. In 1998, a report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimated that 24.6% of children between the ages 10-14 in Cameroon were working (World Development Indicator 2000). Earlier before that time in 1994, the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) reported that approximately 24 percent (4 million) of all children under the age of 15 worked (UNICEF, 2005). It is a ridiculous sight in most big cities, as well as rural villages today to see children of school age, trading food on the street, herding animals, tanning and drying raw leather product, fetching water for commercial purpose, washing dishes at restaurants, serving as domestic hands, selling wares at kiosks, collecting fire wood for business, harvesting crops in family farm or commercial plantation amongst other activities (Thomberry 2013), agreement with the labour abuse (child labour) trend, the International Labour Organization (2002) in it other report issued, states that the global figure of child labourers was put at appropriately 250 million. The report adds that the ages of the children range between 4-14 years with 120 million of them working full time.

The general notion held by many is that child labour, is detrimental to learners academic capability, however, some opinions differ regarding “when and how” a particular work is to be truly regarded as harmful to the future of a child or even interferes with his wellbeing. There is an argument of relativism in this discourse. A possible interpretation in this regard is to look at it in terms of opportunity cost” (gains and foregone alternatives). From this purview, a particular work would be harmful if it entails an opportunity cost in terms of other activities that are beneficial for the child and his development with reference to safety, nutrition, study, morality, leisure, rest (Okafor, 2010). This school of thought believes and sees child labour as an inevitable process of growth, development and integration of the child as stated in the social theory above. Nevertheless, the adverse consequences of child labour differ by whether they are oriented toward market or home production, as well as whether they are inside or outside the home. Therefore, the question should be child time allocation to work activities by where they occur (inside or outside household) by whether or not they are related to a family enterprise.

For Rosati and Rossi (2003), attending school and working are decision that are usually considered simultaneously as a family conversely, these authors also posit that the number of hours the child devote to work is one of the fundamental variables for evaluating the child wellbeing. Added researches in developing countries have found that the majority of child and youth labourers regularly attend school. However, in certain cases, a negative relationship between the number of hours worked and the hours of school attendance has been found (Boozer and Suri, 2001).          Buonomo (2011) found that children who work below the medium predicted by the proposed statistical model (up to two hours daily) demonstrated better school results (measured years in school, age grade ratio, completion of elementary education, completion of at least one year secondary education) than those children who only attend school. This finding indicates that while there is clear evidence of the negative impact of labour on the minor education, a minimal devotion to labour does not seem to have a significant effect on the education of children and youth. However, attendance is an indication that does not sufficiently explain the impact of child labour, as it does not take into account the quality of the child’s experience in school. Main while, majority cases, child labour makes adequate child and youth inclusion in the educational system difficult. (Grootaert and Kanbur, 2005). Dyer (2007) observes that, given that the time for work takes away from the time allocated to studies and that the attention to academic activities is reduced, due to the fatigue produced by the labour. One of the major adverse trends in child labour is the proliferation of young conductors in the transport industry. Horsch, (2002) state that most victims work in public place such as street, markets which does not give them time to go to school and perform excellently this is mostly affected by students in secondary school. All in all, child labour seems to have a clear negative effect on academic performance. Ekwa M (2001) estimate on child labour in Cameroon in general and south west region in particular, indicate that 20 percent of children between the ages of 10 and 14 involved in street trading on cheap articles, edible and products such as sachet water, plantain chips, bread, biscuit, roasted corn, fruits, vegetable, boiled corn. Boiled eggs, wears and bananas in the streets and along the road especially at damaged portions of the roads where motorist and other road users are constrained to slow down due to bad condition of such roads. Bonded labour which is also known as debt bondage is another form of child labour suffered by most youths at the current generation (Sebre, 2004). Child labour, exists in the form of house help or domestic servants. In this case, privilege people from the cities easily convince poor rural parents to hand in their children to them with various promises of better life and education. However, these children are sooner than later turned into house helps who cook food, wash clothes, care for babies, fetch water and attend to all sorts of household chores etc. “Children in domestic service in Cameroon can be in several forms. Firstly, it may include children from other families, parents or another society employed by certain people who are believed to be wealthy and sometime of modest income. Abused children gets up very early in the morning and begins his or her work by fetching water from a nearby well, balancing the heavy jug on his or her head as he or she returns, Prepares breakfast, and serve members of household. In addition, he/she later does the remaining jobs in the evenings and late in the night (Moses, 2005). In other instances, some of the children are taken to shop and business centres/workshops, to serve for a number of years (usually between 5-7 years) with the promise to assist them establish their personal business outfit at the end of their service period. In many case such children are exploited as they are merely used and dump on the basis of one accusation or the other. This has led to the frustration of many youths who lack the adequate machinery to seek any form of redress or social safety nets to fall back on. (Nanchi and Uba 2003).

Despite the various views on the effect of child labour and the contradictory opinions by some authorities, in all, time spent in school is a poor measure of learning in school. Above, it was separately indicated that child labour and time in school may be inversely related, even if child labour does not harm learning.  It is possible that child labour harms learning even if it does not alter time in school. For example, it is possible that child labour does not alter school enrolment, or even that it does not alter school attendance because child leisure is lowered to make time for child work. However, child labour could still adversely affect school outcome by limiting time spent on homework, or it could leave the child too tired to make efficient use of the time in school. Numerous studies of learning tell us that it is cognitive achievement or highest grade attained that matter for learning’s not time spent in school.

1.2 Statement of The Problem

Over the years about 60% of children in Cameroon go through child labor (Rodgers G 1981). This phenomenon is a contentious issue in Buea especially in Molyko. This is because it has far reaching consequences to the child, the family and the society. Governments and non-governmental organizations had made efforts to stop the incidence of child labor in the society, but these efforts have not yielded much result as many children are seeing in streets carrying out one activity or another most of which are street hawking of food items like boiled corn, boiled groundnut, yaourt, fish role, ‘akra banana’ and fruits. Others can be spotted selling in defined locations and eateries most of which at times become so tired and find it difficult to concentrate in class the following. This study therefore examined the impact of child labor on academic performance of children in Molyko as well propose some solutions which will help redress the issue of child labor and improve children’s performance in school.

1.3 Research Questions

1.3.1 Main question.

What are the effects of child labour on academic performance of students in Molyko?

1.3.2 Specific Questions

1. What is the relationship between child labor and academic performance of teenagers in Molyko?
2. What are some of the causes of child labor among teenagers in Molyko?
3. What are some of the solutions which can help to redress the problem of child labor in Molyko which will help to improve their academic performance?

1.4 Research Objectives

1.4.1 Main objective

The main objective of this study is to examine the effects of child labor on the academic performance of children in Molyko.

1.4.2 Specific objectives.

The specific objectives of this study include:

1. To investigate the relationship between child labor and academic performance of teenagers in Molyko.
2. To examine the causes of child labor in Molyko.
3. To suggest possible solution to child labor in Molyko locality.