Child Labor and Participation in Education among Chidren of Primary School Going Age in Ma thira East District in Nyeri County, Kenya.
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Date
2014-07-31
Authors
Ngure, Rosemary Wangu
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Abstract
In recent times growing concern has risen on the impact of child labor on
participation of education among children of primary going age. The purpose
of this study was to investigate the impact of child labor on participation of
education by determining economic activities children engage in most, the
degree of engagement on each gender and extent to which these engagements
translate to loss of learning hours. Emphasis was laid on how to improve
participation in education. The objectives of the study were to identify
economic activities that engage children, determine the degree of engagement
to each gender, estimate number of learning hours lost and suggest strategies
of eliminating child labor in Mathira East District. The theory of Human
Capital was used to assert provision of education as productive measure for
private and social life in future to all primary school age going children.
Descriptive survey design was used on a study population from Mathira East
District which had two educational zones. The study population comprised of
43 public primary schools headed by 43 head teachers and 458 teachers. A
total of 896 boys and 850 girls form standard 6 streams, a class formed by an
age group majority that forms the low level economically active 10-14 year
old (Rosen, 1997). A study population of 20 percent plus one was sampled
through simple random sampling method. A sample of 9 public schools with
180 boys and 171 girls in standard six, 92 teachers and 9 head teachers was
used. Instruments were piloted in one primary school in the county. Data was
analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using descriptive and inferential
techniques. It was presented using frequencies, bar graphs, pie charts. Data
collected showed that 43.5% of teachers indicated that learners engage in
coffee and tea picking in the area. 43.5% of teachers and 11.1% of the head
teachers indicated that learners engage in domestic work whereas 33.3% and
5.4% of the head teachers and teachers respectively indicated that their
learners engage in bodaboda or transport business. The study concludes that
coffee and tea picking is practiced by learners of both genders with boys
involved in bodaboda/transport business. The study recommends that the
parents and the community should be sensitized on the rights of the children.
This would limit the population of locals using the services of school going
children and thus increase attendance in schools.