Abstract:

Child labour is one of the global issues occupying the forefront of national development agendas. While the traditionalist believe it is capable of augmenting family income for family upkeep and serves as alternative means of livelihood, it is adjudged in this modern era as impediment to child schooling, violation of child rights, engenders vicious cycle of poverty, deprivation in health and social status. The study therefore investigated the predictors of children’s involvement in child labour, its impact on school enrolment and quality of education in Nigeria. It employed only quantitative research technique. The respondents were selected using purposive and accidental sampling techniques. The opinion of 130 working children (between the ages of 5 and 14) were sought about the likely predictors for working and its impact on schooling. The findings from the study revealed that there are significant relationships between parents’ educational attainment, type of parents occupation and the practice of child labour (X2 = 25.89, P = 0.0001). The study attributed poor school performance as an adverse effect of child labour as indicated by the working school children. The study concludes that parents must take responsibility for their children while government enforce laws against child labour and the implementation of free compulsory education for all children.

Keywords:

Child labour, parent, schooling.