Influence of child labour on pupils’ academic performance in selected primary schools in Nkozi sub-county

Abstract

The study investigated the influence of child labour on pupil’s academic performance in primary schools of Nkozi Sub-county Mpigi District. The participants of this study were child labourers of primary six and seven, teachers and Head teachers of five selected primary schools of Nkozi Sub-County and parents of child labourers. This study was guided by the following objectives; To examine different forms of child labour in selected primary schools of Nkozi Sub-County, To find out daily, weekly, monthly and end of term and year results of child labourers, and to examine the effect of child labour on pupils’ academic performance. The theory used in this study was human capital theory, The research design used was descriptive research design. Methods used to collect the data were questionnaires and interviews. The forms of child labour children engaged in were Taxi conductors, Bodaboda riders, working in Hotels and bars and coffee factories, vending vegetables and fruits, chores, fishing, sand mining and carrying heavy, sand mining and brick laying. The academic performance of child labourers was extracted from schools’ daily class work, weekly and monthly tests, end of term and year examinations records. The results of this study showed that pupils who involved in child labour had a significantly lower academic achievement mean score than those who did not involve in child labour. It was concluded that there was the influence of child labour of pupils’ academic performance in the selected primary schools in Nkozi sub-county. The study recommends that pupils should not engage in any mode of child labour and the government should abolish all forms of child labour activities