IMPACT OF CHILD LABOUR ON SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF PUPILS

 This study assessed the impact of Child labour on school attendance and academic performance of pupils in public primary schools in Niger State. Four specific objectives, four research questions were formulated with four null hypotheses associated. Survey research design was adopted. The population for the study was 37,700 drawn from the three educational zone of Niger States. A sample of 600 respondents from classes 4, 5, and 6 were randomly selected for the study. The instruments used for data collection were a self design questionnaire, school attendance register and report cards. Frequency distribution and percentages were used to analyze the data obtained from the respondents. All the four null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance and all were rejected. The findings revealed that children exposed to labour activities had very poor school attendance, were mostly females.

The findings, also showed child labour affect pupil’s academic performance as was revealed on the poor academic achievements by pupils exposed to labour were mostly females, compared to their male counterparts. The study recommended among others that children exposed to labour should be given equal right to attend school regardless of any engagement in labour activity. It also recommended that government/parents should develop strategies to reduce or eradicate child labour activities.