An Assessment of the Influence of Child Labour Activities on Academic Performance, Laikipia County, West Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

The research study sought to main purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of child labour on academic performance in Kenya, Laikipia County, Laikipia West Sub-County. The study was founded on the following objectives: To find out how domestic-based child labour activities influence academic performances; to investigate how parental contribution towards child labour influences academic performances, To examine how livestock activities influence pupils' performance and To find out how pupils' engagement in armed militia influences academic performance in primary schools in Laikipia West Sub-County. Literature was reviewed on the concepts of child labour activities, parents' contribution towards child labour, the influences child labour class attendance and suggested ways of mitigating child labour. Based on a theoretical framework, the research was based on the theory of exploitative child labour, as explained by Carol and Swinnerton. This research adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population was 35 public primary schools with an average of about 1750 pupils, 35 head-teachers, 105 BOM and 6 QAOs. The research adopted a sample size of 257 respondents. The research findings were that, on the overall objective, correlation analysis showed that there exists a relationship (r = 0.76, α = 0.05). Pearson's correlation factor on the coefficient of correlation r = 0.76 (76%) indicates that there exists a strong relationship between the two variables. Secondly, the results showed that there exists a strong positive relationship on average (r = 0.53, α = 0.53). Pearson's correlation factor on the coefficient of correlation r = 0.53 (53%) indicates that there exists a strong relationship between the two variables. Thirdly, the correlation analysis was to determine whether parental contribution towards child labour influences academic performance. From the matrix table of inter-correlations, the results indicated that there exists a strong positive relationship beyond average (r = 0.89, α = 0.05). Pearson's correlation factor on the coefficient of correlation r = 0.89 (89%) indicates that there exists a strong relationship between the two variables. Fourthly, correlation analysis was to determine whether the pupil's engagement in armed militia influences academic performance in primary schools. The results showed that there exists a weak positive relationship below average (r = 0.32, α = 0.05). The study recommends that the government, in liaison with the Ministry of Education (MOE), should provide adequate financial resources to help fund education while parents and teachers should work hand in hand to eradicate and minimize any form of pupil child labour.