Child Labor and Students’ Participation in Primary School Education in Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia

Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the kind of work school children do, and to identify factors that predict engagement in child labor.

Study Design: A descriptive survey research design was employed.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in ten schools selected from four divisions and one administrative town in Wolaita zone from January 2017 to February 2018.

Methodology: Data were obtained from 120 students (6th-8th graders), who were randomly selected to respond to the questionnaire while interviews were conducted with 10 principals. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation and Linear Regression.

Results: Findings revealed that children combined work and schooling where main activities included; doing household chores, carrying materials in the town, agricultural activities (cultivating), hotel work and selling lottery tickets. Reasons for engaging in child labor were linked to poverty, need to help the family, parents’ low education, large family size and students’ need for money. Findings revealed that the consequences of child labor were; dropping-out, low academic performance and low participation in the classroom. To an extent, absenteeism, getting late to school and repetition were also observed. Factors such as having a parent or not, individual and family characteristics predicted whether a student actively participated in schooling or not.

Conclusion: Strategies to counteract child labor practices require persistently working with parents in matters of their children education. The government, non-government organizations and local agencies should work collaboratively to enlighten the society on dangers and consequences of child labor. Besides, the government should look for ways to improve the infrastructure to create job opportunities for the community, in addition to enforcing child labor laws. At the institutional level, students should be given support through guidance and counseling on issues related to work and schooling.