An Evaluation of the Effect of Children of School Age Engagement in Stone Mining and Quarry Activities on Child Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the incidence of child engagement in paid labour with special interest in mining and quarrying activities and the extent it affects child education. The survey method of research was adopted with an oral interview as a major instrument for data collection. The study confirms significant incidents of child labour in Nigeria. It further found five major implications of engaging children of school age in mining/quarrying activities which include absenteeism, poor academic performance, high rate of repetition, high dropout rate, reduced children productivity, and future earnings' capacity. The study discovered that orphanage, poverty, social norms and wrong perception, peer influence, financing of educational and personal needs, and lack of adequate enforcement by the government agencies are the major causes. Even though this study revealed that several efforts have been made at different levels yet much-needed to be done. Therefore, study recommends what should be done to eliminate the incidence of child labour and out- of- school children. The study recommends   among others that the government and other stakeholders should re-double their efforts to eliminate all forms of child labor and create incentives that will support child education. The study therefore emphasizes that engaging children on paid work affect their education and future negatively.