Child labour among public junior high schools pupils in the Techiman municipality in the Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana

Abstract

The study set out to examine child labour among public Junior High School pupils in the Techiman Municipality in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. It covered 60 respondents selected through purposive and simple random sampling techniques. The main data collection techniques were questionnaire and interview. The data was processed, using the Statistical Product for Service Solutions (SPSS). Majority of the pupils used for the study were engaged in hawking in the municipality. Poverty was mentioned as the major factor accounting for child labour in the Techiman Municipality. It was also revealed that the extent of child labour among public JHS pupils in the municipality was very high, and this has affected the academic performance of the pupils. Furthermore, majority of the respondents indicated that it was possible to address the problem of child labour in the municipality. Parents recommended that government and civil society should support parents with finances in the form of loans, jobs and other employment opportunities. The pupils recommended that government should support pupils with books and uniforms; expand the school-feeding programme to all basic schools and to cover public JHS pupils; and enforce the laws on child labour. The teachers recommended that government and civil society should sensitise parents and guardians on the importance of education and the need to be more responsible for the upkeep of their wards an the to stop child labour.