Child Labour Practices as Predictors of Educational Involvement of School-Age Children in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Child labour remains a pervasive socioeconomic challenge in Nigeria. Despite being regarded as educationally advanced, Ogun State continues to see school-age children engaged in economic labour during school hours, raising serious concerns about educational participation and child welfare. This study examined child labour practices as predictors of educational involvement among school-age children in Ogun State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was employed. Using a multistage sampling procedure combining purposive, judgemental, and snowball sampling techniques, 1,685 school-age children were recruited from markets and motor parks across all three senatorial districts of Ogun State. Data were collected using two validated instruments, the Prevalence of Child Labour Questionnaire (PCLQ; α = 0.814) and the Child Labour and Education Questionnaire (CLEQ; α = 0.875), yielding an overall reliability index of 0.944. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were conducted at the 0.05 level of significance. Child labour was highly prevalent, with hawking the most frequently reported activity (mean = 3.46). Regression analysis revealed that child labour practices collectively accounted for 4.8% of the variance in educational outcomes (R² = 0.048, F = 28.499, p < 0.05). Hawking (β = −0.210) and domestic services (β = −0.208) negatively predicted educational involvement, while load-carrying showed an unexpected positive association (β = 0.552) that requires further qualitative investigation. Child labour significantly constrains educational participation among school-age children in Ogun State. The government should provide accessible and affordable educational opportunities and enforce the Child Rights Act of 2003 to reduce child labour.