CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FACING EFFORTS TO REDUCE CHILD LABOR IN NIGERIA

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FACING EFFORTS TO REDUCE CHILD LABOR IN NIGERIA

Background of the Study

The practise of employing children in labor-intensive jobs is pervasive throughout Nigeria. This is especially true in metropolitan regions (Smart, 2021). Labor is a form of commerce in which the seller (merchant) transports goods (goods or goods) from one location to another in search of potential buyers. Children The term "child labour" refers to the practise of a person under the age of eighteen selling goods to the general public (Smart, 2021). Children Child labourers are children who are of school age (at school or selling goods on the street) and who, for reasons of school need, associate the school with economic activities despite the consequences of doing so (Udu, 2021).

Concern was expressed by the government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), teachers, and school administrators in response to the phenomenon of child trafficking on the streets. According to various studies, children contribute to the maintenance of their families, the acquisition of educational materials, and the payment of school fees by combining their formal education with the operation of street stalls (Johnson, & Ihesie, 2015). It has been suggested in the published literature (Akpan and Oluwabamide, 2010, Shailong, Onuk and Beshi, 2011, Ayodele and Olubayo-Fatiregun, 2014, Clark and Yesufu, 2014); Idris, Yahaya, Sambo, Muazu and Isa, 2014) that parents in Nigeria permit their children to participate in fun activities despite the country's challenging economic climate. An empirical study demonstrates that there is a significant correlation between the professional level of parents and the amount of hyperactivity that children display on the street (Dada, 2013). It is highly unlikely that children's street traffic can be stopped in advance given the current circumstances.

Concerns about the academic performance of children have prompted a plethora of studies in recent years (Iorvaa, 2007, Ashimolowo, Aromolaran, and Inegbedion, 2010, Faruta and Yambuk, 2013, Bosah, Offem, and Obumneke-Okeke, 2015, and Johnson & Ihesie, 2015), one of which focuses on the disruptions that children cause in the classroom. Achieving one's potential intellectually is an essential part of the educational process. It is a measurement of how well students are doing, as well as how effective teachers are and the overall level of education (Mike 2022). One way to define this is the capacity of the students at the school to achieve grades that are at or above the standards set for them. It is commonly held that participation in child hunts is one of the factors that has an effect on a student's academic performance while they are enrolled in an educational institution. Numerous academics, including Akpan and Oluwabamide (2010), Ashimolovo et al. (2010), Ubajaka, Duru, Nnebue, Okwaraoha and Ifeadike (2010), Ekpenyong and Sibiri (2011), and Johnson and Ihesie (2015), have advocated for the enactment of a law in Nigeria that would criminalise the practise of selling goods on the street. This indicates that street vendors who do not have children have the opportunity to focus on working at school rather than taking care of their own children (Smart, 2021). Even though it is preferable to avoid engaging in activities that prevent children from receiving an education, it is not possible to do so if doing so would be necessary for survival in the absence of any other possibilities (Omokhodion, Omokhodion & Odusote, 2006, Anumaka, 2010). Insisting that children from low-income families or children of unemployed parents attend private schools will likely have the following effects: it will discourage enrollment; it will likely result in dropouts; and dropouts will likely occur because of the high cost of attending school as well as the necessity of attending in order to survive (Udu, 2021). It is preferable to allow schoolchildren to engage in income-generating activities during school hours as opposed to not sending them to school (Okpukpara, Chine, Uguru, and Nnaemeka, 2006). In addition, there are individuals who work as street vendors within the school who are more successful in their academic work. Recent studies show that street trading resulted in lower grades for 35.7% of students, higher grades for 31.2 students, and no change in grade for 33.1 students (Johnson, & Ihesie, 2015). In spite of the difficulties that it presents, this suggests that. Students who balance their academic and professional responsibilities tend to have stronger overall performance. This circumstance has nothing to do with the factors that reduce the impact of simultaneously attending school and clearing one's throat (Mike 2022).

When working hours are cut down to a minimum, the negative impact of labour on students can be mitigated (Omokhodion et al., 2006). It is not impossible that the academic performance of child labourers would improve if their parents monitored their schoolwork and regulated the amount of time they spent working. Students have "lab time," also known as "work time," during which they perform various types of labour (Smart, 2021). The timing of assignments and other schoolwork and/or personal preferences may cause this to vary. According to a number of studies (Education Research Network for West and Central Africa (ERNWACA), 2010; Ubah, & Bulus, 2014), the time of day that school-aged children spend working may include: before school hours; after school hours; both before and after school; weekends and holidays; or all of the above. Students' labour time could influence their attendance at school, participation in extracurricular activities, amount of time spent studying at home, and amount of time spent sleeping. These are some of the factors that are known to have an effect on the academic performance of students (Smart, 2021).

In general, the primary objective of this survey is to eradicate all of those aspects of our behaviour in the past that have made our society a byword for disharmony, dishonesty, distrust, and disservice. Additionally, the survey seeks to raise both our individual and collective consciousness in order to enable us to dream big dreams and accomplish lofty goals (Udu, 2021).

To seek out and achieve that which is most virtuous in human nature, to place the utmost importance on and respect the dignity of human life, and, finally, to pursue honest endeavours and to take pride in personal advancement that has been achieved solely through labour. The practise of using children to sell goods while travelling from one location to another is an example of child labour (Umar 2009). It can also refer to the act of offering goods for sale while being carried by a labourer from house to house, along the street, or in public areas (Ikechebebu et al 2008: 114). In the western region of Nigeria, child labour is a veritable means of socialisation, and despite the attendant moral and physical dangers for children, it is widely practised (Ebigbo 2003:103). In Nigeria, the majority of children forced into labour are young girls. Children sell a variety of goods, some of which are edible and others of which are not. These goods can range from food to various non-edible items. Some children have a specific location where they congregate in order to sell their wares. While some move from location to location along the street, others canvass residential neighbourhoods going from door to door (Grootaert and Kanbur 1995:4). Child labourers carry trays of goods on their heads while moving from one street to another in order to sell those goods. The workers who sell items that are analogous to one another walk in opposite directions, whereas those who sell items that are complementary to one another, such as foods and beverages, walk in the same path (Smart, 2021). The youngest of these children are followed by an adult child who also sells a variety of items. This adult child's purpose is to teach the younger children how to calculate or to protect the child from any occurrence. These child labourers yell at the top of their lungs to announce what they are selling in the community in order to attract the attention of intending buyers of their arrival. They do this so that they can make a sale (Mike 2022).

According to what the researcher saw firsthand, there is a significant problem with children engaging in labour in the Ifo Local Government of the Ogun State in Nigeria. According to the person who is in charge of the local community there, child labour has been going on there for a very long time. The primary economic activities consist of farming and trading; therefore, when a farmer harvests crop, he takes from the harvested crops for food consumption during times when trade was conducted through barter. The remainder must be sold or bartered away within the community by the wives and children in order for them to acquire the necessary funds to purchase additional items that are required in the household. As a result of structural shifts brought about by the discovery of crude oil, a significant number of people are exiting the agricultural industry and migrating to urban areas in search of respectable employment opportunities. There is not nearly as much interest in farming as there once was. As a direct result of this, the majority of homes in the modern era purchase items for their children to resell within the community alongside their mothers. Children acquire the skills necessary for future success in the marketplace through these activities (personal observation).

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