Child Labour and Schooling in Cassava Farms in South-west Nigeria

Child labour is a predominant activity in farm households of many developing countries including South-West, Nigeria and this negatively impact on the schooling participation of the children in cassava producing households in South West, Nigeria. With sample size of 300 cassava farming households, a Multinomial logit model was done to simultaneously estimate determinants of neither work nor school, school only, work only and combine school and work decisions of child and Logit model was used to isolate determinants of school attainment age of a child. It was evidenced that child labour is an infringement on child education, leisure and pleasure and child fostering and guardianship put non-biological children at disadvantage of schooling. Hence, legislation should be step up in the pronunciation of child labour relating activities as illegal and punishable under law. Child fostering and guardianship should be done under strict guidance of relevant government and non- governmental agencies to avoid negative threat on non-biological children. Parents are encouraged to send their boys and girls to school to be better skilled for modern practices in cassava production.