Preview

Child Labor and Academic Performance

Best Essays
Open Document
Open Document
3852 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Child Labor and Academic Performance
Chapter I
The Problem and Its Background

A.Background of the Study

Child labour is a worldwide problem regardless of the economic status of a country. This social phenomenon continues to exist both in developed and developing countries. The Philippines as one of Newly Industrializing Countries, also encounters the same (C. Diaz, personal communication, December 7, 2009).
Child labour is rampant in this country due to poverty. It deprives basic right to education and health (Philippine Star, 1993). Many child labourers are forced to stop schooling due to the necessity of contributing to family’s income. Child labour with its goal to respond immediately to the basic need of the household, deprives the child of the time to focus on schooling. The health condition of the child labourers is also affected due to the exposure of children to chemicals which are mostly hazardous to their health. The time spent in working contributes also to the health of the children. More than eight hours of working is not suitable to the age of the children. It has also many effects in the development of the country as a whole. An increase in child labour frequently causes a decline in acquiring of human capital (Basu as cited by David & Undyaundye, 2009). Basu explained further if a child is employed all through the day, it is likely that the child will remain uneducated and have low productivity as an adult. If a child works more his productivity as an adult falls because child labour diminishes adult productivity (Pigou, 1920). Majority of our population comprises those who are tolerating child labour (Navidad, 2002). The existence of house helpers who are below 18 years old shows that some Filipinos tolerate child labour.
One aspect of development is education. They cannot deny the fact that education in our country is also affected by poverty. There are many children who stopped from schooling due to financial incapacity in complying to school requirements. The desire



Bibliography: Basu, M., (1998). Child Labour: Causes, consequences and cure with remarks on international David, U.,Undyaundye, F Dacalus, S. , Dasalia, G., Mamontuan, K.,(1991). Costs and rewards of child labor in Sasa wharf, Davao City. Diel, H.C.,Lopez G.(2003).Labor participation of children among banana growers(Undergraduate dissertation, Ateneo de Davao University,2003). Harber, C., Meighan, R., (2007). A sociology of education Jara,(1984) Maximiano, J B. (2007), Business ethics and corporate social responsibility. Challenging Child Labor,18, 123-125. Maximiano, J B Mill, J. J. (1970) Principles of Political Economy: Penguin Harmondsworth U.K. Navidad, F M. (2002), Child labor in Digos City: a baseline study O’Donnell, D Pigou, A. C. (1920) The Economics of Welfare: Macmillan London. Ritzer, G. (2008), Sociological Theory. McGraw-Hill.N.Y. Sakellariou, C.(2004).Child labor and schooling in the Philippines. Retrieved from http:www.childprotection.org.ph (date accessed) (1984, April 21).Working children,a common sight in 3rd world Child Workers in Asia. (1994)

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Child labor is one of the world’s biggest problems, especially in emerging economies. The term describes tiring or hard work carried out by children below the age of fifteen, which interferes or harms them spiritually, morally, physically, psychologically, and socially. Most child laborers miss the childhood experience by facing different forms of abuse. Some children have to drop out of school or combine studies with paid or unpaid work. Contrary to popular belief, child labor is not necessarily forced labor. Some underage children join the workforce because of poverty. Such children work either voluntarily or at their parent's bidding to supplement the family income. Moreover, orphaned children look for work to meet their basic needs although…

    • 537 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Child Labor In China

    • 1408 Words
    • 6 Pages

    A complex social and political issue that has enrooted employment history for a long period of time; child labor is evolving into a new phenomenon that is having negative impacts on children all throughout the globe. Children involved with child labor can have several different paths to their occupation which can be determined by factors such as poverty, family’s economic status, history, health, and many others. Their work can have major implications such as social disadvantages, poor health, pitiable physical development, and lack of education. Lack of wages are also implemented into the child’s work life, hardly ever approaching minimum wage. Lack of current and future support such as benefits, retirement funds, or insurance, are attached…

    • 1408 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Although child labor has been present in this nation since its colonial ages in the form of apprenticeship and working in their family farms, reports and statistics prove that child labor has reached new extremes. In order to earn the minimal amount of money required for their families’ survival, children are working for hours in factories and mines instead of preparing for a better future in schools. This issue had been present in the government’s agenda for years, and it is starting to gain more public attention.…

    • 453 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Child Labor in America

    • 773 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Our child labor issue an ongoing world wide effect, currently among America’s society. Researchers even today and our up and down crisis we face economically, leave us with the understanding that poverty is a main cause of child labor. Still in America poor families depend heavenly upon their children working in order to improve their chances of attaining basic necessities. American history goes way back to explain that poverty and a child’s workload come from a lack of not receiving the education which is important for their growing years. There are certain laws and policies that was established to control our child labor issue. Aiming to stop child labor.…

    • 773 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Child labour is often seen only to occur in third world countries but this is not the case. Child labour occurs all over the world and the brutality and cruelty of this work varies. Although child labour is seen as a bad thing, for the children and families living in their poor conditions, child labour is seen as necessary for the family to live as it is an essential income. UNICEF estimates that around 150 million children aged 5-14 in developing countries, about 16 per cent of all children in this age group, are involved in child labour. Therefore child labour is still a big problem in our world today especially as some children are forced to work in dangerous, unhygienic, life threatening conditions. Not only does is it harmful to their physical body it also effects their education as some children drop out of education to work. Even though many organisations and charities attempt to stop child labour or at least make the conditions suitable for children, child labour is still seen as a big problem in the 20th century.…

    • 590 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Child labor is any work that interferes with a youth’s childhood in a mental or physical way or any work that may harm one under the age of eighteen. During the Industrial Revolution in Europe during the late eighteenth century sparked the rise towards modern laws against child labor. Since ancient time children completed hard jobs with little no pay and before the Industrial Revolution many children were working in sweatshops or other means to help their family earn money. The number of working youth has lowered significantly since then, yet there still remains millions of children age five to seventeen in factories around the world. In the 1990s the United Nations exposed many companies who based the production of their sales on child labor;…

    • 930 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    This is a game in which everyone involved wins; except the innocent kids. Working long hours at a young age can have a tremendous negative impact in children over time. Not to mention the mental turmoil they face as they are pressured to work at a fast pace to get work done in a short amount of time. While looking for a solution, we must first figure out why we have the problem in the first place. Child labor practices are still prevalent because as companies expand, they must employ more laborers to keep up with demand. Children workers are obedient, making them easy to manage and because supply chains are so complex, most kids are able to slip under the radar without a problem. One of the common myths often discussed is that those in improvised households depend on their children’s income as a means of survival. This is a misconception that does not solve the problem, but instead makes it worse. When children begin working at a young age they often do not have the opportunity to receive an education, this then becomes a cycle that is hard to break and the issue gets passed on to the next generation. In an article presented by Caitlin Ryan, a public policy candidate at Harvard University who has experience working with human rights organizations she blames poverty for the issue, while examining ways to eliminate child labor using work study programs (Ryan 92). This program works by having kids work a few days a month in safe conditions, in return employers pay for 70 percent of education costs. A sponsorship programs like this will help families receive much-needed income, while keeping kids in school. This Programs is ideal because it addresses the root of the issue: poverty, due to a lack of income in improvised areas. Children have the opportunity to…

    • 648 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Child Labor In America

    • 510 Words
    • 3 Pages

    For parents and corporate leaders worldwide, the issues concerning child labor are some of the most controversial topics affecting today’s society. Child labor is work that uses children to perform physical, industrial tasks. Commonly viewed as an immoral injustice and a denial of basic human rights, child labor is conversely described as a necessary evil by some. Through propaganda and prejudice, the general public tends to neglect the notion that some nations face intensely destitute conditions where they require extra labor forces to maintain decent standards of living. Despite their actions, these countries, such as China, are still in their post-industrial eras and surely understand the unfavorability of exploiting children to factory…

    • 510 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Child Labor in Mexico

    • 3990 Words
    • 16 Pages

    Child labor has become an ongoing global concern for many years. The practice sweatshops in places such as South America and Asia are responsible for much of the manufactured goods people own today. While hundreds of organized unions and corporations look for answers to this unhealthy working environment for children, no dramatic changes are being done. Due to the massive amount of children being unfairly forced to work, a change isn’t quick to come by. Many different variables play a part in finding a solution to…

    • 3990 Words
    • 16 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Child labour is a very big problem in today’s world. Many organizations work towards diminishing it however, it is a very touchy problem and needs to be handled with caution as the process is very tedious which is not realized by many people worldwide. Many think that diminishing child labour suddenly and as soon as possible is going to be good for the world however, this is not true. The fight to end child labour is going to be long and hard because of the many negative impacts it will have on the world…

    • 306 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Child labor is very common among children around the world. Child labor has many things that affect children. Although one of the main things is physical effects, there are other problems as well. Child labor will also impact a child’s social development. When a child is working full time, they don’t have time to interact socially. Children and teens…

    • 529 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Sociology Reflection Paper

    • 1201 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Child labor has recently become a very touchy subject throughout the world. Well known corporations and clothing and sporting goods distributors that have for decades been taking advantage of cheap labor in third world countries are seeing their names and images tarnished by allegations of child labor practices and obscene working conditions. Child labor is nothing new to the world. It has been a part of almost every society in recorded history. From ancient times, children have been a part of the economic survival of their families, particularly in…

    • 1201 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Baland Jean Marie, James Robinson Journal of Political Economy, 2000, vol. 108, no. Edmonds, Eric V. (2007), ‘Child Labor’, National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) Working Paper 12926,…

    • 340 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the article “Child Labor Pros and Cons”, the author discusses the importance of child labor in many families, saying, “In poor countries like Bangladesh, working children are essential for survival of many families” (1). In many areas in which child labor is common, financial stability is lacking. For example, Bangladesh, a third world country, legally employs children ages fourteen and up. One main reason many children work in this country is to bring in income in order to help support their families. Without their financial support, families would be unable to afford housing, food, clothing, and other necessities that they are otherwise to purchase. Although working as a child is far from ideal, it helps both the child and their family to have what they need to live…

    • 1445 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Poverty and Hunger are the most common reasons why there is “Child Labour” existed not just only in the Philippines, but also in other parts of Asia. Corrupt governance also caused poverty, that’s why there is a need for us to strive harder in order to survive. In reality, many people aren’t lucky to live in a descent and comfortable living. The short documentary bought several lessons to us Filipinos, especially to those teenagers. I was really moved by this documentary.…

    • 892 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays