CARIBBEAN SECONDARY EXAMINATION COUNCIL (CSEC)

2015SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT: SOCIAL STUDIES

CHILD LABOUR

Candidate Name: Shemar Cunningham

School: Old Harbour High School

Teacher: Miss.Deenah

Center#: 100088

Candidate#:100088

Territory: Jamaica

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Acknowledgement

As the researcher, I must express my deepest gratitude to Mr. R.J. Henry, author of many books

including is very own autobiography, for his invaluable encouragement and assistance I received

complete this research.

I would also like to extend a warm thanks to both my aunt and uncle for their tremendous

support with assisting with the editing of the research, and my mom who helped with the

construction of the introduction. Finally, I owe much to my grandmother who would constantly

remind me of the SBA by asking the same piercing question,’’Shemar, did you do any work on

the SBA today?’’

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Introduction

Children are the greatest gift to humanity and childhood is important and an impressionable stage

of human development as it holds the potential to the future development of any society.

Children, who are brought up in an environment conductive to their intellectual, physical and

social health, grow up to be responsible and productive members of society.

According to an article online (Resources for speakers on global issues) child labour is defined

as work performed by a child that is likely to interfere with his or her right to an education. The

community of Kennedy Lane is located in a rural area, hence making child labour prevalent due

to the growing gaps between the rich and the poor in and around the community, leaving a

number of children out of school or not attending as often, selling in the streets, operating hand

carts and the list goes on.? Therefore the observer chose to conduct the research in this

community. The main purpose of the research is to address the major issue affecting the

community, state the advantages, disadvantages and the possible solutions of how to resolve this

issue.

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Content

Acknowledgement …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2

Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3

Statement of problem…………………………………………………………………………………………… 4

Reasons for selecting area of research ………………………………………………………………….. 5

Method of investigation ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 6

Data collection instrument ……………………………………………………………………………………. 7-8

Procedures for data collection ……………………………………………………………………………….. 9

Presentation of data ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 10-14

Analysis and Representation of data ……………………………………………………………………. 15

Statement of findings …………………………………………………………………………………………… 16

Recommendations……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 17

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 18

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Statement of the Problem

What are the views of residents in the Kennedy Lane community on the issue of child labor?

Research questions

1. Do you think that children who work at such early age are despised?

2. Do you think the Child Development Agency (CDA) is doing enough to ensure less child

labour in the community?

3. In what way does child labour impacts the child who goes to school?

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Reasons for Selecting the Area of Research

Child labour possesses a major issue, one that is rather disturbing. Child labor is defined as

depriving a child’s childhood by having the child being engaged in working activities for

example: selling goods. This is harmful to their physical and mental development. This is an

issue that is very common in the community.

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Method of Investigation

The method of investigation used to collect data on the issue of child labor by using printed

questionnaires.

The usage of questionnaires brought a series of advantages to the research. They are:

Responses are private so the residents or participants names are not required.

The data is easily analyzed, calculated and interpreted.

Data can be collected and issued to residents at a given time.

The questionnaire comprised of twelve questions with four sets of three speaking to knowing if

the participants are aware of the problem, the causes of the problem, the impact of the problem

and possible solutions respectively.

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Kennedy Lane

Palmers Cross P.A

Clarendon

February 2, 2015

Dear Resident,

This is a research being carried out in the community of Kennedy Lane to determine the views of

residence on child labour, which is one of the many major social issue affecting different

communities across Jamaica. This research is being conducted as an assignment and a

requirementfor CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Examination Counsel) social studies.

You are required to answer the following questions honestly and truthfully. Since you do not

have to write your names anywhere, no one will ever know who answered that particular

question. The paper consists of mostly Yes or No (to be answered by placing a tick inside the

box provided), multiple choice and short answer questions, and specific instructions are given.

Thank you

Yours sincerely,

S. Cunningham

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Data Collection Instrument

Questionnaire

1. Gender?

Male Female

2. How long have you been a resident?

Over ten (10) years

6-5 years

Under one year

3. What thought comes to mind when you see a child working in the streets?

Their parents are negligent

Poor family

They have no future ahead of them

4. What is your reaction to a child working?

Sympathetic Insensitive Concerned

5. What kind of jobs are children employed to do?

Selling in streets Wiping wind screens at stop light Operating hand carts.

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6. Do you think the Child Development Agency (C.D.A) is doing enough to ensure less child

labor in the community?

Agree Disagree

7. Do you think that children who work at such early age are despised?

Agree Disagree

8. In what way does child labor impact the child who goes to school?

Low grades vulgar behavior Lack of Concentration

9. Do you think employment affects the academic performance of the child?

Yes No

10. How would child labor affect a child’s learning?

_______________________________________________________________

11. Do you know of a child who participates in child labor?

______________________________________________________________

(A)If yes, have you helped that child in any way possible?

___________________________________________________________

12. A possible solution to the issue of child labor is relevant authorities carrying out their duties

with more seriousness.

Agree Disagree

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Procedures for Data Collection

The data was collected in the Kennedy Lane Community. However, before collection, I had to

introduce myself, explain the essentiality of the questionnaire and what it was about. A total of

forty (40) questionnaires which consists of twelve (12) questions each were handed out.

I randomly selected thirty eight (38) residents in and around the community and gave them each

a questionnaire. Within Twenty four (24) hours they were completed, tallied and recorded and I

began my presentation, analysis and interpretation of the data.

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Presentation of Data

Figure 1: Question #7

Do you think that children who work at such early age are despised?

0

5

10

15

20

25

disagree

Agree

disagreeAgree

num

ber o

f Res

pond

ents

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Figure 2: Question #9

Do you think employment affect the academic performance affect the child?

Yes48%

No52%

Do you Think Child Labour Affects the Academic Performance of the Child

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Figure 3: Question 8

In what way does child labour affect the person who goes to school?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Lack of ConcentrationVulgar BehaviourLow Grades

Percentage Number of Respondents

Effec

t of c

hild

labo

ur o

n th

e sc

hool

child

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Figure4: Question# 3

What thought comes to mind when you see a child working in the streets?

Parents are Negligent Poor Family Background

Their future is Blighted

20 12 6

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Analysis and Interpretation of Data

According to Figure 1, illustrating the responses to question 7, 24 or sixty percent (60%) of the

respondents are in agreement saying yes children who work early are despised. The other 40%

said no they are not despised.

Figure 2displays a pie chart of the responses to question #9:“Do you think employment affect

the academic performance of the child?” where fifty two percent (52%) of the participants

selected Yes and forty eight present (48%) selected No.

Figure 3 in a Column chart presents the responses to question #8in what way does child labour

affect the child who goes to school? Ten(10)of the respondents indicated that it affects the

child’s concentration, five (5) said it results in the child exhibiting vulgar behaviorwhile the

majority, all of twenty three (23) selected low grades as an effect.

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Figure 4 shows the kind of jobs children are employed to. Selling in the streets outweighs

washing vehicles and operating hand carts. However, in response to question #3 what thought

comes to mind when you see a child working? The statistical data is as follows: ten (20)

residences selected that the parents are negligent, eight (12) selected poor background and seven

(6) selected that there future is blighted.

Statement of findings

According to question majority of the participant disagree to the fact that children are

despisedif they are participating in child labour because their parent or Gordian is not

able to fund them through school, to pay bills, and to provide food as a result they are

forced to work and fund themselves through primary education.

Child labour affects the child academic performance because when they indulged in

these activities as a result it’s hard for a child to maintain ones performance in school.

A lack of concentration (not being able to focus during class), unsatisfactory grades

(not being able to pass examinations) and outrageous vulgar behavior are a few of the

many reasons why child labour affects students who go to school.

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Recommendations

I am aware of the laws and policies that are in place in an effort to resolve the issue of child

labour but I recommend these laws and policies are enforced and consistent with the principle of

the best interests of the child. The implementation strategy for such is hosting workshops and

forums at regular intervals to educate citizens of these laws and policies as well as making them

aware of sanctions applied if laws are adhered to or broken. Television advertisements, posters

etc. are ways to remind people about these laws.

In the event that the child indulges in child labour to assist in financing himself, I recommend

that the government ministries (such as those dealing with labour, child protection, and mining),

businesses, nongovernmental organization, increase social protection schemes to support these

children as well as offer monetarily assistance to the poorest households where children are

forced to be employed. A sensible implementation strategy is proper monitoring or assessment of

the individuals who visit social security offices and daily routine operations of where suspected

child labour is done and get children in protected environment where they can be taken care of

without thinking about working . Efforts to widen access to quality education are also a strategy

that can be used.

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Bibliography

Books:

RampersadRamsawak et al: Modules in Sccial Studies published, 2005 Trinidad

Websites:

http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/109074/chapters/How-Poverty-Affects-Behavior-and-

Academic-Performance.aspx

Date: 1/03/2015

http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/briefingpapers/childlabour/

Date: 23/02/2015

http://laborrightsblog.typepad.com/international_labor_right/2011/09/developmental-effects-of-

child-labor.html

Date: 12/02/2015