Confirmation that studying and child labor are incompatible (Colombia)
13-Dec-2012
Confirmation that studying and child labor are incompatible
Labour conditions, the amount of hours and working during the morning are the factors that most negatively affect the academic development of children who work. Using data from the 'Edúcame primero Colombia' Project ('Educate me first Colombia' in Spanish), a group of researchers in which the University of Seville participates has confirmed the incompatibility between studying and child labour.
The International Labour Organisation states that, in 2010, approximately 215 million children across the world were working. This figure has been progressively decreasing in Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean especially with regards to jobs that are considered hard and dangerous carried out by the youngest children. However, according to the organisation, the number of workers between the age of 15 and 17 years has increased in the last five years.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that working and the academic development of minors are incompatible.
Now, an international study analysing the situation of 3,302 children in Colombia states that there are three especially important factors that condition academic results: working conditions, the number of hours worked in a day and working during the morning.
In Colombia, youngsters are allowed to work after the age of 15 years providing that their parents or legal guardians file for permission from a labour inspector. Between the ages of 15 and 17 years, they can only work six hours a day during a day shift and up to 30 hours a week.
According to a survey from Colombia's National Administrative Department of Statistics, DANE, in the last quarter of 2011, the country's child labour rate stood at 12%. Amongst 15 to 17 years old, this figure reached 27.7%.
Against this backdrop, the researchers interviewed 3,302 families that had a son or daughter participating in the "Edúcame Primero Colombia" programme, headed by the United States Department of Labour and the Ministry for Social Protection of the Republic of Colombia.
More:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-12/f-sf-cts121312.php
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