A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Public Administration (MPA) of Mzumbe University
The study is about child labour among tobacco growing communities in Kaliua district. It aimed at making the effect of child labour on pupils schooling in Kaliua district to be clearly understood by employing the following objectives: to analyze trend of school dropouts in primary school for past ten years (2002 – 2011), to investigate contributing factors for school dropouts in primary schools, and to establish the casual relationship between child labour in tobacco farming and school dropouts in Kaliua district. The study was conducted in Kaliua district. The study applied a case study design. Questionnaires and interview were used for collection of data. Sample size was 115 parents of dropouts, 12 head teachers, and 5 WEOs who were selected randomly and purposive. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS for quantitative data, and qualitative data analysis was performed by using Pragmatic content analysis. The study concluded that there was upward but fluctuating trend of dropouts. Furthermore, the school truancy and pupils helping their parents or guardians to do some work in the field were the contributing factors for upward trend of school dropouts, as well as the study concluded that there was no causal relationship between child labour in tobacco farming and school dropouts. This study recommends proper actions to be taken to overcome school dropouts as follows: the education stakeholders should make efforts to educate community, parents or guardians about the potentiality of education to the children in order to enable them to take strong action against school truancy. The government institutions should educate the people about the consequences of involving children in field work to the extent that they drop from studies.