Effect of Street Hawking on the Academic Performance of Students
Chapter One
PURPOSE OF STUDY
The main purpose of this study is to identify the various factors that cause street hawking , it is also aimed at investigating the various agents that influence academic pursuit and their effects on the school work of the young hawker and to channel these influences towards providing a long term solutions.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
Our focus in this chapter is to critically examine relevant literature that would assist in explaining the research problem and furthermore recognize the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Concept Of Street Hawking
Street hawking is defined by Umar (2009) in its simplest form is the selling of thingsalong the roads and from one place to the other. Aiyeluro (1979) defines street hawking asthe process whereby the hawker hawks his goods by carrying the goods on his or her head by means of a tray, or minor forms of transportation like wheel barrows, bicycles, trolleys etc. in search of customers in the process of which he could employ the use of bells or shout the name of the item he or she is hawking in order to attract the attention of any interested customer.
Anyanwu (1992) sees street hawking as a trading activity that involves movement across house or street with certain articles usually food or household commodity advertised by the seller through shouting the name of the item, ringing of bell or the like. Street hawking is considered as the act of canvassing for sale, items carried by the hawker along the street, from house to house or in the public places in town (Ikechebelu 2008).Therefore, street hawking is a system of trade that involves the movement of thetrader from place to another in search of customers to purchase his or her wares, which could be household or perishable commodity, through the means of shouting or using a bell.
Vinolia and Fubara (1988) described street hawking as an aspect of child abuse and neglect. They argued that certain economic and socio-psychological factors induce street hawking which they added have damaging effects on the developmental processes of children.The culture of hawking did not come from the blues; it has a historical offshoot.
Trends Of Street Hawking In Nigeria
In seeking to situate the development of street hawking in Nigeria, a historical review of how street hawking came to stay in Nigeria becomes imperative. As it concerns the emergence of child hawking in Nigeria, Olori (2009) is of the opinion that street trading, especially by children, appears to have started with the introduction of an International Monetary Fund tructural Adjustment Plan (IMFSA) in the late 1980s, which led to the devaluation of the currency, a withdrawal of subsidies on items such as fuel, water, and electricity, and job cuts. Resulting from the above, parents who could no longer afford fees for their children or wards withdraw them from school. In an effort to help families make ends meet, some of these children were engaged as domestic servants to wealthy households, as car washers and watchers, bus conductors, and street hawkers. At this point, it is very clear that the issue of child hawking is not as old as man, rather it started at a point in the history of human existence. Therefore, it is still believed that the principles of anything that has a beginning must have an end will one day be fulfilled in the issue of child hawking in Nigeria, if the right policy steps are taken (Olori, 2009).
Street hawking among the primary school age children are fast becoming the culture in our society. When children are kept busy on the street and they come in contact with different corrupt behaviors during hawking, it becomes worrisome what the outcome will be on their academic, behavioral and socio-emotional development. This if not properly addressed will seriously affect the general standard of morality and social norms that has formed the acceptable pattern of behavior among the youths
Involving children in hawking goods in the street is an emerging trend in Nigeria and an issue of concern. This trend is refer to as; child street trading (Ashimolowo, Aromolaran & Inegbedion, 2010), child street hawking (Mathias & Dada, 2013), juvenile street hawking (Udoh & Joseph, 2012) and child street vendor (Ugochukwu, Okeke, Onubogu &Edokwe, 2012). Children are preferred to adult in hawking goods because; they are less criminal and a cheap labour to the employer (Arhedo, Aluede &Arhedo, 2011; Anumaka, 2012).This led to increase in the number of children who roam the street daily hawking goods while those of their age are in school. Studies identified the age bracket of these children to fall between 10 and 19 years. (Ashimolowo, et al 2010; Ndem, Michiel, & Awa, 2012; Ugochukwu, et al 2012).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitute of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
This study examined the effect of street hawking on academic performance of students a case study of some selected secondary schools in Oredo LGA Edo State. Teachers and students from the selected secondary schools forms the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of fifty-five (55) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which fifty (50) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 50 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
SUMMARY
This study examined the effects of street hawking on students academic performance in selected secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. It discussed other stuffs like the various factors that cause street hawking , it is also aimed at investigating the various agents that influence academic pursuit and their effects on the school work of the young hawker and to channel these influences towards providing a long term solutions.
Survey research design was employed for the study and with aid of convenient sampling selected fifty-five (55) participant as the sample size for this study. The sources of data collection was both primary and secondary with the application of questionnaires as an instrument to gather the necessary data. The questionnaires were properly completed as well returned by only 50 respondent after being administered and this was a basis by which the primary data were collected. Textbooks, journals, articles, law reports, newspapers publications, were collected as secondary data, and also limitations to the study were indicated. Primary data collated was analyzed using frequencies and tables and the result were similar to those of the responses drawn from the questionnaires.
CONCLUSION
Street hawking is highly detrimental to children’s physical, mental, psychological and social development which cannot be over looked. However, in Nigeria, it appears that child development is grossly abused through the increasing display of hawking in almost all the streets in Nigerian towns. In fact, the proportion of hawking and its attendant consequences has uncontrollably assumed an alarming stage as children between 6-17 years are seen everywhere in the cities hawking wares .
From the result of the study, the following constitutes the major findings:
- Parental level of financial wellbeing influence children street hawking business in Oredo Local government.
- Street hawking influence the high rate of drop out, delinquency and truancy.
- Parents are responsible for providing the wares or articles of street hawking for their children.
- The level of academic achievement of children who indulge in hawkingis low.
RECOMMENDATION
The following recommendations are made based on the findings of the study. If the foregoing recommendations are implemented by relevant agencies, then a great deal would be achieved in the fight to save the Nigerian child.
- There should be advocacy campaigns to educate parents and guardians on’ the dangers of hawking to the children.
- The government should promulgate a feasible law against street hawking and law enforcement agents should arrest parents and guardians who sent out their children for street hawking.
- The government at all levels should not only provide free basic education but also take practical steps to ensure that the education they give is truly and completely free, qualitative, and necessarily compulsory. Legislating and effecting punitive measures on education stakeholders that default will enhance success in this direction.
- Since poverty appears to be a primary cause of street hawking, the government at all levels should step-up efforts to improve the economy, as a matter of urgency. This they can do by stemming the tide of unemployment, improving the remuneration of workers, improving infrastructure, creating job opportunities, and empowering the masses in various conceivable ways. This would go a long way to raise the socio-economic condition of most families thus reducing the poverty rate in the country.
- School administrators should step-up efforts to curb every form of truancy and loitering in and around their respective schools so that students may be disciplined to stay put in schools and pay attention to their lessons.
- Parents and guardians should not neglect their responsibility to provide for members of their family irrespective of whether they are members by blood or by adoption. Parents and guardians whose wards are involved in street hawking should endeavor to protect their wards from the corrupting influence of the society. They can achieve this by training their wards to eschew unacceptable behaviors, by not allowing anything to interfere with their education, and by respecting their right to a secure and happy childhood.
REFERENCE
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- Akachukwu E., Adimonyemma N. & N. Anastecia (2018) Influence of Parents’ socio-economic status on the academic achievement in biology of public senior secondary school students in Orlu LGA Imo State retrived British Journal of Education, Learning and Development Psychology Vol.1, No.1, pp.66-73,.
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