Child Labor, Poverty and Schooling in Ghana and Kenya: A Comparative Analysis

Peter Moyi, Amherst College

This study explored the relationship between child labor, poverty, and schooling. Specifically, it examined how the household characteristics and government policy impact child labor and school attendance in Ghana and Kenya. Using household-level data from the Statistical Information and Monitoring Programme on Child Labor (SIMPOC) of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) developed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), this study compared the nature and determinants of child labor and/or school attendance between Ghana and Kenya. The study found that differences exist between Ghana and Kenya in the relationship between child labor and poverty and schooling. The findings also demonstrate that children can attend school despite facing poverty. Overall, the results of this study highlight the importance of government commitment to the provision of education to all children in these two countries.