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Independent Child Migration and Education Nexus in sub-Sahara
AfricaBy
Theophilus Kwabena Abutima
(Student)
Centre for Migration StudiesMarch, 2017
Introduction
• Child migration is comparatively new in research and policy cycles due to less attention on child migration over the years (Punch, 2007).
• Independent child migrants are seen as “victims” with no agency (Edmonds & Shrestha, 2009).
• Victimising and Pathologizing Independent Child Migration has shrouded its positive impact (Hashim, 2005; Thorsen, 2007).
• Less emphasis on education of independent child migrants at the destination.
• The paper interrogates implications of independent child migration beyond the vulnerability of independent child migrants.
Methodology
• Draws mainly on secondary data which was complimented by primary data gathered from a qualitative study conducted in Madina-Accra, Ghana.
• 10 independent child migrants(5 boys and 5 girls) were purposively sampled.
• 8 child schooling in Accra while 2 schooling at the origin but work in Accra
• The paper combined published works on child migration in parts of sub-Saharan Africa with the primary data to build a compendium of thepositive aspect of independent child migration and the education nexus.
Theoretical Background(The Structural Differentiation Theory)
• Smelser (1964) used Structural Differentiation Approach to explain how modernization and globalization have transformed family structure
• Traditional families were more supportive, dependable and played multiple roles (providing emotional support, socialization, education, welfare,
and religious guidance)
• One distinct hallmark of the traditional family is mutual self-help and reciprocity.
• Traditional families which were more supportive are now nuclear families with broken support system (Nukunya, 2003; Therborn, 2004).
• Children are compelled to support themselves through migration.
Independent Child Migration in the Context of sub-Saharan Africa
• Selectivity of independent child migration according to:
Age
Gender
Maturity
readiness to live without parental guidance (van de Glind, 2010; Thorsen, 2007; Hashim, 2005).
• Socialisation prepares children to contribute to family income.
• Children only work for the household (Hashim, 2005).
• Migration as a life transition process
Agency of the Independent Child Migration
• Children migrants are often assumed to have no agency, passive with no intrinsic desire for migration, are incapable of migrating independently (Howard, 2008).
• They are often perceived as trafficked children with parallel migratory processes and experiences.
• Independent child migrants have agency and control over their migration decision making (Mitchell, 2011).
• Earlier studies by Hashim, (2005), de Lange (2007), Imorou (2008) and Staunton et al. (2007) on the migration of children in Ghana, Burkina Faso, Benin and Southern Africa respectively support this assertion.
Agency of the Independent Child Migration
• I came here with my friend and his father. I first passed through Obuasi to visit myuncle and to ask him for some money for my travel down south. The friend I camewith was about 15 years and the dad about 75. People who have been to Accra allsay life is good here. Some friends also told me there is work here and thisinfluenced my migration to Accra. My maternal uncle encouraged me when I toldhim of my intentions. I did not tell my parents I was going to Accra. I told them I wasgoing to Obuasi to visit my uncle (Sampson, a food processor in Accra Ghana,Voices of Child Migrants, Anarfi & Thorsen, 2005).
• The case of Mawuena, 15 years, SHS 1 student reveals:
Resolve to come out of prevailing societal hindrance.
The search for a supportive environment which can be attainedthrough migration.
Poverty and Migration for Education
• Migration restores the dream of lost hopes in education
• The case of Musah, 19 years, Fieldwork, November, 2015
• Completed Junior School with no hope of Secondary schooleducation although academically good.
• Migration offered him the resources to go back to school
• However, he still comes to Accra during school vacations to sell his icecream to finance his education and that of his younger siblings.
School Drop-out and Accessing Education through Migration
• The case of Margret:……..After a year, I decided to come to Accra to work because myauntie’s daughter who is just three years older than me is alsoworking in Accra, so that when I get money, I will return and go toschool. But when I came here, I got to know that I can sell my purewater and go to school here because the girls I sell water with alsogo to school. So I told my auntie’s daughter that I have some moneyso she should send me to school and I came here because there wasa girl I sell the water with who is in this school (Margret, 14 yearsPrimary 6 Pupil. Fieldwork, November, 2015).
Challenges in Accessing Education at the Destination
• Engagement in economic activities tend to hinder access to education.
• Children have to work to access education with its ramifications.
• Prevailing conditions and negative perception at destination areas are also key determinants to accessing education.
• Independent child migrants are aware of the challenges in migration as well as good platforms for their life transition process (Anarfi & Thorsen, 2005: 2).
• A respondent from my study noted that:Living in Accra without my parents is difficult but I can manage with thesedifficulties because, I know why I came to Accra; I have an aim that I wantto achieve…... (Mensah, 15 years old JHS 3 Pupil in Accra. Fieldwork,November, 2015).
Accessing Education at the Destination
• The supporting cases from South Africa and Ethiopia (Kifle 2002; Edmonds & Shrestha, 2009)
• The Case of Azara in my study is a typical example in Ghana.
I completed Junior High School in Walewale but my result wasnot good. I came here to do kayayei (head porterage) to getmoney to buy a sewing machine and go back to learn how tosew at my hometown. But there was a woman I carry her thingsanytime she comes to the market, she is a teacher in this school.One day she said I am a good girl and she wants me to comeand help her as a house girl. I agreed and worked in her house.After some time, she brought me to this school, I started fromclass six and I am now in form 3. I am still helping her in thehouse after school (Azara, Fieldwork, November, 2015).
Conclusions and Recommendations
• Independent child migration exist and is gaining attention in the migration literature (Thorsen 2007).
• Independent child migrants have agency in migration.
• Migration to urban areas is not always detrimental to the education of children.
• Researchers should endeavour to look beyond independent child migration as a social deviation and a “pathology”.
• A holistic approach be should adopted using child-centred to highlightchildren’s own migration experiences.
• Independent child migrants are different from other child migrants. Policyshould therefore recognise their unique requirements and meet them such aseducational support for those already in school.
