Abstract

Child labour presents a pervasive challenge in developing nations, significantly impacting long-term economic growth by hindering the accumulation of human capital. This study utilises data from the China Family Panel Studies to investigate the impact of commute time to school on child labour. The empirical results indicate that a one-hour increase in a child’s commute time to school correlates with a statistically significant increase of 6.3 percentage points in the likelihood of the child engaging in the labour market, as well as an increase of 2.3 hours in weekly working hours. Moreover, the mechanism analysis suggests that longer commute time reduces children’s learning time, resulting in lower academic performance and educational expectations. Consequently, this increases the likelihood of children joining the labour market during compulsory education. These results underscore the need for enhancing transportation infrastructure and optimising school locations in developing nations to counteract child labour by shortening commute times and improving educational access.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.