Interrogating the Prevalence of Street Begging by Adults with Disabilities Encompassing Children as Escorts in Africa at the Expense of their Basic Education

Abstract

Street begging by adults with disabilities involving children as guides is one of the barriers to accessibility of basic education prevalent in African countries. This study interrogates the commonness of street begging involving children in Africa at the expense of their basic education. It particularly set to understand the factors leading to the prevalence of this dreadful phenomenon and the negative consequences emanating from this practice. A systematic review was adopted to review 20 empirical articles and subject them to thematic content analysis. The results indicated numerous reasons including deficiency of education, sympathy attraction, lack of proper orientation, laziness and poverty. Others are religious grounds and parental separation leading to presence of single mothers and single fathers. The presence of this dreadful phenomenon has deprived children from accessing basic education. The need for more inclusive interventions to tackle the phenomenon in each nation as per contextual conditions arises.