Children who had studied at special centres run by the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) and had completed graduation were felicitated at a function held here on Tuesday to mark Anti Child Labour Day.
According to the NCLP Project Director D.V. Vijay Kumaar, there were 15 children who had completed degrees in arts, commerce, and science, vocational training at Industrial Training Institute, and diploma. They were presented Young Achiever Award and certificate. As many as seven students who completed Class X and Class XII this year and who had earlier studied at the NCLP special centres were given cash prizes. Education aids and dress materials were also distributed to these students.
Ford car and Helping Minds, a voluntary organisation, distributed computers to 13 special centres in the district. Helping Minds also gave globe models to the schools.
Apart from these, awareness stickers were pasted on vehicles and flex boards inaugurated in the city to educate the public against employment of child workers. A CD on efforts taken by the Government to abolish child labour was released. Coimbatore District Collector T.N. Hariharan and officials of the Labour Department took part in these programmes. A signature campaign was organised by the Labour Department on Tuesday.
About 700 children study at the 30 special centres run by NCLP in Coimbatore and Tirupur Districts.