It is not only child labourers who toil for their daily bread, some children do it while managing to attend schools.
For the cinemas, commercial centres, and markets near Syed Murtuza Government School, the slum children studying there are prospective employees.
Aware that many of the children at the school work at petty shops, roadside eateries and various establishments, Childline, the national organisation working for children in distress, organised an interactive session to drive home the importance of continuing school, in the spirit of Anti Child Labour Day.
“Come to school regularly”, was the message Childline intended to send out to these children, said Godwin Premsingh, director, Childline nodal organisation.
In their keenness to earn a pittance to supplement the family’s income, the children were sometimes absent or late for school. Scholastic performance was affected as children had little time to study. School was not just for studying, but also for recreational activities, Devika, district child protection officer (in-charge), told students.
Advocate Jeyanthi Rani told students to participate in the extracurricular activities and cultural opportunities provided by the school. Schoolchildren and Childline volunteers performed a skit and dance highlighting child rights and opposing child labour. Nearly 400 children participated in the awareness programme presided over by headmaster C. Velusamy.
