When the World Day Against Child Labour was observed on Saturday, the future of 290-odd children pursuing studies at the Special Training Centres (STCs) under the National Child Labour Project (NCLP), in the district is in the dark as their centres remain closed in the past one-and-a-half years due to COVID-19 pandemic while they were not paid their monthly stipend of ₹400 each in the past five years.
A total of 294 child workers under 14 years in Talavadi, Kadambur, Gundri, Bargur and Sathyamangalam were rescued and admitted to 15 STCs that were run by non-governmental organisations in the district. These centres function under the Child Labour Division of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, which pays a monthly stipend to students to encourage them to continue their studies after which they are admitted to the regular schools in their area. Also, the teachers at the centre were paid consolidated salaries by the ministry.
The stipend that was ₹100 a student was increased to ₹150 in 2010 and to ₹400 a month in February, 2017. However, the stipend was not credited to the children’s bank account from March, 2017 and the staff at the centres were not given salaries from March, 2020. About 6,000 children were studying at 300 centres in 16 districts in the State and the centres were not functioning since March, 2020.
S.C. Natraj, Director, Service Unit for Development Activities in Rural (SUDAR), an NGO, that runs centres at Vilankombai tribal settlement and Gundri Hills told The Hindu that most of the children’s parents work in brick kiln units, involve in sugarcane and bamboo cutting and they take their children with them.
“We rescue the children and admit them in these centres and provide education”, he added. Since they were not receiving stipends and also due to poverty, they join their family and continue to work, he said and added that the purpose of the scheme is defeated. Also, there is no mobile connectivity in the hill areas preventing them from learning, he added.
Since the pandemic is expected to continue and centres are not expected to be reopened any time soon, Mr. Natraj wanted classrooms to be conducted at a public place with the help of local volunteers.
