Labour Ministry launches school retention and child labour prevention programme
Over 300 school children benefit from free transportation
Georgetown, GINA, September 28, 2011
Over 300 school children residing along the Linden/Soesdyke highway who attend the Kuru Kuru nursery and primary and Dora secondary schools no longer have to trek two-and-a-half miles to school since they have been afforded the opportunity to be transported, free of cost, to and from school.
The $21M school retention and child labour prevention programme has a nutrition enhancement component (hot meal), after-care programme which will see students getting assistance with home work, parenting workshops and psychosocial support for both parents and students.
This project is a collaborative effort by the Government of Guyana, through the Ministries of Labour, Human Services and Social Security and Education, International Labour Organisation (ILO)/International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), Tackling Child Labour through Education (TACKLE) project with funding by the European Union (EU) and the African Caribbean and Pacific Group of States.
While delivering his remarks at the launch of the project at Dora Secondary school, Kuru Kuru, Minister of Labour, Manzoor Nadir recognised that this new initiative is one that can bring major change to the lives of the children and parents.
“One of things that the programme is going to reinforce in the children, is that regardless of where you live, who you are, or the challenges you face there will be someone by your side to hold your hand and help you along,” Minister Nadir said.
He recognised that since the project commenced 13 days ago there has been a significant increase in attendance at the schools, from 64 percent to 94 percent.
Minister Nadir pointed out that several government projects have evolved into national projects and this includes the national school feeding and school uniform programmes which initially catered to hinterland children.
The Minister expressed his hope that the parents will play a greater role in the education of their children. In this regard, Minister Nadir made reference to the 53 parents who are at present before the court for failing to educate their children.
Permanent Secretary Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security and Chairman of the TACKLE National Steering Committee - Trevor Thomas explained that the Ministrys interest in school attendance is in keeping with its responsibility of facilitating the development of a competent and creative labour force, and a work environment that is safe and provides the opportunity for the realization of the full potential of the workers.
“Labour administration has to do with people and to the extent that we can ensure that Guyana has a labour force that can take us into the future,” he said. Over the last five years the Ministry’s responsibility has expanded well beyond the traditional calling of the organization, and is now focusing on human development.
“Within the context of this project TACKLE is supposed to be tackling child labour through education and while we are still convinced that we do not have a serious problem with child labour in Guyana we believe that it is our responsibility to ensure that children do not become victims and one way to ensure that it is so is to ensure that they have the opportunity to remain in school as long as is required so that they can get the kind of education that can form the basis for them to become productive and creative individuals,” Thomas stated.
He emphasised that TACKLE also functions as a preventative measure as such the Ministry will focus on direct interventions in vulnerable communities thereby reducing chances of children becoming victims of child labour.
National Project Officer – GOG/ILO-IPEC/EU TACKLE project, Sharon Patterson noted that when the ILO and EU signed the agreement with the Government of Guyana through the Ministries of Labour, Human Services and Social Security and Education in 2008 for the start of the TACKLE project, it was to facilitate the start of programmes of this nature.
The TACKLE project’s overarching goal is to contribute to the reduction of poverty by making education and skills training accessible to the most vulnerable groups. This same project is being implemented in 10 other African, Caribbean and Pacific countries including Jamaica, Fiji, Angola, Kenya, Mali, and North and South Sudan.
“Though the ILO places much emphasis on addressing the issue of child labour through education it also use the approach of supporting initiatives which could foster child labour such as truancy, school drop-out and absenteeism,” she indicated. In this regard, ILO’s role is to collaborate with the ministries and partners in any area regarded as appropriate for intervention which will enable children to attend school regularly and punctually.
While this aspect of the programme is being implemented with the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, the Education Ministry is administering the mentoring programme which is being implemented in five schools in Regions 4, 5 and 10 and targets 3500 children.
OLPF project Coordinator, Sesh Sukhdeo, who also attended the activity, shared the key components of the OLPF project and its link to the TACKLE project, particularly the reduction of poverty through use of technology.
Source: Guyana Government Information Agency - Today's Stories.
Over 300 school children residing along the Linden/Soesdyke highway who attend the Kuru Kuru nursery and primary and Dora secondary schools no longer have to trek two-and-a-half miles to school since they have been afforded the opportunity to be transported, free of cost, to and from school.
The $21M school retention and child labour prevention programme has a nutrition enhancement component (hot meal), after-care programme which will see students getting assistance with home work, parenting workshops and psychosocial support for both parents and students.
This project is a collaborative effort by the Government of Guyana, through the Ministries of Labour, Human Services and Social Security and Education, International Labour Organisation (ILO)/International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), Tackling Child Labour through Education (TACKLE) project with funding by the European Union (EU) and the African Caribbean and Pacific Group of States.
While delivering his remarks at the launch of the project at Dora Secondary school, Kuru Kuru, Minister of Labour, Manzoor Nadir recognised that this new initiative is one that can bring major change to the lives of the children and parents.
“One of things that the programme is going to reinforce in the children, is that regardless of where you live, who you are, or the challenges you face there will be someone by your side to hold your hand and help you along,” Minister Nadir said.
He recognised that since the project commenced 13 days ago there has been a significant increase in attendance at the schools, from 64 percent to 94 percent.
Minister Nadir pointed out that several government projects have evolved into national projects and this includes the national school feeding and school uniform programmes which initially catered to hinterland children.
The Minister expressed his hope that the parents will play a greater role in the education of their children. In this regard, Minister Nadir made reference to the 53 parents who are at present before the court for failing to educate their children.
Permanent Secretary Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security and Chairman of the TACKLE National Steering Committee - Trevor Thomas explained that the Ministrys interest in school attendance is in keeping with its responsibility of facilitating the development of a competent and creative labour force, and a work environment that is safe and provides the opportunity for the realization of the full potential of the workers.
“Labour administration has to do with people and to the extent that we can ensure that Guyana has a labour force that can take us into the future,” he said. Over the last five years the Ministry’s responsibility has expanded well beyond the traditional calling of the organization, and is now focusing on human development.
“Within the context of this project TACKLE is supposed to be tackling child labour through education and while we are still convinced that we do not have a serious problem with child labour in Guyana we believe that it is our responsibility to ensure that children do not become victims and one way to ensure that it is so is to ensure that they have the opportunity to remain in school as long as is required so that they can get the kind of education that can form the basis for them to become productive and creative individuals,” Thomas stated.
He emphasised that TACKLE also functions as a preventative measure as such the Ministry will focus on direct interventions in vulnerable communities thereby reducing chances of children becoming victims of child labour.
National Project Officer – GOG/ILO-IPEC/EU TACKLE project, Sharon Patterson noted that when the ILO and EU signed the agreement with the Government of Guyana through the Ministries of Labour, Human Services and Social Security and Education in 2008 for the start of the TACKLE project, it was to facilitate the start of programmes of this nature.
The TACKLE project’s overarching goal is to contribute to the reduction of poverty by making education and skills training accessible to the most vulnerable groups. This same project is being implemented in 10 other African, Caribbean and Pacific countries including Jamaica, Fiji, Angola, Kenya, Mali, and North and South Sudan.
“Though the ILO places much emphasis on addressing the issue of child labour through education it also use the approach of supporting initiatives which could foster child labour such as truancy, school drop-out and absenteeism,” she indicated. In this regard, ILO’s role is to collaborate with the ministries and partners in any area regarded as appropriate for intervention which will enable children to attend school regularly and punctually.
While this aspect of the programme is being implemented with the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, the Education Ministry is administering the mentoring programme which is being implemented in five schools in Regions 4, 5 and 10 and targets 3500 children.
OLPF project Coordinator, Sesh Sukhdeo, who also attended the activity, shared the key components of the OLPF project and its link to the TACKLE project, particularly the reduction of poverty through use of technology.
Source: Guyana Government Information Agency - Today's Stories.