Work deprives children of school time

Child labour is a significant social and economic problem that constitutes violation of children’s’ rights and labour standards and exposes children to various risks.
2.75 million children aged 5-17 years are engaged in economic activities and 51 per cent of them (1.4 million) children are engaged in hazardous work. (UNHS 2009/10).
For every 100 metres one walks, there is a child vending products on the streets of Kampala. This happens on all days of the week. I have interacted with a few of these children and the major reason they are engaged in work is to earn an income due to lack of school fees. During a children dialogue organised by Advocacy for Better Health Project in Mpigi District, children in and out of school gave an account of their lives and issues that forced them into employment. Some of these children were in school while others are out of school. “I fetch water early in the morning and in the evening after school to get tuition for myself and two of my siblings. I don’t want to be illiterate so I am working hard to at least be a nurse” said one of the participants a Senior Four student.
Child labour deprives children of their school time thus abusing their right to be children.
The vice is perpetrated by parents, the children themselves and the absence of strict laws against child employment. In Mpigi District, children who live around lake shores are involved in fishing while those on mainland work on farms, in stone quarries, around trading centres, etc.
During one of the feedback meetings on the district OVC strategy, one of the parents said,
“When I go to work in a farm, I earn only Shs10,000 a day, but when I go with my two children we all earn Shs10,000 each which is Shs30,000 a day”. This clearly indicates a case where child labour is perpetrated by parents.
Children are our next generation, our future leaders and they need a firm foundation. A foundation with education; earning Shs10,000 a day should not cost our children their bright future. While parents ought to play an important role in raising the children, the duty bearers ought to have laws against child labour and clear/functional enforcement mechanisms. There ought to be political will to protect children from all forms of abuse, respect and fulfill their rights. This will increase their enrollment and retention in school. It does not makes much sense when out of five days, a child goes to school twice and spends the rest the week working.
As a nation, we should know the value of taking children to school and supporting them to stay there.
Edy.tendo@gmail.com