-in observance of World Day Against Child Labour
THE World is today, June 12, observing World Day against child labour under the theme, ‘WARNING! Children in hazardous work: End child labour’. On the national front, the Ministries of Education and Labour and Human Services and Social Security in partnership with the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) TACKLE project, International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) and the European Union (EU) held a mural paint off which gave secondary school students the opportunity to express their views, through the arts, against child labour.

THE national theme for World Day Against Child Labour is: ‘WARNING! Child labour can hurt! Let’s stay in school’.
A study carried out by EduCare Guyana indicates that Guyana has a low level of the worse cases of child labour.
This is reflective of the established laws which stipulate that all school aged children must attend school up to age 15, Education Minister Shaik Baksh emphasised at Friday’s’s mural competition at the Ministry’s sports complex on Carifesta Avenue.
The new education legislation outlines that the set age-range be raised to 16 years.
Minister Baksh acknowledged that child labour is a critical issue, globally, where over 200 million are involved and the ILO is the lead agency in the battle. He added that while Guyana has signed on to the ILO’s conventions, addressing the issue, they are not sufficient to solve child labour but require preventative efforts.

He explained that one preventative action is ensuring that all school aged children are enrolled in school. Thus far the Ministry has been able to reach the 100 percent enrollment mark which is seen in the attainment of universal primary education, 85 percent enrollment at the nursery level and total access at the secondary level.
The challenge is keeping the students in school so that they can complete their education, Minister Baksh emphasised. He noted that while most children complete their primary education they encounter stumbling-blocks at the secondary level.

Minister  Baksh pointed out that this challenge not only affects Guyana but other Caribbean countries and, to reduce the student drop-out rate, changes must be made to the curriculum, improvements in delivery in quality education, introduction of new subjects, creation of child-friendly environments and establishment of special programmes such as sports, and skills training. These give students various options that are not entirely academic while enabling them to be confident to stay in school.
While the TACKLE project seeks to ensure the population is aware of the impact of child labour, schools and teachers also have a role to play in meeting the needs of students by not delivering a differentiated curriculum based on student performance, Minister Baksh posited.
One cause of child labour is poverty; in this regard the government has invested significantly into social programmes for its eradication, including the provision of school uniform, school feeding and the distribution of free texts and exercise books by the Education Ministry.

In the Human and Social Services citizens can benefit from various assistance packages and most recently the establishment of the child care and protection agency which addresses the rights of children.
Minister Baksh disclosed that the Education Ministry is working on setting up a special fund to assist parents who are in dire need. Other programmes established by the ministry that target the welfare of children include school welfare, guidance and counselling, robust Parent Teachers’ Associations (PTA), mentoring and the establishment of student councils.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Trevor Thomas noted that while the world is bringing child labour to the microscope, in Guyana, the challenge is to ensure no child is a victim, in this regard the Ministry has been working to ensure that the potentials of child labour do not materialize. 
He emphasised that child labour is one form of exploitation that children around the world are exposed to; as a result, the ministry is committed to working along with other agencies towards ensuring that children are provided with the opportunities to realize their full potential so that upon entry of the world of work they are competent and productive.
During the next nine months the Ministry will be focusing on determining factors that prevent children from staying in school while secondary school students in hinterland communities will be made aware of the dangers of human trafficking.
Thomas added that attempts will also be made to tackle child labour by ensuring employers are committed to refrain from employing persons below the stipulated age range.
He emphasised that Guyanese should continue to work together towards ensuring Guyana does not become a country where children are victims of any form of child labour.
The ILO’s new report for World Day against child labour warns that a staggeringly high number of children are still caught in hazardous work – some 115 million of the world’s 215 million child labourers – and calls for urgent action to halt the practice.
The report calls for a renewed effort to ensure that all children are in education at least until the minimum age of employment and for countries to establish a hazardous work list as required by ILO child labour conventions. (GINA)