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| Sunday, 12 June 2005 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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June 12 - World Day Against Child Labour : A happy childhood for all children
Although children working in mines and quarries is not such a severe problem in Sri Lanka, in some other Asian countries, especially in Africa and South America, this is very widespread. Over one million children throughout the world work in small-scale mines and quarries where they face some of the worst conditions imaginable for child labourers. They work long hours, carry heavy loads, set explosives, sieve sand and dirt, crawl though narrow tunnels, inhale harmful dusts and sometimes work in water which carries various toxins. The rate of child labourers facing injuries, chronic illnesses and even death is highest in this industry. Sri Lanka's data on child workers is not encouraging either. A survey on child labour shows that out of nearly four million children aged 5-17, over 926,000 (21 per cent) are engaged in some form of economic activity. Almost 235,000 of them (six per cent) don't attend school or any other educational institution. The majority of children in the labour market (62.3 per cent) are boys, while 95 per cent are from rural areas. The survey has also revealed that 52 per cent of these children are below 15 years. Only about 18 per cent of them receive any payment for their work, and even among them, only about 38 per cent earn over Rs. 1,000 per month. Some of them, especially domestic workers, are reported to work all seven days, without a break. The sector which has the highest rate of child workers in Sri Lanka (60 per cent) is agriculture. Over 20,000, nearly 70 per cent of them girls, are reportedly working as domestic servants too. Poverty has compelled most of them to earn a living, to fend for themselves and their families. What is worse in this situation is that for most of them, education has come to a total standstill, shutting down any possibilities of a better future. ************* Walk to defeat child hunger
As a part of the global walk to end child hunger, the United Nations Food Programme (WFP) in Colombo and its partner company, TNT will team up today to prove that one collective footstep can transform the lives of the world's poorest children. More than 200,000 people will join the campaign against child hunger and walk five kilometres in over 200 cities in 90 countries across 24 time zones. The event, held for the second consecutive year, is expected to raise over US $ 2.5 million for WFP's global school feeding programme. The event will remind people of the heart-rending fact that in a world which produces more than enough food for everyone, some 18,000 children die of hunger daily. Another 300 million children suffer chronic hunger and 100 million do not attend school. In Sri Lanka, last year's 'Walk the World' campaign raised US $3,000 which is being used to support WFP's 'meals in school' programme. WFP has been expanding the 'meals in school' programme since 2003 and feeds 171,000 children in about 70 schools at present. The school feeding programme is now being extended to tsunami affected children as well, to encourage their return to and active participation in schools. ************ 'Ran Daru' art competition An island-wide art competition that will involve thousands of children and will reward their talents with scholarships, has been announced by Ceylinco Life. The event, organised under the banner of the company's 'Ran Daru' Child Protection Policy, is a replication of the successful art competition and exhibition organised by Ceylinco Life last year, with significant improvements, the company said. The exhibition of the best submissions by children aged 5 to 18 years, with which the event culminates, will this year showcase 450 entries, 50 per cent more than last year, and will be open to the public for two days instead of one. Nine scholarships and 441 consolation prizes and certificates are on offer to participants. Ceylinco Life has invited children in the specified age groups to send in their paintings by June 20 to any of the 100 plus Ceylinco Life branches or to its office at 60, Park Street, Colombo 2. The competition, which will be judged by a panel headed by the renowned chidlren's artist Sybil Wettasinghe, will award prizes in three categories, ages 5 to 10, 11 to 14 and 15 to 18. The lowest age group may submit paintings under a theme of their choice, while the two older groups are required to submit their paintings under the theme of "Love, Affection and Protection". The first prize in each category will be a scholarship worth Rs. 72,000 in 36 monthly instalments, while the second and third prizes will be scholarships worth Rs. 54,000 and Rs. 36,000 respectively, also paid over 36 months. The best 150 paintings in each age group will be displayed at the Ran Daru Art Exhibition at the BMICH on July 16 and 17. Application forms for the competition will be available at all Ceylinco Life branch offices island-wide. Ceylinco Life representatives are also visiting schools to distribute application forms. Adding excitement to the exhibition, electronic media sponsors Sirasa TV will record the popular 'Punchi Panchi', programme live at the BMICH on the exhibition days, offering selected students an opportunity to participate. The station's popular Sittampana programme is also to be recorded at the venue. Another feature of the exhibition will be workshops by renowned artists S. H. Sarath, Sybil Wettasinghe and Geetha Seneviratne, a magic show and a puppet show. ************ ADB help to improve secondary education
The programme will be carried over the next five years, upto 2010. The success achieved during the first stage of the programme has encouraged the ADB to assist the second stage of the programme as well. The first stage was carried out from 2001 and covered 2,300 secondary schools throughout the country. The project was launched by the Education Ministry to facilitate the education reforms introduced in 1997. In 2001, the ADB awarded a five-year project valued at Rs. 8,000 million for the secondary education modernisation programme. Another 1,200 secondary schools which didn't receive foreign aid under the previous phase are expected to benefit under the second stage which came into operation this April. Improving the quality of secondary school education, facilitating educational development at the zonal and provincial levels and strengthening administrative activities and the education reforms process are the main objectives of the secondary education modernisation programme. |
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| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Politics | Produced by Lake House |
Today is the World Day Against Child Labour as declared by the
International Labour Organisation (ILO). The day, organised for the fourth
time by the ILO, has been dedicated to the achievable goal of removing all
child workers from small scale mines and quarries. 
Would you like to join the battle against child hunger? This might
sound like a difficult task, but all you have to do is walk a few
kilometres. Don't worry, you will not be alone; thousands of children
along with adults will join you. 
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to invest Rs. 5,000 million
in the second stage of the Secondary Education Modernisation programme
introduced by the Education Ministry. 
