I think a lot have been written about child labour,its cause and effect. What I would wish to focus on is how to reduce drop outs from school and work towards the sustainibility of every street childrens education. As a fact if we as responsible citizens do not think and reach out towards the sustainability of education it would be very difficult for us to fight against child labour.
Let me start with a very simple example,the maid who worked in my house back in India had four children.Out of the four the elder daughter was married and the other three worked in different areas to earn bread for the family along with their mother.Their father had died long back hence children were mainly the sole earner of the family.The second daughter was of the age around 16-17 who used to share the responsibilty along with her mother to wash dishes,the third son around the age 14 used to work in a local factory(biri making),the fourth son around the age 11-12 used to work in a local tea shop in the evening and would attend the nearby government school in the morning paying some very nominal school fee.One day I asked my maid that if the charge of the school was very nominal and if we support her then will she agree to re-admit the other two children who were already a school drop out at the age of 14 and 16 respectively.The answer that she gave was a very common answer I am sure each one of us is familier with.She replied saying "Didi beshi porashona koriyee ki hobe tokhon to ei soob choto khato kaaj korbee na aar boro chakri paoyaa to amder shadhee r bayiree tayi songsar e ekhon ja aschee tokhon tao ashbe na".Oi nirokhorota dur hoyeche, bus train er number portee paree
nijer naam soi kortee paree setayii aneek.Let me translate the meaning in english for non bengali speakers.It means "What would be the benefit of re-admiting and giving them the opportunity to learn more in life. As if they go for higher education i.e continue school and opt for college then they will not be willing to work in a tea stall or a biri factory.They would want a decent job".Given our economic, social and financial status what decent job will they get?Hence in future may be they will be unable to contirbute the small amount also that are contributing to the family today. My children are not illitrate they can read numbers of trains and buses and also can sign their names that is more than enough".
So friends I hope the example above clearly proves how important it for us to think of sustainibility of education inorder to fight against chaild labour.The first step that each one of us can start with is try to convince the parents about the future of education.Most parents are really unaware about different types of jobs that are created in India today.We must convince them that if one takes interest and strives towards education and succeds well in examination in that case social/financial/economic barriers can be crossed,it is not absolutely impossible.But for that the parents needs to take the first step.They should start believing that there children also can prove to the world that "THEY CAN".
