In the declaration of the Rights of children in 1924 there were certain principles that were put forth. The 7th principle states that the child is entitled to receive education that shall be free & compulsory at least in the elementary stages. He will have full opportunity for play and recreation. Principle 9 stated that, the child shall not be admitted to employment before an appropriate minimum age. He shall in no case be employed which would prejudice his health or education or interfere with his physical mental or moral development.
But there are some children in this society or World who are deprived of these rights. They cannot study, nor can they play. They just have to work the whole day. Yes, I am referring to the problem known as child labour.
What is the meaning of child labour? Let us understand this. Child labour means a child who has to work every day, sometimes for more than 14 hours a day and is not paid properly. Legally speaking, he is underage for work. Thus the employer can be fined if the child is below 15 years of age and is working there. Indian law prohibits child labour; but the law is not enforced.
But this child does not like to work on his own will. He has no other option and thus is forced to do so. He is poor or does not have a home; or the condition in the family is very bad and thus the child has to work. Therefore the child misses his childhood when he can play, be free from every thing. Now he has to be under tension and becomes more like an adult than a child.
India has the largest number of children at work in the world today. Some estimates put the figure at 100 million children.
These children work in industries such as ‘beedi rolling’ (cigarette making), carpet making, match making, making slates or, weaving silk. The most notorious of these is the carpet industry of Mirzapur-Bhadohi-Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh State of India. A report quotes of a recent study of these children who are kept in captivity, tortured and made to work 20 hours a day without a break.
There are several forms of labour involving children. They are:
1. Domestic servants
2. Forced and bonded labour
3. Commercial sexual exploitation
4. Industrial and plantation work
5. Street work
6. House hold work
The most vulnerable and exploited children of all, as well as the most difficult to protect, may well be those in domestic services. They are often poorly paid or not paid at all. Their terms and conditions are entirely at the whims and fancy of their employers who take no account of their legal rights. They are deprived of schooling, play and social activity, not to mention absence of emotional support from friends and family. What is more, they are vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse.
The isolation of children in domestic service also makes it difficult to establish reliable estimates of their number around or in India. Thus due to all this the child suffers from mental and physical strain that affects his life.
However in the prevailing conditions, the child is not at fault. He is forced to work, even though he does not want to.
I think there are five reasons why the child is forced to work. They are:
1. The standard of living of the family is so poor that though they are hard working, they are benefited with an extra hand. They cannot earn enough money thus the child is exploited.
2. Parents live apart and the parent with whom the child is staying is unemployed or does not work.
3. The father drinks a lot and does not earn, the child and mother have to work.
4. One of the other reasons is that the child has no home, he is an orphan. He lives on streets where ever he gets shelter, and has to earn to fill his stomach.
5. The child may also have run away from home because he is not happy or he must have problems or many other reasons. Therefore he has no one to look upon for food and money and is all alone in this big wide world.
Now as the world is developing, computers can help these children to develop their abilities, ideas and guide them. Every child has some special ability which has to be developed.
With the help of computers set up all over the country, the first step is to find out the number of children who do not have any homes and are in need of one. All the children living on street, who are begging should be collected together. The officer should keep that child for a month and get used to him. Then after knowing the child well he should put the same description on the internet. With the help of graphics, he should show the photo of the child and send it on the net and ask people world wide if they would like to adopt that child. Thus the number of children begging on the streets will lessen. One thing should be kept in mind that the family in which the child goes, should be good and should also be able to afford him.
The second step aims to educate the child. There should be special schools where they are taught how to earn a livelihood and where they are made civilised and moulded to be good citizens. Learning methods should cater to each child’s needs since they have not attended normal school. Some children may have attended a few standards and then stopped going to school. Some may not have studied at all from the beginning. Normal schools would not allow these children as they would be overaged as compared to other children in the class, nor would the child be comfortable.
As these children have no formal education they don’t need to be educated like normal students. As they have not gone to schools earlier they may not like to sit in one place and would find it very boring and also escape from the classes that are conducted for them. Therefore education and play should be combined. They should feel that their studies are like a play. Their education should not necessary be the same as for normal students. Some basic and vocational education tailored to each child must be undertaken in these special classes with the help of computers.
I understand Digital Education using computers allows lessons to be done by each child at his own pace. With the help of computers they should be taught various skills, and their qualities, interests should be kept in mind. The children will be benefited with these lessons because then individual attention can be given to them depending on his abilities, how much he has studied earlier, or the type of work he has done earlier.
The third step is for companies to adopt and sponser these children and educate them with the help of computers. The children can be paid some money to compensate for not earning. So there will be no child labour.
Let a ray of light brighten the lives of children who are wringing in pain. With this we will help our country to develop. Children will get some hope in their life and prosper and be regarded as a civilized citizens of the country.
The isolation of children in domestic service also makes it difficult to establish reliable estimates of their number around or in India. Thus due to all this the child suffers from mental and physical strain that affects his life.
However in the prevailing conditions, the child is not at fault. He is forced to work, even though he does not want to.
I think there are five reasons why the child is forced to work. They are:
1. The standard of living of the family is so poor that though they are hard working, they are benefited with an extra hand. They cannot earn enough money thus the child is exploited.
2. Parents live apart and the parent with whom the child is staying is unemployed or does not work.
3. The father drinks a lot and does not earn, the child and mother have to work.
4. One of the other reasons is that the child has no home, he is an orphan. He lives on streets where ever he gets shelter, and has to earn to fill his stomach.
5. The child may also have run away from home because he is not happy or he must have problems or many other reasons. Therefore he has no one to look upon for food and money and is all alone in this big wide world.
Now as the world is developing, computers can help these children to develop their abilities, ideas and guide them. Every child has some special ability which has to be developed.
With the help of computers set up all over the country, the first step is to find out the number of children who do not have any homes and are in need of one. All the children living on the street, who are begging should be collected together. The officer should keep that child for a month and get used to him. Then after knowing the child well he should put the same description on the internet. With the help of graphics, he should show the photo of the child and send it on the net and ask people world wide if they would like to adopt that child. Thus the number of children begging on the streets will lessen. One thing should be kept in mind that the family in which the child goes, should be good and should also be able to afford him.
The second step aims to educate the child. There should be special schools where they are taught how to earn a livelihood and where they are made civilised and moulded to be good citizens. Learning methods should cater to each child’s needs since they have not attended normal school. Some children may have attended a few standards and then stopped going to school. Some may not have studied at all from the beginning. Normal schools would not allow these children as they would be overaged as compared to other children in the class, nor would the child be comfortable.
As these children have no formal education they don’t need to be educated like normal students. As they have not gone to schools earlier they may not like to sit in one place and would find it very boring and also escape from the classes that are conducted for them. Therefore education and play should be combined. They should feel that their studies are like a play. Their education should not necessary be the same as for normal students. Some basic and vocational education tailored to each child must be undertaken in these special classes with the help of computers.
I understand Digital Education using computers allows lessons to be done by each child at his own pace. With the help of computers they should be taught various skills, and their qualities, interests should be kept in mind. Then children will be benefited with these lessons because then individual attention can be given to them depending on his abilities, how much he has studied earlier, or the type of work he has done earlier.
The third step is for companies to adopt and sponser these children and educate them with the help of computers. The children can be paid some money to compensate for not earning. So there will be no child labour.
Let a ray of light brighten the lives of children who are wringing in pain. With this we will help our country to develop. Children will get some hope in their life and prosper and be regarded as a civilized citizens of the country.
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