Participants attend the state level workshop on eradication of child labour and Right to Education. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 29: A state-level workshop titled “Eradication of Child Labour and Right to Education” was held today. The aim of the workshop was to bring down the rising number of child workers across the state and integrate them into mainstream schools.

Representatives from the state labour and education departments, child rights’ activists, members of non-governmental organisations and students of a private social science institute participated in this workshop, which was organised by the Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL), Orissa Alliance on Convention on Rights of the Child (OACRC) and People’s Cultural Centre (Pecuc).

Ranjan Mohanty, secretary of Pecuc, presented statistics compiled by National Sample Survey, Economic Survey (2005-06) and Orissa Primary Education Programme Authority to show a growing trend in child labour, more so among girls and tribal children, and a corresponding increase in the absolute percentage of dropout in the state.

“Girls are a part of the invisible labour force. About 22 per cent of girls have not been to school while 50 per cent girl students enrolled in primary schools drop out before the age of 12 years.

“Even tribal children are very vulnerable to this trend,” said Mohanty.

Mohanty also highlighted the non-implementation of an action plan that was drafted by the labour department last year in consultation with NGO and civil society members.

Convenor of CACL, Binayak Swain, stressed on equitable and quality education as prerequisites for eradication of child labour while Arun Sahu, deputy chief whip said attitude change among parents and an overall social awareness was the need of the hour.