The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Indo-U.S. project to identify child workers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 26, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Indo-U.S. project to identify child workers

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUVANNAMALAI, DEC. 25. The Tiruvannamalai Collector, Satyabrata Sahoo, has inaugurated a participatory training programme for rural people under the Indo-U.S. (INDUS) collaboration project on elimination of child labour at Paliapattu in Chengam taluk.

Mr. Sahoo said under the project, being implemented in Tiruvannamalai, Namakkal, Virudhunagar, Thiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts, steps were being taken to identify child workers between 9 and 13 and educate them in alternative education centres (AECs).

Besides, arrangements were also made to identify workers in the 14-17 age group and provide them vocational training. Measures were also initiated to send children in the 5-8 age group to schools.

There were 32 AECs in 18 panchayat unions in Tiruvannamalai district. the children were taught through the `Joy of Learning' method. Mid-day meal, uniforms, notebooks and medical facilities were provided free. Besides, they were paid an incentive of Rs.100 per month. Thirtyeight child workers, including some rescued from stone quarries and agriculture fields, are studying in the AEC inaugurated at Paliapattu.

The Collector appealed to the public to ensure that all children of school-going age were enrolled in the AECs.

V. Balamurugan, Chief Education Officer, Tiruvannamalai, said that the Government provided all facilities to enable rural children to get free education and the parents should make use of them. Post-literacy education was also imparted to adults. S. Viswanathan, Revenue Divisional Officer, Tiruvannamalai, Annamalai, president, Paliapattu panchayat, Natarajan, Chengam tahsildar, Sankaranarayanan, commissioner, Chengam panchayat union, and Sankar Sekar, assistant coordinator, Sarva Siksha Abhyan, spoke.

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