Kovai CLASS plans more special centres
The Kovai Child Labour Abolition Support Society (Kovai CLASS) is in the process of enrolling child workers rescued and rehabilitated during the last one year in the regular schools. These children have had training in the special centres for almost a year.Child workers rescued during raids are first enrolled in the special centres, trained in normal school education and then helped to join mainstream education.The “mainstreaming process, which started in June, is almost complete,” says an official of the society. Over 150 children from the special centres have joined the regular schools this year.
Apart from the existing special centres, new ones will be started in the district though the number is yet to be finalised. It is likely to be more than that of last year, he adds. The plan is to have about 40 special centres. Each special centre will have about 25 children. The society is also considering the enrolment of children who dropout of regular schools in these special centres, apart from the rescued child workers.The special schools will be started this month in different parts of the district. Raids are conducted regularly throughout the district, especially to identify and rescue children working in the domestic sector and eateries, he adds. The district has abolished child workers in hazardous industries. The focus is on the non-hazardous sectors now. With awareness programmes at village-level, more number of children are expected to join schools this year.
