SAHAYA is a non-profitable society with a mission to impact the lives of under privileged children, enabling them to maximize their potential and change their lives. Sahaya works primarily in the field of education.
June 12 – Today the world is going to observe Anti-Child Labour Day, but for thousands of children here, the day has no meaning at all. These children would be toiling throughout the day in various business establishments and some would also be engaged in hazardous jobs. Deprived of childhood, sitting in a class is
still a distant dream for them.
Slumdogs of India.
Do you know that India has the largest number of child labourers under the age of 14 in the world? An estimated 12.6 million children are engaged in hazardous occupations.
*Child labour is not working.
Children are not a short-term resource for immediate economic relief or source of income and their education
is an investment in their country's and famaly's future
Stop it.
What can we do... If I come across Child Labour... I can...
If you come across Child Labour... You can....
Take some steps »
1. As per the law, having a child under 14 work in the domestic labour sector, hotel industry and in any kind of hazardous factory or industrial work, is illegal and employers are liable to be jailed/fined for committing this
offence. The child may be taken to a home of some kind and kept there till a guarantee (and Rs 3000) is given to ensure that the child will not go back to work.
2. In the case of domestic labour, or working at a construction site etc, one needs to find out from the mother/father if this is a temporary arrangement
(eg. if the child is on vacation and there is no safe place to leave her/him so s/he brings the child to work) or if s/he is against sending the child to school (if so, why), or if sh/e wants the child to work (if so, why)
3. If the arrangement is temporary, it is best to ensure that the child does not work in the homes or sites where he accompanies the parent and that the child is safe and secure, since obviously that is the primary concern.
4. If the child and the adult are both reluctant to go to school, you may need to coax, share information, accompany the parent and child to the local school and help get the child enrolled. Do share with the parent the many benefits that children get when they go to school - mid day meal, free books etc
5. If the parent wants the child to work for economic reasons it is imperative that you share that this is an illegal practice and also share the way the Child Labour task force works. It may help to ensure that the adult in the family has some employment.
• You can meet
Concerned authorities regularly to impact rehabilitation measures for child labour.
The departments linked to the issue of Child Labour and Rehabilitation of Child Labour are:
Department of Education
Department of Health
Women and Child Welfare Department
Labour Department
The Corporator, Ward Officer, Mayor and local MLA and MP are also officials you can interact with to find out the government's plans with regard to Child Labour and the rehabilitation of children who are currently Child Labour.
To know more about the role of the government vis Child Labour you can visit
And study schemes and issues connected to the issue of Child Labour.
Read and Understand Schemes that enable children and their families to access their Rights.
To begin with here are four schemes that directly impact children’s right to education, health, and against exploitation:
1. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
2. Mid Day Meal
3. Integrated Child Development Scheme
4. Child Labour – Regulation and Prevention- Act
Do share your learnings and perceptions with us!
• You can interact with families of child labourers to know their problems, inform them about various schemes implemented by government for the privileged and persuade them to send their children to school.
Format/guidelines for Case Study
1. Personal Details
Name:
Age/ Date of Birth:
Education:
Occupation:
2. Family Background
How long has the family lived here?
Have they migrated from elsewhere? If so, why and from where?
3. Present situation
- Issues/problems - Primary
- Secondary
4. Reasons for the problems
(put down your own perceptions as well as those of the person you are speaking with)
5. How are the government/ respective authorities tackling the issue?
- Who are involved: directly –indirectly (stakeholder analysis)
I have a taste for photography....i take pics wherever i go...A day back i was lookin @ my collections when i came across this pic....
it brought back all the memories which i had with this organization.the very first day when i entered a class and children wished us 'Good morning anna',the happiness on their faces when our Prez or our HR made them play games....the silly issues children used to bring out...the cheer on every kid's face when he/she won a prize in the competitions we conducted...n lot more beautiful moments which would stay with me for life...But due to my so called education or some other T/Coffee issues,I was not able to involve myself in the organization's activities.
I attended some 9-10 sessions in all,but the satisfaction it gave me every time i came out of my class waving the students was immense..had i given much more time it would have been better.
Apart from occasional calls from my Prez i missed all this joy...
the previous year was good...Let us make this year better...let us hope that there will be no more hiccups in our action plans.Hope i give my best to the organization along with my counterparts.
"If we taste the sourness of separation, then only we can enjoy the sweetness of unification."
All these days I not only missed the students, but also missed the core team members who take right decisions up front in critical situations, I like their decision making ability, their smart work and many more..I missed many more .The eager looking students, their doubts (good & some silly too).I also missed the enjoying sessions of telling stories to them.
We are happy that our students are delivering the thing in their exams by practicing & keeping the points in their mind which we said them in the last sessions .we were glad to know that tips for exams, the map pointing classes were very helpful to them.
Recently the SSC results are up and we are very happy to know that our students backed good marks I made many volunteers as my friends and missed them too I am happy that I will be meeting them as soon as the sessions of SAHAYA start
After a couple of days of my exams its my birthday and I was surprised to receive a phone call from the PRESIDENT of SAHAYA himself. He wished me and arranged a meeting in the evening and a surprise party too. In that session I came to know about the internal work that has been done. I was very glad to all that changes and improvisations.
Now I am eagerly waiting to execute them and after all ultimately desire to excel the life of the students and we will strive for it all the time.
Their bed must be a sailing ship, but not a broken boat.
They must be bright stars in the dark clouds.
Cruel words to them are the scars on their innocent hearts,
For, to jump, giggle and smile are their properties.
Let them come into the nation forward.
Let their voices in a group be heard.
I wish to see those little hands write and draw,
I wish to see their twinkling eyes carry hope for tomorrow.
To make them so, give your might.
It wasn't the reward that mattered or the recognition you might harvest. It was your depth of commitment, your quality of service, the product of your devotion -- these were the things that counted in life. Energize yourself and give your best purely and completely.
What does 'Children's Rights' actually mean? Does it mean you can do what you like, behave as you like, and no one can stop you? Hmm, you wish! Seriously though, if you are reading this, chances are that you already have your basic rights – you are alive, you are protected, you are getting an education, and you have a chance to express yourself and be heard. But you know that not all children in this world have these rights. You have seen such children around you, and you feel not so good about it. That's why you are reading this, right?
From April 1st , education becomes a fundamental right.
National endeavour: Union Minister for Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal
addresses journalists on the landmark Right to Education Bill, in New Delhi on Wednesday.
NEW DELHI: On Thursday — April 1 — India will join a group of few countries in the world, with a historic law making education a fundamental right of every child coming into force.
Making elementary education an entitlement for children in the 6-14 age group, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 will directly benefit close to one crore children who do not go to school at present.
In an unprecedented move, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday will address the nation, announcing the operationalisation of the Act.
“Tomorrow [Thursday] is a historic day as the Right to Education Act comes into effect. For the first time, education will become a constitutional right. It is a tryst with destiny in the area of education,” Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters. He said it was the responsibility of all stakeholders to enforce it.
“But to think that we have passed a law and all children will get educated is not right. What we have done is preparing a framework to get quality education. It is for the entire community to contribute and participate in this national endeavour,” he said.
Nearly 92 lakh children, who had either dropped out of schools or never been to any educational institution, will get elementary education as it will be binding on the part of the local and State governments to ensure that all children in the 6-14 age group get schooling.
As per the Act, private educational institutions should reserve 25 per cent seats for children from the weaker sections of society.
The Centre and the States have agreed to share the financial burden in the ratio of 55:45, while the Finance Commission has given Rs. 25,000 crore to the States for implementing the Act. The Centre has approved an outlay of Rs.15,000 crore for 2010-2011 for the purpose.
The school management committee or the local authority will identify the drop-outs or out-of-school children aged above six and admit them in classes appropriate to their age after giving special training.
News courtesy: THE HINDU.
FAQ
Why is the act significant and what does it mean for India?
The passing of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009 marks a historic moment for the children of India. This act serves as a building block to ensure that every child has his or her right (as an entitlement) to get a quality elementary education, and that the State, with the help of families and communities, fulfils this obligation. Few countries in the world have such a national provision to ensure both free and child-centred, child-friendly education.
What is ‘Free and Compulsory Elementary Education’?
All children between the ages of 6 and 14 will have the right to free and compulsory elementary education at a neighbourhood school. There is no direct cost (school fees) or indirect cost (uniforms, textbooks, midday meals, transportation, etc) to be borne by the child or the parents to obtain elementary education. The government will provide schooling free of cost until a child’s elementary education is completed.
What is the role envisaged for the community and parents to ensure RTE?
Schools will constitute School Management Committees (SMCs) comprising local authority officials, parents, guardians and teachers. The SMCs will form School Development Plans and monitor the utilization of government grants and the whole school environment. RTE also mandates the inclusion of 50% women and parents of children from disadvantaged groups in SMCs. Such community participation will be crucial to ensuring a child-friendly “whole school” environment through separate toilet facilities for girls and boys and adequate attention to health, water, sanitation and hygiene issues.
How does RTE promote child-friendly schools?
All schools must comply with infrastructure and teacher norms for an effective learning environment. Two trained teachers will be provided for every 60 students at the primary level. Teachers are required to attend school regularly and punctually, complete curriculum instruction, assess learning abilities and hold regular parent-teacher meetings. The number of teachers will be based on the number of students rather than by grade. The state will ensure adequate support to teachers, leading to improved learning for children. The community and civil society will have an important role to play in collaboration with the SMCs to ensure school quality with equity. The state will provide the policy framework and create an enabling environment to ensure RTE becomes a reality for every child.
How will RTE be financed and implemented in India?
Central and state governments will share financial responsibility for RTE. The central government will prepare estimates of expenditures. State governments will be provided a percentage of these costs. The central government may request the Finance Commission to consider providing additional resources to a state in order to carry out the provisions of RTE. The state government will be responsible for providing the remaining funds needed to implement. There will be a funding gap which needs to be supported by partners from civil society, development agencies, corporate organizations and citizens of the country.
What are the key issues for achieving RTE?
RTE has been notified by the central government on April 1, 2010. Model rules for states have already been finalized while those for the Union territories are in an advanced stage. RTE provides a ripe platform to reach the unreached, with specific provisions for disadvantaged groups, such as child labourers, migrant children, children with special needs, or those who have a “disadvantage owing to social, cultural economic, geographical, linguistic, gender or such other factor.” RTE focuses on the quality of teaching and learning, which requires accelerated efforts and substantial reforms:
* Creative and sustained initiatives are crucial to train more than one million new and untrained teachers in the next five years and to reinforce the skills of in-service teachers to ensure child-friendly education.
* Families and communities also have a large role to play to ensure child-friendly education for each and every one of the estimated 190 million girls and boys in India who should be in elementary school today.
* Disparities must be eliminated to assure quality with equity. Investing in preschool is a key strategy in meeting goals.
* Bringing eight million out-of-school children into classes at the age appropriate level with the support to stay in school and succeed poses a major challenge necessitating flexible, innovative approaches.
What is the mechanism available if RTE is violated?
The National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights will review the safeguards for rights provided under this act, investigate complaints and have the powers of a civil court in trying cases. States should constitute a State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) or the Right to Education Protection Authority (REPA) within six months of April 1. Any person wishing to file a grievance must submit a written complaint to the local authority. Appeals will be decided by the SCPCR/REPA. Prosecution of offences requires the sanction of an officer authorized by the appropriate government.
How does RTE translate into action and become a reality?
Substantial efforts are essential to eliminate disparities and ensure quality with equity. Unicef will play an instrumental role in bringing together relevant stakeholders from government, civil society, teachers’ organizations, media and the celebrity world. Unicef will mobilize partners to raise public awareness and provide a call to action. Policy and programme design/implementation will focus on improving the access and quality education based on what works to improve results for children. Unicef will also work with partners to strengthen national and state-level monitoring bodies on RTE.
