’70pc Nangarhar child labour get assistance, education’

AJALALABAD (Pajhwok): Around 70 percent children involved in Hard Labour in Jalalabad, the capital of eastern Nangarhar province, and some districts have been provided learning facilities, an official said on Monday.

Mawlavi Faridullah Saqib, the Work and Social Affairs Department head, told Pajhwok Afghan News the number of children involved in labour had declined and 70 percent of these children were now involved education and learning.

He said: “Post regime change we were provided information about labour children by the Save the Children organization and their number was around 3,000, now we have provided learning opportunities to more than 2,000 of such children and a small number is remaining.”

These children are getting religious, technical, vocational and modern education, their families are provided with small business so they will not again return to labour.

“Families of these children are financially supported, each family provided up to 45,000 afs to set a small business and children who are small are sent to education facilities for learning purpose,” he said.

But local residents said children involved in labour are still available in Jalalabad and some districts.

They demanded the relevant authorities to provide better life and education facilities for children involved in hard labour.

Sadiq Jabarkhel, the resident of Jalalabad City, said if the government provided education and vocational training facilities for children involved in hard labour this would help improved security situation and eradicate crimes in the society.

“When children grow uneducated they become a headache for people and government, they get pistol and involved in crimes but if they get education this will ensure bright future for the society,” he said.

Zahirullah, another resident of Jalalabad City, asked the government to provided education and vocational training facilities for these labour children. He also demanded financial support to the families of these children.

Mawlavi Farid also acknowledged that some children were involved in hard labour, adding that some children known to them are supported by the government.

Dr. Mohammad Liaqat Adel, head of the Labour Union, said Covid-19, regime change and other challenges hampered the economic condition of people and families had been forced to send their children to work.

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