Potential Child Labour Centres (PCLC)

Years of experience of the organisation have established the link between the high prevalence of school dropouts and the incidence of child labourers in most slums. Mere physical removal of children from the exploitative workplace is not an adequate measure to tackle child labour. To facilitate access to education, and for our intervention efforts to be truly empowering, the child needs to be adequately prepared through basic literacy, awareness about rights, and through avenues and viable alternatives like vocational training and self-employment opportunities. These centres help in bridging this gap for these children. Over the past four years, almost 400 students have successfully passed to the next class taking them a step away from the child labour scenario. The PCLC's cater to students from 7th to the 10th standard classes in government and corporation schools in slums where the success rate in terms of students graduating to the next class is as low as 50 to 60 %.

Center Name 1998-99 1999-2000 %Success

Marathalli 45 students 37 students 95

Rajendranagar 50 students 65 students 98

The PCLCs act as a resource and education centre, and play a vital role in preventing potential child labourers (school-going children from slum communities who are unable to perform well due to lack of good coaching in schools) from dropping out of schools and becoming child labourers. An indicator of effectiveness has been that the children who are assisted here show a success rate of 95% when they appear for the Public and school annual examinations and the fact that these students are continuing their higher education in colleges and technical institutions around Bangalore.

Who is a potential child labourer?

A school going child whom might drop out owing to inadequacies in the school and become a child labourer.

* There is a direct link between the high prevalence of school dropouts and the incidence of child labourers.

* Available government schools cannot cater to all the children in the slums.

* The quality of the existing schools ranges from moderate to below average and deplorable.

* Want of quality is one of the main reasons for school drop- outs.

* Most children drop out either in the middle or in high schools.

* Most children who drop-out are interested to continue their studies.

* Children in the slums hardly reach their 10th standard.

How are the students mobilized to the centers?

The mobilization of students to the center is an organized activity involving grassroots activists and the teachers of APSA along with the community members and the government school staff. A series of awareness and motivation programs brings in a healthy student attendance in the PCLC's. Regular parents meeting and interactive sessions guarantee their stay in the centers.

Success So Far

Over the past four years, almost 400 students have successfully passed to the next class taking them a step away from the child labour scenario and are continuing their higher education in colleges and technical institutions. Some have also been trained in the electronics and computer training centers at Nammane, APSA's regional residential training center for street and working center.

New admissions and Child sponsorship

While lack of access to quality education still remains the most important reason for children not to enroll into schools, awareness building and consistent motivation does help a lot of families in sending their children to local schools. Our staff members at the slum level are involved in a vigorous campaign to enroll as many children as possible in schools and to sustain them there. With the effort getting increasingly recognised, representatives of local schools accompany our staff in identifying and motivating families.

Name of Slum New Admissions Re-Admissions

Marathalli 14 11

Rajendranagar 26 36

Byappanahalli 14 29

Supportive financial assistance in the form of individual scholarship till the child reaches 10th standard, that was implemented through Vikas and linking this program with Self-help groups (for the mothers) and with other slum outreach programs has ensured sustainability to a large extent. Overall 75 children were sponsored in Rajendranagar in the academic year 1998-99.

Proposal

The existing PCLC's cater to a small number of students every year. The success of the project and the magnitude of the problem have prompted APSA to propose for an additional 10 centers involving 400 to 500 students each year. APSA already has established programs and the necessary contact with the community in the slums for which the centers are proposed. Students will be selected from middle and high schools in and around the slums. The PCLC will have the following components

* Extension classes in Science, Math, Social sciences and English

* A small Laboratory for practical experimentation

* Sports & other recreational activities

* Counseling, career guidance and referrals

* Exposure trips

* Nutritional supplement

* Other need based inputs

BUDGET

Number of centers: 10

Number of children in each center: 40 to 50

Duration of Project: 3 years (minimum funding)

Breakup of Costs:

2 teachers Rs.2000 X 2 X13 Rs.52000

Stationary Rs.5000 Rs. 5000

Sports material Rs.5000 Rs. 5000

Exposure trip Rs.5000 Rs. 5000

Nutritional supplement Rs1 * 40 students * 24days *12 Rs.11520

Rent for the center Rs.1000 (approx) * 12 Rs.12000

Total per center Rs.90520.00

Total for 10 centers per year Rs.905200.00 i.e. approx US $ 19250.00

* Budget must be guaranteed for a minimum of 3 years for a rightful implementation of the program that envisages good impact, continuity and a logical conclusion.

* The 13th month salary for teachers is taken as a gratuity and the same will be provided to them when they have to leave the organisation. This has been the policy of the organisation. provident fund facilities are also made available to the staff from the first month of their stay at Apsa.