JOIN US'Hostels for migrant kids must in DK'
National Child Rights Protection Committee Member Dr Yogish Dubey has said that opening of hostels for migrant kids and Kasturba Model schools in Dakshina Kannada district is a must to prevent the migrant kids from remaining outside the portals of the schools.
Addressing a meeting with the officials and members of various NGOs on Monday at Deputy Commissioner’s office, he said that the Child Welfare Committee needs to function more effectively for implementation of the Right to Education Act and to shape child labour-free society.
Dr Dubey opined that the scenario in the district is not as hunky-dory as it is portrayed in reports and in media. “Facilities can be provided only when problems and shortcomings are exposed,” he said adding that there is an immediate need to open hostels for migrant kids.
He opined that in the district, the dependence on NGOs for child welfare and development is more. Instead of this arrangement, he said government bodies with comprehensive facilities must be shaped up.
He directed District Child Protection Officer Gracy Gonsalves to submit reports with pictures with regard to all the work undertaken by Child Welfare Committee in the district. He also demanded information on the girls living at Bala Mandira, Observation Centres, Speical Care Centres etc.
Zilla Panchayat CEO Dr K N Vijayaprakash said that the city enjoys distinct status when it comes to literacy however, due to various projects coming up and with the boom in construction work in the city limits, the number of migrant workers has shot up drastically. The local administration is facing a huge challenge of bringing the children of migrant workers under the umbrella of education. “However, the cases of school drop outs and child labour are comparatively lesser,” he said.
District Labour Commissioner Venkatesh Appaiah Shindhihatti spoke on the various child labour cases found in the district, the report of the department etc.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Dayananda and heads of various departments were present.