The Ministry of Labour yesterday held an awareness session at Wakapoa Secondary School, Pomeroon River, Region Two to address the issue of child labour and the detrimental emotional and physical effects it has on children’s well-being.
A release from the Ministry of Labour said that the session involved toshaos, village councillors, residents, and secondary school students from grades nine to eleven.
Chief Labour Officer, Dhaneshwar Deonarine, provided insights into the definition, causes, and consequences of child labour, along with discussing the legislative framework and Ministry initiatives to combat it.
He emphasised the role of community partnerships in preventing and eliminating child labour, and underlined the crucial role of community leaders, members, and stakeholders in combating the issue, the release said.
The secondary school students engaged in the discussion, seeking clarifications and sharing their perspectives on child labour, the release said.
Deonarine commended their participation in the discussion and encouraged them to pursue higher education so they can benefit from the many opportunities that exist in the country.
The students were also encouraged to utilise the Guyana Online Academy Learning (GOAL) to further their academic careers.
The team also used the opportunity to highlight the other services provided by the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department.
Regional OSH Officer, Naipaul Persaud, in his brief interaction, highlighted his activity planned for Occupation Safety and Health Month April 2024, themed “We are running out of time: Ensuring Safe and Healthy Work now in a changing climate’’.
