Acting Minister of Labour and Social Security Joseph Kasonde has urged children to take education seriously so that they can become better citizens when they grow up.
Speaking during the commemoration of the 2015 World Day Against Child Labour in Lusaka today, Dr. Kasonde said government has made moderate achievements in the fight against child labour through hiring of 55 new labour officers in various districts.
He said the 55 labour officers will boost the inspectorate and enhance enforcement of laws on child labour.
Dr. Kasonde also said the implementation of government policies on the worst forms of child labour such as the national child labour policy and the national action plan on the elimination of worst forms of child labour have yielded good results.
He added that government will provide quality education as this year’s world child labour focuses mainly on the significance of the provision of quality education.
And Human Rights Commission Director Florence Chibwesha has applauded government for tremendous efforts made towards combating child labour.
Ms. Chibwesha has however noted that high levels of poverty and broken families were the main contributors of child labour in Zambia.
She added that child labour takes away children’s rights thereby subjecting them to child slavery.
Meanwhile, Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) representative Elaston Njovu promised that the congress will continue working with government to fight child labour.
Mr. Njovu has since called on government to provide quality education to children in the country.
He further said free education must be extended to tertiary education level through awarding full bursaries to vulnerable children.
And Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary Chishimba Nkhosha has reiterated that government will soon employ 5,000 teachers in an effort to eradicate child labour and provide the needed quality education.
Mr. Nkhosha added that Zambian primary education has improved from 80 percent to 90 percent between 1990 to date in terms of infrastructure development and free education.
