20 children rescued from child labour in mwea.

20 CHILDREN RESCUED FROM CHILD LABOUR IN MWEA.
JANE MUGAMBI 5TH OCTOBER 2011.
TWENTY children from Nguka village have been rescued by the Provincial
Administration in Mwea.
The children who are between 12 and 18 years were removed from the
shamba where they had gone to start their work of chasing quelea
birds.
According to area Assistant Chief David Gikunju, he was informed of
young boys who had been spotted hovering around the rice fields by
teachers.
He said that the children have been working for a very longtime in the
fields with the knowledge of their parents.
The Administrator said that the children dropped out of school to work
in the rice fields and some have been skiving going to school to work
in the rice field.
Mr. Gikunju gave a stern warning to all parents who have collaborated
with their children to drop out of school is going to be charged in a
court of law.
“Parents who are not taking their children in school are going to be
punished by a court of law for being irresponsible” he added.
He also said that together with the children department, the children
are not going to be taken back to their homes saying that the same
parents will not emphasize on them going back to school saying that
they are looking for a children’s home where they will be taken as the
court decided their fate.
Peter Ndambiri an educationist said that the boy child in Mwea is at
risk citing that the biggest number has dropped out of school to work
in the rice fields.
He said that as a matter of concern the education sector needs to
sensitize parents through the media on the importance of education.
“The education sector needs to take a step and educate parents on the
importance of education in Kenya” added Ndambiri.
HE said that parents who are leaving their children to work in rice
fields need to be punished thoroughly.
Mr.Ndambiri also added that the employers of the underage boys need to
be punished.
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