KOCHI: Most children are busy these days.
Some with summer camps and school shopping, while others eagerly wait for the school to re-open, to catch up with their friends after the long holiday.
But there is another section which cannot be included in any of these.
These children hold petrol tubes and dirty plates in the place of cricket bats and balls. Currently, there are around 45 children working in petrol bunks, hotels and shops in the city, if reports are to be believed. For them it is not a pastime to tackle boredom during the vacation, but a means to make ends meet.
Most of the children, who are the earning members of the family, are 10th and 12th standard students. "I completed my 10th standard. The results were published the other day and I have passed. But I have to earn money for my further studies. I like to earn as I can also help my parents.
It will help lessen their burdens," says Vishak, who works in the Bharat Petroleum pump, Tripunithura.
Vipin passed his SSLC exam two years ago but soon after, his father fell sick. Vipin continued his studies but his father died and Vipin failed in his 12th standard exam. It was now up to Vipin to earn his livelihood. He now works in Bharath Petroleum pump at Lissy Junction and earns Rs 80 per day.
Most children are like him. Nobody compels them to work. They get Rs 80 to Rs 100 a day for 10 hours of work.
Studying is a costly affair these days with every institution demanding admission fee, uniform fee, lab fee etc. This is besides the money for buying books and other accessories. In certain schools, building fee and PTA funds are also compulsory.
"Parents spend a lot on their children even during vacations in the name of summer camps and coaching camps. During the school re-opening, they spend even more to get the best accessories for their children in the latest trends. They don’t even think how much it costs. I have only one question to ask these parents, ‘Have you ever thought about the children who have to face the grim realities of life?’, says Ramesh, a social worker.
"We cannot just close our eyes to the plight of these children. The government is taking many measures for the upliftment of such children and for providing them free education.
But even then, they are unable to find a solution for their income. More than getting an education, their priority is to generate income for their family," says Rajani, a teacher in one of the city schools.
kochi@epmltd.com