Prof. Amartya Sen, Noble Laureate, has rightly emphasised the need
for universal primary education as sine quo non for all round development
of the people of a third world country like ours.
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Rally organised by LAMP in the World Social
Forum, Mumbai 2004, demanding protection of Rights of Street and
Working Children. |
LAMP has been successfully running education programme ( 36 Centres
) for tribal, schedule castes and other non-school going marginalized
children, which is sponsored by the Govt. of India, and other development
agencies, in the extremely backward villages of Bangriposi Block, District
Mayurbhanj, Orissa, in nine leprosy-sufferers colonies of Burdwan district
and in six Commercial Sex Workers colonies of Kolkata, 24 Pgs(South)
and Hooghly district, in the West Bengal State and slums/squatters of
the Kolkata city. Some of these children are also child labourers. In
each of the education center, one teacher for 25 students is selected
mainly from the villages/slums, and has been appointed. All of them were
given intensive in-service training, arranged by the Government authorities.
For day-to-day monitoring of the education programme, village/slum level
education committees have been formed.
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| Education Centre for non-school going tribal children in Asonbani,
Mayurbhanj, Orissa |
The children virtually learn through
playing. games, sports and other recreational activities like songs,
dramas and short excursions, which are also arranged. The learners are
also encouraged to get familiar with the local flora and fauna and also
their environment. Instructions on personal hygiene and sanitation are
also given. They take keen interest in their lessons.
An assessment of the progress, made with the participation of the village/slum
level education committees, shows that 87% of the learners have successfully
completed the class tests.
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Shri Shanti Ghatak, Minister In-Charge, Department
of Labour, Government of West Bengal
is inaugurating the “National Convention of the Rights of the Children”with
Smt. Amita Kapoor, Chairperson, CRY, New Delhi
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As a necessary corollary to this education programme LAMP has also been
taking some positive steps towards elimination of child labour and promotion
of self-reliance among women, specially the mothers of the learners under
the Micro Finance and Livelihood Development Programme, through formation
of Self-Help Groups.They are also encouraged to ensure preservation of
local environment, which is inseparable from their lifestyle .
 |
Mr. Malay Dewanji, Hony. General Secretary, LAMP, delivering inaugural
speech in the workshop on Rights of street and working children at
World Social Forum, Mumbai 2004 |
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