Following reports of an increase in child labour cases among students, the education department has decided to hold an in-house survey of students who have missed school. TNIE had reported about government and aided school teachers’ saying that 15-20 per cent of students have yet to come back to school — most of them being migrant children. Teachers also said that the relaxation of compulsory 75 per cent attendance to attend the SSLC examination was proving counter-productive in terms of attendance.

Teachers and experts had said that students took up small jobs such as working as newspaper vendors, or in ration shops, to substitute for lost family income, and these part-time jobs were transforming into full-time jobs after the pandemic.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar on Thursday instructed officials that inspections be carried out in the wake of reports about substantial increase in number of child labourers and child marriages as school activities were stalled for several months due to the pandemic.

Kumar said that the inspection should be completed by the principal secretary of the department of primary and secondary education within a month. He met with senior officials of the department of education, women and child development and labour department, taluk officials of Education, child development planner-CDPO, and the inspector of labour department and rural development and panchayat raj department. The minister also said that an action plan should be prepared with the coordination of all departments to ensure the continuity of education of students who are trapped in child labour, and rehabilitation of children who are victims of child marriage.