Pandemic turns students into child labourers

The closure of educational institutions due to Covid-19 pandemic has affected the regular learning activities of many school children in Pabna and Khagrachhari.

Due to this, marginalised students in these districts have dropped out and have engaged in labour work to support themselves and their families.

Naimul, a fifth-grader student of Jafrabad Govt Primary School of Pabna Sadar, has become a shop assistant after his ill father was left jobless amid the pandemic.

“Now, I am the sole breadwinner for my four-member family. I earn Tk 3,000 a month to feed my family with,” told Naimul to The Business Post.

Afrin Sultana, a second-year student of Khagrachhari Matiranga Women’s College, opted for making wicker chairs as her educational institution was shut down for the last two years.

“I, along with my mother, make 10 to 15 wicker chairs a month and earn Tk 3,000. My father lost his job in the pandemic, and if I did not take this craft, we would have starved to death,” said Afrin.

Anik, an eighth-grader of Beelchalan Higher Secondary School of Chatmohar upazila, is now a welding mechanic at a local welding factory.

“I took the risky job because my father wanted me to invest my time in a job that would bring in money, which can lessen our financial crisis,” said Anik.

When asked about the matter, Malek, Aunik’s father, said: “Aunik’s school has been suspended, and I found it better that he works instead of wasting time with the local children. This way, he can learn to be empowered and help us get through with our financial crisis.”

Another sixth-grader, Rahad, who used to study at the Gopalchandra Institution of Pabna municipality, has become a hosiery worker.

Some 1.5 years ago, his family encouraged him to work at a local hosiery shop to learn the craft until his school was suspended. However, as his school is open now, neither he nor his family wants him to join as he earns a decent amount at the shop.

The pandemic turned the main breadwinners, mainly parents, jobless and their children were forced to opt for whatever job they could find to provide for their families This became the reality for thousands of students and their families across the country.

Mahmudul Hasan Polash, Azizul Haque, Yasin Hossain and thousands of other students have dropped out of school to support their unfortunate families.

It becomes worse for female school students as many of them were married off illegally to lessen the sufferings of these underprivileged families, said locals of Pabna Sadar upazila.

Contacted, the authorities of the local schools of these districts were not able to specify the exact number of students who left their education due to poverty and child marriage.

Addressing the issue, the owner of a hosiery shop in West Sadhupara area of Pabna, Rafiqul Islam, told The Business Post that most of these young children, who came to work in his factory, were getting addicted to social media and smartphones.

“Due to this, the guardians saw it best to involve them in easy jobs, such as hosiery,” he added.

“I would have never let students work for me if not the parents had requested me to do so. I agreed because they promised they would opt for their education once the schools reopen,” said Rafiqul.

“However, as the government decided to reopen the schools from September 12, this year, I told each of these children not to come to my factory. But they are not listening to me and continue to work stating they will starve if I dive them away,” added Rafiqul.

However, claiming that there has not been much decrease in the number of students in schools, SM Shahjahan, headmaster of Shaheed Smaranika High School, The Business Post, “The presence of students in our school has not decreased that much. However, we will still investigate the matter and contact the student’s families on this matter.”

Md Altab Hossain, the headmaster of Beelchalan Higher Secondary School of Chatmohar upazila, told The
Business Post, that it is still early to decide on the matter as the schools just reopened a week ago.

“We are sending out teachers to talk to these families and convince them to send their children to the school,” added Altab.

Addressing the issue, Pabna District Education Officer SM Moslem Uddin told The Business Post that although they hear these issues from different sources, they do not have any concrete data to act on the issue.

“As the school had just reopened and it will take time for the schools and students to be on board, we are planning to start a probe two weeks later. We will surely make a list of these children and contact their families to let them know the importance of education,” said the official.

“We are also planning to run awareness campaigns to encourage the guardians and children,” added the official.