GUJRAT, Dec 14: At least 50 primary schools will be set up at brick kilns in Gujrat as the Punjab government on Saturday launched a special programme for the eradication of bonded labor as well as facilitation of primary education for the children of kiln workers.

The inaugural ceremony was held at a local hotel here where Gujrat Additional District Collector Farooq Rasheed was the chief guest. EDO (Community Development) Muhammad Nawaz, director labour Zaigham A Mazhar, EDO (Health) Dr Nusrat Riaz, EDO (Education) Kashif Tahir and representatives of kiln workers association were also present.

ADC Farooq Rasheed said the project had been launched in collaboration of the Punjab government and the International Labour Organization for the elimination of bonded labour in Pakistans brick kilns.

He directed the local health department to initiate a mobile health van for kiln workers.

Muhammad Nazeer, the focal person for the project, informed the participants that the programme started from Lahore and Kasur was being extended to four more districts -- Gujrat, Faisalabad, Sargodha and Bahawalpur.

He said as many as 50 primary schools would be established in every district and these primary schools would be set up at brick kilns.

He said the land, building, electricity and water supply for these schools would be provided by owners of brick kilns concerned while the government would provide teachers, salaries and other necessary facilities.

Mr Nazeer said that 30 to 35 students would be enrolled in every school with having at least one teacher whereas their parents would also be included in the adult literacy programme.

He said the parents would also be given soft loans of at least Rs20,000 each which could be returned in 10 to 12 monthly installments as borrowers could set up small grocery shops or any other small business close to the brick kiln.

He said after the successful running of the programme in Lahore and Kasur, where some 7,000 kiln workers had obtained soft loans, the Punjab government had already allocated Rs196 million for soft loans of kiln workers.

He said a ban imposed on recruitments had also been eased a bit for hiring of teachers for the said project.