KARACHI, March 31: The menace of child labour cannot be effectively checked till the elimination of poverty and creation of an awareness about the issue.

This was stated by speakers at a certificate-distribution ceremony, organized by the Skill Development Council, for participants of a vocational-cum-educational training programme for working children.

Under the programme, the children were given education up to the class five, and they also got vocational training up to level one, as prescribed by the technical education board.

Some 115 working children had taken admission in the two-year programme, and with only five dropouts, 110 passed out on Monday. They were given books, reading material and pocket money as an incentive.

Skill Development Council’s Ahsanullah Khan said though the two-year project, funded by the ILO, had ended, there were plans to generate funds locally and continue to provide education up to class 10 to these children.

He said funds be provided from the Workers Welfare Fund for the education of the working children.

Sindh labour secretary Raja Mohammad Abbas urged the organisers to approach the government for seeking assistance so that these working children could continue their education.

Trade union leader Salim Raza said over Rs 40 billion have been spent for abolition of child labour in the past decade, but no one knows where the funds have gone.

Mohammad Shareef, another labour leader, condemned the IRO 2002, and said it had abolished certain rights enjoyed by the worker even during the British era.

Mateen Khan, Majid Aziz, Shaukat Ali, Khalil-ur-Rehman, Abdullah Khadim, A. U. Khan and others also spoke.

Babar Khan, a student, who was wearing bandage in his arm said he had suffered injuries during work at a garage.

Later, certificates and cash awards were given to Ahmad Qasim Ali, Ayan Nasir, Babar Khan and Hidayat Shah.