Output 1: Improved country level child labour and education legal framework

A legislative review is planned and it will undertake the following:

• An analysis of gaps between the International Labour Standards, including ILO Conventions Nos. 138 and 182 and the national legislation on child protection and education.
• Reviewing and strengthening the enforcement mechanisms related to child labour.

Output 2: Strengthened institutional capacity to formulate and implement child labour strategies

• Schools’ Welfare Officers Training: In 2010 the Schools Welfare Department recorded high incidences of truancy, absenteeism and in some cases school dropout. As a result, the project was asked to collaborate with the Ministry of Education for capacity building of Schools’ Welfare and Guidance and Counselling Officers to assist them to understand child labour. Through the workshop the capacity of 35 Schools’ Welfare Officers and Guidance and Counselling Officers from nine of Guyana’s ten administrative regions was built.
• One hundred and seventy fine (175) representatives from the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana were identified to benefit from a training programme on child labour organized by TACKLE that included five workshops, with 35 participants each representing unions from four of Guyana’s ten Administrative regions.

Output 3: Targeted actions to combat child labour

• Rapid Assessment on Child Labour in Guyana: The objectives of the Rapid Assessment are to address the lack of data on child labour in Guyana; analyse the kinds of work done by children in the sectors including agriculture, mining and commerce; examine impacts of child labour on school attendance, morals and health; and assess the socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the families of children in labour activities. It is also intended to propose recommendations, opportunities, policies and programmes to address the issue. The Assessment was preceded by a statistics training session in October 2009, conducted by SIMPOC, from which TACKLE partners including staff from Labour Market Information Systems and the Bureau of Statistics benefitted. The Survey is carried out by Labour Market Information Systems, the Statistics Unit of the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security.

Two main action programmes are being implemented through TACKLE support in Guyana:

• The “School Retention and Child Labour Prevention Programme” implemented by the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security. The action programme targets 460 children in one catchment area, 100 parents and 18 teachers. It aims mainly at improving the performance level of students and increasing the rate of school attendance in the Kuru Kuru Primary School and Nursery as well as Dora Secondary School through educational support. Reports indicate that school attendance had improved from 64%to 94%, since the implementation of the action programme.
• The “Voluntary Mentoring Programme” implemented by the Ministry of Education: The action programme includes a Mentoring Programme in secondary schools and targets 100 parents, 3,500 students and 75 mentors. It aims at mitigating the effects of truancy, school violence, dropouts and child labour through a mentoring process that helps students to remain in school until completion (See Photo report).

Output 4: Enhanced knowledge base and networks on child labour and education

• Public Education Programme: A number of large community meetings have been held, aimed at sensitizing communities about the issues of truancy, school dropouts, and the value of education. A special focus has been put on child trafficking through the collaboration between TACKLE and the Counter Trafficking in Persons Unit of the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security.
• World Day Against Child Labour: From its inception, observance of the World Day Against Child Labour (WDACL) has been held annually, usually over one week. Particularly for 2011, the Ministries of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, and Education, were fully involved. The Ministry of Education held a Mural Paint off for secondary school students. The Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security conducted a social support programme for parents and children of the South Georgetown area, through which children were exposed to various sporting disciplines, numeracy and literacy skills sessions.
• In 2010, a Red Card Campaign against child labour and a media briefing were held, attended by the Hon. Ministers of Education and Labour respectively. Both Ministers underscored the significant role of the TACKLE Project in supporting the two ministries to address the prevention of child labour. Activities included an art as well as a jingle competition among primary and secondary school students.