An immense focus on income generation and its contribution to GDP, in the working sector of industries, companies, and other informal sectors, has made various governments turn a blind eye to the exploitation of underage ’employees’. Employing young children in full-time labor must be forbidden by the governing body in certain nations. I agree with the statement to its fullest extent, as I represent my views upon it.
The children below the age of 18 are school going pupils that are still on a theoretical pathway of learning and grasping knowledge provided through textbooks and papers. They rely greatly upon teaching by professionals and teachers, and spend major hours of a day in sports or other co-curricular activities. The mind of a child is innocent and unaware of the real-life world, exactly how a natural growth or maturity of an individual occurs, and one must let the tender age develop. The weightage of ‘work experience’ is a burden upon fragile shoulders, often misinterpreted intentionally by the employers to hire them. Although the outlook may change in rural areas, the stance remains the same.
Children in rural villages may not receive support to pursue studies, and are often seen helping their families at small shops, roadside eateries, etc, under the informal sector. India is the greatest example of such labor as evidently seen, kids involved in cleaning, servicing, and washing in the tea stalls, or eateries, morning till evening. This practice stands against the right to education, as children who should be studying in the government schools set up especially for them, are rather involved in full time labor that is nowhere near skill building or knowledge gaining. The negligence of ethical development of a child lies not only within remote or rural areas, but shockingly in cities too. Recently, few private schools in India mandated internships for 6th-7th grade students, reporting the contributed hours to their teachers. The decision is ignorant of ethics and outcome, putting them on a cliff of pressure beyond capacity.
In conclusion, the notable sights of malpractices and exploitation of a young growing mind in everyday life, makes me strongly take a stand in favour of prohibiting the employment of underage children for full-time jobs.