Kathmandu, February 28:

Child porters working in business hubs like Kalimati, Balaju and Kalanki say they often miss their classes. At home, they do not get enough time to revise their lessons.

Anita Baiju, who was rushing to the Balaju chowk to ferry loads after attending school, said, “We do not get time to revise our lessons at home. On top of it, we miss classes at least twice a week.”

The 14-year-old girl manages to ferry up to four loads in the morning. Buying food from her income, she rushes to her room at the Jagriti tole, a slum settlement in Balaju, every day. Once classes at the Balaju-based Shree Bal Kalyan Primary School are over, she rushes back to work. Her average daily income is Rs 100. Her mother also works as a labourer.

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) 2000 report, there are 3,900 short-distance child porters in Nepal. Most of them are boys between the age of 10 and 17. The law prohibits minors carrying over 25 kg.

Another child porter, Karishma Sah, says, “Saturday is even more loaded as we have to do all pending household chores. Because of our work, we miss classes very often, at least two days a week.”

Anita’s mother Bimala Pariyar, 40, says she can’t afford to send her daughter to school. “Though it is important to attend school, I can’t afford to send her to school and manage expenses.”

These working children can give continuity to their studies if family members are supportive, says Khadga Man Shakya, unit manager of the Information Technology for Working Children.

Shakya says his office encourages working children to enroll at schools. It provides them education materials and runs non-formal classes. These children live in subsistence economy and often migrate.