One of the main reasons for estate workers’ children being deployed in domestic service was the fact that 18 percent of these children were leaving school at a young age, said Central Province Governor Lalith U. Gamage.
He said that although the national rate of underaged children dropping out of school stands at 6 percent, the rate of estate school drop outs below 18 years of age is about three times higher than the average rate.
The Governor was speaking at the Kandy District Coordinating Committee meeting held on Tuesday.
He emphasised that attention of responsible sectors has focused on this issue following the death of the underage girl who had been a domestic aide at the house of former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen. He said further that information has been revealed that a large number of children from estates have been deployed in domestic service in Colombo and adjacent areas by brokers.
Governor Gamage said further that action has to be taken while focusing special attention on motivating children to leave school and take up jobs and without waiting until another incident of this sort happens, responsible sectors should take steps to implement the law ahead of time which will prevent many other disasters.
Members of Parliament Wasantha Yapa Bandara, M.Haleem, Gunatillaka Rajapaksa, Ranjith Bandara, General Secretary Central Province Gamini Rajaratna and District Secretary of Kandy Chandana Tennakone participated in this meeting.