County governments in the Nyanza region have been called for the passing of laws that would illegalize any form of child labour in various sectors in the counties.
According to a report released by a community-based organisation working in various counties within Nyanza region, the move would improve educational standards in the lake region.
The report cites increased cases of child labour and early marriage as a key challenge affecting the education sector that’s led to massive drop-out within the region.
The report indicates that most orphans and vulnerable students are forced to drop-out of schools and engage in various forms of labour mainly in agriculture, fishing and mining industries within Kisumu, Migori, Homabay and Siaya counties.
Speaking during an education stakeholders meeting in Kisumu, James Akali, the founder of Akali Educational Foundation, said one can find children as young as seven years old working in sugarcane farms while some are engaged in quarrying.
Akali said Nyanza region is facing a number of challenges that needs a joint stakeholder’s contribution to restore the fading academic glory.
He said some children stop going to school to engage in economic activities to raise money for their survival hence something should be done on that.
“It is widely known that poverty is one of the main contemporary of child labour apart from unemployment amongst parent and lack of girl child education," he said.
Apart from subsidising the bursary scheme funded by various government and non-government agencies, Akali advised professionals from the region to be better role models in various schools.