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In a bid to curb child labour and encourage children to remain longer at school, the government of Malawi is considering raising the minimum age of legal employment from 12 to 14, news organisations reported on Thursday.
The government, in a statement, said it was looking into the issue with the help of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). A government official was quoted as saying: "Labour laws protect children under the age of 12 from being employed, unless they are in a family venture.
Although we know that many are victims of hard and hazardous work, we do not know the magnitude of the problem of child labour."
Despite the introduction of free primary education five years ago, the reports said, most schools suffer from low enrollment with less than 25 percent of children entering primary school at the recommended age and a high drop rate.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
