Rosey with workshop participants
MIRI: Since lately there has been a drastic increase in the number of school-going children being refered to the Community Welfare Department in the state, especially the unwed underaged mothers, juveniles and the neglected and abused children.
In 2013, the Community Welfare Department Miri recieived 129 cases of underaged unwed mothers, 82 juveniles and 68 neglected and abused children.
“This shows an increase from the previous year which recorded 92 cases of unwed mothers, 43 juveniles and 71 neglected and abused children.”
This was disclosed by the Assistant Minister of Early Childhood, Education and Family Development, Rosey Yunus when officiating the closing ceremony of the `Miri Divisional Children Representatives Council Workshop’ at Dynasty Hotel here recently.
Rosey regretted the cases and she hoped the workshop could help to upgrade the communications between the schoolchildren, teachers and the department concerned.
She reasoned that with the formation of the Children Representative Council, the children’s reprsentatives would be able to voice the problems, either faced by themselves or friends in schools to the relevant authorities.
“Children’s involvement in this organisation will also ensure them to realise their rights as constituted in the Chilren’s Rights Convention,” she said. She added, this was also a preparation to improve the leadership policy and human capital among schoolchildren to achieve the 2020 Vision.
As such, Rosey who is Bekenu assemblywoman, hoped the Education Department and the respective schools would give their full support and cooperation towards the effort.