Children are not cheap labour
MANY Asian countries have legislation with regard to the minimum working age - usually 15 or 16 - to protect children's welfare and their right to education.
However, even in more developed economies, child employment laws are often put to the test during festive occasions. Whether it is Valentine's Day or Chinese New Year, it is not hard to find young adolescents or children working for small businesses.
Society has an obligation to ensure that child workers are well protected and supervised in work situations. We also need to enhance the likelihood that employment confers benefits for children beyond just income gains.
Governments should launch campaigns to raise employers' awareness of children's rights and relevant labour laws. These issues should be incorporated into the school curriculum as well. Parents should discuss with children the risk of unlawful employment, and ensure that jobs to be taken have genuine educational value.
Police enforcement of child labour laws may need to be stepped up, too. We need to correct the notion that children are merely cheap labour, and foster favourable working conditions for the benefit of these future leaders.
Brook Cheng, 15, Year 11 student Hong Kong
Discourage the young from drinking
I READ with concern about young people here consuming alcohol at a younger age ("Social workers sound alert on young drinkers"; March 1).
I disagree with the habit of drinking, which some teenagers have picked up.
This is probably due to the influence of social media and adults who drink in front of children. Peer pressure may have also led them to take up drinking.
I have heard from my former primary school classmates that they were allowed to have sips of alcohol during festive occasions, such as Chinese New Year. Such actions can contribute to the idea that it is all right to drink.
Parents should be good role models for us teenagers.
The authorities should also make it harder for teenagers to gain access to alcohol. They should take action against students who drink, to prevent more from following suit.
Lastly, we should be more discerning when making friends, to make sure that we do not fall into bad company and pick up unhealthy habits.
Toh En Qi, 14, Secondary 2 student
More to learning than exams
WHEN I was in primary school, many pupils often asked one another: "Do you like exams?"
Studying and learning can be rewarding experiences, as we are empowered to find out more about the world around us. However, studying merely for the sake of examinations - which most of us do - is often a dreary and arduous process as the real value of learning is lost.
Although mandatory examinations can serve to gauge our learning progress, they have unfortunately robbed many of the joy of learning.
The value of education has seemingly been translated into the grades we attain, especially in major examinations.
As a result, the printed letters and numbers on result slips are accorded so much "power" as to affect the well-being of many students.
Perhaps educators could encourage students and help them to realise that there is much more to life than academic success.
Melissa Leong, 17, JC 2 student
CALLING YOUNG READERS:
If you are 21 or below and want to air your opinion on any issue, e-mail your letter to stforum@sph.com.sg with the header "Youth Forum". Do include your age, educational level and contact details.
MANY Asian countries have legislation with regard to the minimum working age - usually 15 or 16 - to protect children's welfare and their right to education.
However, even in more developed economies, child employment laws are often put to the test during festive occasions. Whether it is Valentine's Day or Chinese New Year, it is not hard to find young adolescents or children working for small businesses.
Society has an obligation to ensure that child workers are well protected and supervised in work situations. We also need to enhance the likelihood that employment confers benefits for children beyond just income gains.
Governments should launch campaigns to raise employers' awareness of children's rights and relevant labour laws. These issues should be incorporated into the school curriculum as well. Parents should discuss with children the risk of unlawful employment, and ensure that jobs to be taken have genuine educational value.
Police enforcement of child labour laws may need to be stepped up, too. We need to correct the notion that children are merely cheap labour, and foster favourable working conditions for the benefit of these future leaders.
Brook Cheng, 15, Year 11 student Hong Kong
Discourage the young from drinking
I READ with concern about young people here consuming alcohol at a younger age ("Social workers sound alert on young drinkers"; March 1).
I disagree with the habit of drinking, which some teenagers have picked up.
This is probably due to the influence of social media and adults who drink in front of children. Peer pressure may have also led them to take up drinking.
I have heard from my former primary school classmates that they were allowed to have sips of alcohol during festive occasions, such as Chinese New Year. Such actions can contribute to the idea that it is all right to drink.
Parents should be good role models for us teenagers.
The authorities should also make it harder for teenagers to gain access to alcohol. They should take action against students who drink, to prevent more from following suit.
Lastly, we should be more discerning when making friends, to make sure that we do not fall into bad company and pick up unhealthy habits.
Toh En Qi, 14, Secondary 2 student
More to learning than exams
WHEN I was in primary school, many pupils often asked one another: "Do you like exams?"
Studying and learning can be rewarding experiences, as we are empowered to find out more about the world around us. However, studying merely for the sake of examinations - which most of us do - is often a dreary and arduous process as the real value of learning is lost.
Although mandatory examinations can serve to gauge our learning progress, they have unfortunately robbed many of the joy of learning.
The value of education has seemingly been translated into the grades we attain, especially in major examinations.
As a result, the printed letters and numbers on result slips are accorded so much "power" as to affect the well-being of many students.
Perhaps educators could encourage students and help them to realise that there is much more to life than academic success.
Melissa Leong, 17, JC 2 student
CALLING YOUNG READERS:
If you are 21 or below and want to air your opinion on any issue, e-mail your letter to stforum@sph.com.sg with the header "Youth Forum". Do include your age, educational level and contact details.
