In Benin, the apprenticeship system is the only means of access to knowledge for minor children which is an alternative to schooling or due to a lack of means. Unfortunately, children during learning are subject to several forms of abuse. In the long run, this can have a negative impact on their physical and mental health. Analysis of the issue with child health specialists.
It was around 3:15 p.m. when we went down to a motorcycle repair shop. The workshop is located in the vons along the rails in the Lobozounkpa district, municipality of Abomey-Calavi.
Under a blazing sun, three apprentice boys are busy, all lying down, under a three-wheeled motorcycle. Mechanical keys in hand, the children look for a technical breakdown. The smallest of the three young apprentice mechanics, only 10 years old, bangs his head against the machine while trying to recover. He holds back all his pain. Dressed in a t-shirt and panties whose cotton is tired and worn to the bottom, his frail body shows all his learning situation. His name: Anicet Lokossou.
Like him, several children of his age suffer the pangs of learning under our skies. In the rain, the sun, these little girls and boys of school age are exploited in the workshops. “I sleep at the workshop here with my colleagues. We open the workshop at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.. This is equivalent to 14 hours of daily work for Anicet. “It’s impossible for me to park even a motorbike, because I’m still small and I don’t have that strength. But, sometimes I am tempted to do it alone and it weighs on me”says Anicet, looking worried about his situation.
Further on, in a sewing workshop in the same district, we met Marc, an apprentice dressmaker. The teenager believes that his boss is not respecting the requirements of his contract. “He told me that after the signing of the contract, I will have a rest all day on Wednesday, and a rest of about 3 hours in the afternoons. Since the signing of the contract, nothing has been done.laments Mark.
Photo credit: Médard CLOBECHI
Corporal punishment, daily bread for child apprentices
Children placed in learning conditions are the most exposed to corporal punishment after any blunder. “In the afternoon, during the break, I have to travel a long distance to eat at home. This makes me late to come back to the workshop. And, my boss hits me. Right now I happen to give up on learning says Eric, an apprentice dressmaker.
When questioned, some workshop bosses continue to believe that corporal punishment is necessary. “Even so, you don’t want to hit the apprentices, they do some stupid thing to get you out of your hinges. I have to hit them. It is forbidden, but it must be, admits Mr. Jonas, a sewing workshop boss. However, Law No. 2015-08 of December 8, 2015 on the Children’s Code in the Republic of Benin prohibits forms of corporal punishment in its article 119. “All forms of corporal punishment are prohibited in schools, vocational training centers and childcare facilities”. A law, which is not at all respected by the apprenticeship masters. As a result, corporal punishment continues to be part of the learning system.
Child apprentices are exposed to health risks
Child apprentices are exposed to multiple and varied risks to their health and safety. To believe, Dr Midete Jean PatricePediatrician at the Djidja-Abomey-Agbangnizoun area hospital, these risks are related to jobs or the work environment. “The job of vulcanizer, for example, requires a lot of effort, which favors the occurrence of hernias and musculoskeletal disorders with deformities in children. The trades of mechanic or painter expose apprentice children to motor oil and to certain chemical substances which cause skin diseases and even cancer..
Also, the lack of attention to child apprentices can lead to work accidents with serious or even fatal injuries. Approach, Romuald Assocle, general practitioner groups the health consequences under two orders. “On a physical level, child abuse can lead to broken bones. We hit the child until bone legions occur”. There may also be “sprains, skin infections, hematomas”.
Psychologically, these children are often anxious. They are prone to depression and sleep disorders. The consequence of all damage comes down to growth problems, because “they don’t sleep well, live in dirt, in negligence; they are badly dressed, have badly maintained hair. » The Pediatrician Dr Midete Jean Patrice recommends that employers comply with Law No. 2015-08 of December 8, 2015 on the Children’s Code in the Republic of Benin, which regulates child labor and prohibits apprenticeship before the age of 14.
Medard CLOBECHI