THEME 2nd TEXT L2

THEME 2: HEALTH & EDUCATION
TEXT 2:
Covid has brought with it a spate of disturbing reports of schoolchildren reverting to child labour
(GALLEY SLAVE, SLAVERY, FORCED LABOR, CHILD ABUSE), increases in child marriage,
trafficking, domestic violence and a sharpening digital divide in education. Children the world over
are falling through the cracks (FALL OR SINK OR SLIP INTO OBLIVION, IGNORED,
UNCARED, MISUNDERSTOOD), with governments ignoring child rights violations under the guise
of having more urgent crises to tackle. Equally disturbing is any acceptance of this as a regrettable
necessity. For activists (CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, FREEDOM FIGHTERS, LAW
ENFORCER), civil society groups and international agencies working to reverse (SUBVERT,
OVERTHROW, CORDON OFF, REIN IT, PUT A curb to, ABORT, CRIMINILIZE) regressive
norms legitimising child labour, any message that appears to condone it in any form is dangerous.
I do not suggest that children should not help with household chores (MENIAL JOBS,
DRUDGERY, CHAR, CORVEE, ORDEAL), but this needs to be framed in
terms of the age at which children start work, the nature of the task, and the number of hours worked. If
children (AAVE African American vernacular English chil’ren, ) participate in these activities on a
daily basis, or to an extent that jeopardises (ENDANGER, IMPERIL, ) their school attendance and
performance, their health, wellbeing and life chances will be compromised. It is for this reason that many
activists make no distinction (GREY AREA, FINE LINE, PLANK, MOOT POINT, LUMP
TOGETHER, ESSENTIALIZE) between good and bad child labour and consider a nything that
prevents a young person from getting a full-time, formal education to be child labour and, therefore, in
contravention of the rights of children.
Education is rightly regarded (CONSIDERED, VIEWED, ) everywhere as a route out of
poverty and underdevelopment.
Compulsory education was one of the factors that helped to eradicate child labour in 19th-century
Europe, the US and Japan. This was achieved mainly through the strict implementation
(PROMULGATION, ESTABLISHMENT, INVIGORATION, ) of child labour and education laws,
inducing a shift (CHANGE, BREAK, RUPTURE) in parental perceptions about the returns from child
labour, and changes in education being the sole preserve (TREASURE, ) of the elites (CHIEFS,
AUTHORITIES, ). Today’s rapidly changing and competitive global labour market has accentuated the
premium on education.
Contextual constraints are important and set the limits to children’s aspirations and
achievements, but it is precisely these constraints (IMPEDIMENTS, SHACKLE, SNAGS,
OBSTACLES, GLITCHES, ) that have to be overcome. Poverty, tradition and religion all too often
become the smokescreens (BLOW SMOKES, SMOKE AND MIRROR, DO WITH MIRROR )
behind which governments, international agencies and elites hide their inaction on child labour,
education and other forms of exclusion. A range of countries have proved how the grip of poverty and
negative cultural practices can be broken by political action and grassroots movements. The need now is
to capitalise on (FOCUS ON, ) the energies released by these initiatives and to forge ahead, instead of
lapsing into (RECIDIVATE, RELAPSE, FALL BACK ON, FALL OFF THE WAGON ) justifications
of an unsatisfactory status quo.
Extracted from Rekha Wazir. “Child Labour is exploitation:

there’s no such thing as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ work”. The Gardian
December 16, 2020.
THEME 2: HEALTH & EDUCATION
I- VOCABULARY ACTIVITIES
A. Brainstorming and vocabulary pre-teaching

 Identify the concepts related to child labour: ………… ………….. …………… …………….
………………. ……………….. …………… ……………. ………….. ……………..
 Give derivations for the provided words: labour: ………… ……………… ……………..
……………. ………………. …………….. …………….. ……………. ………………
B. Read the text and find words that match the given definitions. Then, make sentences using
the found words
Definitions Words from Text Students’ sentences
1- a ruse designed to disguise someone’s real
intention or activities
2- involving the common people
3- the existing state or condition in which

things have not changed
4- The gainful employment of children below

age determined by law or custom
5- Approve of something unacceptable or

Illegal
II. COMPREHENSION ACTIVITIES
A- Titles and Main Ideas of Texts: Give a title to each paragraph of the text
Paragraphs Suggested titles

Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 4
B- Say whether these sentences are true or false and justify your answer by quoting the text.
Statements T/F Justification
1. Children should not work at all according to
the author
2. In some countries, compulsory education

fights back poverty.
3. Religion and cultural practices are

constraints to fight child labour
C- Read the text and choose the best answers ( a- b- or c-) to complete the sentences:
1- Activists do not make the difference between good and bad child labour because :
a- They think that work should be framed in terms of age and force
b- They think that going to work every day can affect the child’s education, life and wellbeing
c- They think that working can cause domestic violence
th
2- Europe, the US and Japan eliminated child labour in the 19 century because:
a- They relied on religion and cultural practices
b- They had recruited many activists to fight the phenomenon
c- They applied laws and changed the parents’ views by promoting education
III. POST-READING ACTIVITIES
A- Discussion: Do you think that education can put an end to child labour in Africa?
B- Essay Writing: Education is rightly regarded everywhere as a route out of poverty and underdevelopment.
Analyse this statement and substantiate your ideas with example.

THEME 2nd TEXT L2

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THEME 2: HEALTH & EDUCATION

Extracted from Rekha Wazir. “Child Labour is exploitation:

A. Brainstorming and vocabulary pre-teaching

2- involving the common people

3- the existing state or condition in which

4- The gainful employment of children below

5- Approve of something unacceptable or

II. COMPREHENSION ACTIVITIES

Paragraphs Suggested titles

2. In some countries, compulsory education

3. Religion and cultural practices are

III. POST-READING ACTIVITIES

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