Dedicated Teacher Fights Against Child Labor in Lakhimpur Schools

In Lakhimpur district, a dedicated schoolteacher is making a significant impact by helping children escape the grips of child labor and return to education. Despite challenges such as migration and hunger that lead families to take their children to work in brick kilns, the headmaster of No. 4 Sariyahbari LP School has successfully brought back over 40 students from labor. His efforts highlight the importance of individual commitment in addressing the broader issue of child labor in rural areas. As he prepares to retire, his legacy continues to inspire hope in the community.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 29, 2025, 13:35 IST

A Teacher's Commitment to Education

Lakhimpur, Dec 29: In the rural areas of Lakhimpur district, schools are facing a troubling decline in student enrollment due to factors like migration, hunger, and child labor. However, a dedicated schoolteacher is making significant strides in reversing this trend for many children.

The education of Inamul Islam (8) and Safikul Islam (9), who are in Class III and IV at No. 4 Sariyahbari LP School, was abruptly halted in 2024 when their parents took them to work at a brick kiln in Sonitpur district.

Their father, Sarfat Ali, a daily wage laborer without land, moved his family in search of better opportunities.

After noticing the boys' absence for over a week, Lutfur Rahman, the headmaster, began to investigate their situation.

Upon discovering they were working at a brick kiln outside their district, Rahman, with the help of the school management and local activists, reached out to the family and successfully encouraged them to allow the boys to return to school. Both children are now back in class.

Rahman has a history of similar interventions. In 2023, he helped Asiqul Islam, a six-year-old who had just started Class I, return to school after his parents took him to a brick kiln in Khanamukh, Sonitpur district.

Thanks to Rahman's efforts, Asiqul is now in Class III.

Having joined No. 4 Sariyahbari LP School as headmaster in 2020, Rahman has successfully brought back over 40 students from child labor during his tenure.

Many of these children have completed their primary education and progressed to Silaneebari Labour High School. This year, he facilitated the return of two more children, Asiqul Haq (8) and Asanur Haq (10), who were also taken to a brick kiln in Sonitpur while studying in Class II and Class IV, respectively.

“Hunger drives families to migrate. They often move to districts like Sonitpur, Darrang, and Nagaon, or even to neighboring Arunachal Pradesh, seeking work. Unfortunately, they take their school-aged children with them and put them to work. While schools provide meals, uniforms, and textbooks, the hunger at home compels parents to make these difficult choices,” Rahman explained.

He noted that families from Silaneebari, Dezoo, and nearby areas frequently migrate as far as southern Indian states, bringing their young children along.

A recent survey conducted by students from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, between December 8 and 18, uncovered numerous migrant children working in areca nut units in the Thondamuthur area, identifying nearly 30 child laborers and their families, many of whom are migrants from Assam.

According to Rahman, children from Adivasi and Muslim communities, especially those near the Silaneebari Tea Estate, are particularly vulnerable.

State-level statistics show some improvement. The Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2024–25 report, released by the Ministry of Education on September 3, indicates that Assam's dropout rate at the lower primary level has decreased from 6.2% to 3.8%.

Officials attribute this positive trend to ongoing efforts under the Out-of-School Children (OoSC) program, which includes regular surveys and collaborative initiatives by education officials, local leaders, and community members to encourage parents to re-enroll their children.

Rahman's work has garnered significant local recognition, particularly for his role in liberating children from illegal labor. Under the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 2016, employing children is a serious offense.

These cases highlight a broader issue in rural Lakhimpur, where economically disadvantaged families are withdrawing their children from primary schools to engage them in labor, often with parental consent, despite strict legal prohibitions. Nevertheless, they also underscore the impact that dedicated teachers can have in combating this trend.

For now, in Sariyahbari, the legacy of a retiring headmaster continues to thrive in classrooms that were once emptied by migration and labor.