Many Senegalese children work instead of attending school

A combination of poverty and an education system that has little concern for those who struggle leads many young people in Senegal to Dakar, the nation’s capital, to search for work. According to Unicef, 37% of children between the ages of 5 and 14 are involved in some form of work in this country in West Africa. Although primary and secondary education is compulsory and free, many parents are still reluctant to send their children to school, and dropout rates are high. “It’s about poverty. Families need their children to go to work,” says Falelou Seck, program manager at Plan International in Thiès, that aims to help young Senegalese stay in school. Read more at Guardian Unlimited.