BEIJING, Dec 3, 2007 (AFP) - The Chinese government should abolish the use of income-generating child labour schemes in middle and junior high schools because of the chronic abuse they entail, a rights group said Monday. Many of the programs interfere with the children's education, and involve long hours and dangerous work, New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

"China claims that it is fighting child labour, and repeatedly cites its legal prohibition against the practice as proof," said Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director of the group.

"But the government actively violates its own prohibitions by running large programmes through the school system that use child labour, lack sufficient health and safety guarantees, and exploit loopholes in domestic labour laws."

Under "Work and Study" programs regulated by the Ministry of Education, schools in impoverished areas are encouraged to set up income-generating activities to make up for budgetary shortfalls, the group said.

According to official statistics from the Ministry of Education seen by Human Rights Watch, more than 400,000 middle and junior high schools, which are for children ages 12 to 16, are running agricultural and manufacturing schemes.

In 2004, proceeds from "Work and Study" programmes generated over 10 billion yuan (1.35 billion dollars), the statistics show.

Not only have children been contracted through schools to do labour for factories along China's booming eastern seaboard, but some have also toiled up to 14 hours a day through summer work programmes arranged by their schools, it said.

"China's own laws and international obligations recognise that children shouldn't be working," said Richardson.

"But the government allows dangerous work by underage children if their schools organise it. This really raises doubts about China's commitment to eliminating child labour."