The number of children seeking skilled work has grown significantly over the past year and many students are recruited in vocational jobs, a number of vocational training institutions have said.
The Afghan Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled does not have exact statistics about the number of child laborers. But unconfirmed statistics reveal that almost one million child laborers are in the country, having resorted to the job due to recession, population growth, poverty and other social issues.
"I left school at the age of five and now I am working to feed my family and support them," said Farid, a child laborer.
"My father is a laborer, I live in a large family and he is unable to complete our expenses," another child laborer Ahmad Afghan added.
"We are poor, we don't have wood for winter, and my mom has asked me to collect paper," said Saifullah, a young boy from Kabul.
"Poverty, unemployment and economic issues have forced people to send children for jobs," said the owner of engine repairing center, Fahim said.
"We pay 50 AFG to these children to pay the rent of vehicles and reach their homes," another workshop owner Ajmal added.
Children are also recruited in other industries such as collection of waste, working in kilns, butcher shops and begging.
Government officials have declared unemployment as main factor behind the trend and have urged expansion of economic activities and job creation to overcome on the issue in the future.
"There are vulnerable children that resort to works, unfortunately, this goes to lack awareness among our people and society regarding their rights and the rights of the children and employment rights," Mohammad Ali Eftekhari, a spokesman to Ministry of Labor said.
President Hamid Karzai has called attention to child labor problems in Afghanistan and urged Afghan families and businesses not to exploit the desperation of many young Afghans for work.
Sixty percent of Afghans are said to be under the age of 20. The youngest generation of Afghan youth are now on average better educated and more likely to succeed in the workplace than every before. However, poverty is still rampant and many children are forced into harsh manual labor to provide for their families.
The Afghan President said overly strenuous and dangerous manual work can often lead to children suffering physical and psychological damage.
Although in most developed countries child-labor laws are often strictly enforced, that is not the case in Afghanistan. Yet Karzai called on non-governmental forces to address Afghanistan's child labor issues.