Road to Education is not easy. It is just like cycling on the road full of potholes and random traffic; sans traffic rules. It is a different matter that you don’t ride a bicycle anymore … though many still do.
Education by-the-way does not only imply, schooling for kids whose parents are already educated and earning well. And, neither is it limited to a bunch full of MBA aspirants who dream of SUVs even before they are hired on-campus.
While driving long distance on the highway, you must have noticed rural tapestry on both sides of the road. Your eyes must have (or accidently) fallen on ruins claiming to be a primary school — a place that can only be haunted by ghosts. You can (actually) count such primary schools on the way: or rather ask your kids to do the same. Don’t be surprised with figures they’ll end up with!
Around 17,282 habitations in India do not have a primary school within 1 km, 148,696 government schools still do not have a building, 165,742 have no drinking water, 455,561 schools have no toilets, and around 114,531 primary schools are single-teacher schools.
After 64 years of gaining independence, Road to Education seems to lead nowhere! …
Being largest producers of engineers, doctors, managers, qualified professionals and — among the best in the World: India also is the most illiterate nation of the World!!
So what makes us poles apart compared to other democracies?
Broadly speaking at a macro level, if you look at the present literacy rate, it stands at 74.04 percent (World average is around 84 percent). The remaining percentage does not look that huge. The only issue is with the population of our country that puts ‘illiterates’ more than the total population of United States!
Infrastructure development started majorly by post ’90 but the boom came, in the last ten years; resulting in rapid urbanization, expansion of commercial and retail sectors — India became the largest subscriber of mobile phone users in the World. Unfortunately in all this, infrastructure required for the development of primary school education went amiss!
Government spends on education never crossed 4.3 percent (of GDP) till date!
Let us look at things from a more human level —
Parents will understand how difficult it is to educate their kids. Imagine how (even more) difficult it is to educate kids who don’t have parents or — kids whose parents are not educated themselves or — are poor (please ignore the official definition of poverty here).
So how these children should be taught and — why?
You must’ve noticed little kids on the streets banging car windows or just staring you cold, street kids running around pavements aimlessly, fighting or abusing — kids in & around garbage dumps and liquor shops — school dropouts, domestic helps, babysitters, drug peddlers — then there are kids working overtime in factories, tanneries, mines and other hazardous places. Don’t be surprised to know, some 100 million children are living in slums, small towns, villages, around industries emitting CFCs and toxic wastes and in remote locations who; need the Light of Education.
Living condition of these children can be seen in — news breakers, short films, documentaries and acclaimed international works on India’s poverty.
One recently fetched many Oscars!
The civil society has been doing its bit (in addition to government’s efforts) to educate and nurture children for better life. Results are welcoming but, the sheer size of the Demand makes impact almost invisible. And, not just the size — there are other factors too that makes the job exceedingly difficult to desire even initial results.
Let us read at some facts —
- Average Teacher / pupil ratio is 1:43 … in some states the gap is much more
- Only 47 out of 100 children enrolled in class I reach class VIII
- Dropout rate at 52.79 percent
- 19 percent of the total primary schools are single teacher schools in India catering to nearly 12 percent of the total enrolment in primary classes
- 25 percent teachers don’t come to take classes on any given day
Whenever social organizations reach out to counsel the underprivileged for sending their kids to school — the request is challenged in the first place. They take it as encroachment of rights — Loss in income i.e. mostly a complete waste of time! Fear of psychosis is clearly visible on parents — the very thought of getting influenced by alien culture (modern education) — puts them on back foot!
The next challenge is sustaining these children in school. Their upbringing encapsulated in their native culture increases risks of dropouts. Constant mentoring and moderation is required to sustain underprivileged kids.
One of such endeavors has been from — ‘The Health & Care Society’ set up in Sriram JJ Camp in Delhi that runs a program of non-formal and remedial education. This is a community of around 4,500 of which some 2,000 are children. The NGO faced the same issue here. Parents, who mostly are day labourers, weren’t ready to send their kids to school — the reason — who’ll take of their little ones; once they leave for work? Who will do household chores?
Madhu, who is spearheading the program said”, People would defame the image of the NGO, so as to repel people, to even pay any heed and would try to make them biased against the drive by saying that we have our own personal interests to serve.” These unwelcoming events were very well taken care-of.
The NGO provided proper counseling to parents; especially mothers, as they were more sensitive towards the future of their children.
They knocked every door and met everyone in the camp. They sensitized camp members about the value of education. Innovative features like; reading storybooks and newspapers, developing skill set through art & crafts, sports, dance and singing classes were added to make learning more effective and enjoyable. Midday meals ensured that kids come daily.
The impact was seen within a few days. As much as 90 percent children are able to receive education out of which half of them are taking bridge education and rest in mainstream.
One can easily spot happiness in their eyes. Vikas Kumar, a 15 year old kid hailing from Bihar is going to complete his high school. He aspires to make it big in the engineering field confessed — “I am really lucky to have come under this campaign. This is the rare opportunity of my life … people here are very supportive my every problem is being attended to … in the coming future I want to pursue automobile engineering“.
In addition to this community mobilization is done to build Trust.
A decade well into the 21st century isn’t enough to do away with casteism and gender based discrimination. In a backward area in Noida (U.P.) — ‘Nai Disha Free Education Society’ an NGO faced stiff challenge, when setting up a project to educate around 500 underprivileged children in that community.
Educating a girl child and making her, self reliant; was something that didn’t go too well down their throats. The most common doubt their mothers had — Why should I send my girl to you, when I know … (all this) education thing will ruin her life when she grows up? Where will I find a suitable man, when the time comes? Finding good quality husbands fetch high priced dowry so: the whole idea of educating a GIRL was useless.
Lot of deliberation was put in through personal counseling and community mobilization to allow their kids attend school. A belief was instilled, that one day their daughters will not only earn more than their male family members — she will get much better prospects than what’s being thought today.
Fifteen year old Sunita wants to study but couldn’t due to family and social norms. She remarked “, my elder brother did not let me study. He said, now that I am able to read & write my name ... it is fine now, no need of proceeding any further. As a result my admission was withdrawn and was forced to sit back!”
It was the NGO, who jumped to her rescue. Their counselors had talked with her parents especially; Sunita’s mother and convinced her, whereby she was admitted to 6th standard. Sunita, now is more enthusiastic about her studies. She is getting required support she needs.
She wants to be a Doctor one day J
