Children deprived of education due to migration

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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com/2009/12/22/stories/2009122251170300.htm)
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Children deprived of education due to migration


Staff Reporter

Startling facts emerge from a survey conducted by Migration Information & Resources Centre

During Sept. and October over a lakh families migrate in search of work to distant StatesOnly 9 per cent of the surveyed children had the opportunity of education at the work sites
BHUBANESWAR: When a family migrates from western Orissa to far off places like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu every year, arranging two square meals a day remains uppermost in the mind, but it has little idea as to how children are losing their future in the process.
A survey conducted by MIRC, (Migration Information & Resources Centre), Aide et Action South Asia, a voluntary organisation, revealed disturbing pictures about children’s vulnerability to get dropped out from schools.
As high as 51 per cent of the children surveyed are currently out of the education system while of that 28 per cent have never had the opportunity of being in school, MIRC said.
Of the 49 per cent who have been to the school, the study revealed that most of the children, who had migrated for work, had to repeat classes as they were unable to appear for the final examinations. These incidents have given rise to the phenomena those children as old as 15 are studying in standards as low as 5th standard.
Similarly, 49 per cent of the children fall in the age group of 6-14 years but are out of school for around eight months in an academic year because of migration.
The only time they attend the school is during non migration period of July-November
Despite efforts of civil society and State government, it is surprising that only 9 per cent of the surveyed children had the opportunity of education at the work sites.
The quality of education at work sites is below par, as stated by children and teachers at the work sites, it said.
Aid et Action South Asia had covered five blocks in Bolangir, Nuapada and Bargarh district in its study.
From each of the villages, 30 families, who have been migrating regularly, were chosen as sample for the study.
Vies of 1,184 households and population of 5,380, out of which migrating population is 4084, were recorded.
During September and October over a lakh families migrate in search of work to distant states owing to drought, rural destitution and failure of entitlements. Around 25 per cent of the migrants constitute children and they completely miss out on education both in source as well as destination areas.

National workshop
Researchers demanded creation of data base of child migration in the migration prone districts and establishment of child tracking mechanism at the sources and destination.
The study was shared at a national workshop on “Child Migration- India’s New Challenges in Education” held here on Monday.


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