While the Right to Education Act (RTE) mandates that every child has the fundamental right to free and compulsory elementary education in India, how do you ensure education for children in difficult circumstances? Malini Sen finds out
From West Bengal and Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh to Orissa, the Maoist-dominated regions are making the headlines. But, in the sidelines of the news is another story - education for children in difficult circumstances, which requires special attention. Apart from political strife, difficult circumstances indicate internal displacement, natural disasters, communal and other forms of violence.
While the Right to Education Act (RTE) mandates that every child has the fundamental right to free and compulsory elementary education in India, how do you set up formal schools in these vulnerable regions? How do you convey the importance of education, when life itself is uncertain?
During a visit to Dantewada (Chhattisgarh) and Khammam ( Andhra Pradesh) a few years ago, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had strongly urged that schools be identified as 'zones of peace.' This would include nonuse of schools for any other than educational purposes, separation of schools from the camps, and introduction of programmes addressing the psycho-social needs of the children delivered within the school environment with appropriate training of teachers.
Shantha Sinha, chairperson, NCPCR, asserts that education should not be compromised at any cost. "In regions of conflict, children are more prone to trafficking, joining the labour force or even the armed conflict. The only way to make sure that they are safe is to keep them in school. And now, with RTE, it is their fundamental right," she adds. The NCPCR is working towards reviving schools in districts facing civil unrest, where there has been a total breakdown of the education system.
According to Unicef sources, at present, there are around 33 districts that are affected by naxal violence. Access to education has been significantly affected, staff enjoy little mobility, teacher attendance is low, civil work has come to a standstill, several school buildings have been destroyed and a number of schools are being used by the forces.
In Chhattisgarh, Unicef has been working with the local administration in South Bastar to bring children back to residential school facilities in Porta Cabins (prefabricated bamboo structures) and provide them with a child-friendly environment.
At the initial phase, the methodology should be more about direct delivery, says Bhagyashri Dengle, executive director, Plan India. "For example, setting up of child-care centres for children aged 0-6 years, special training centres for children in the age group of 10-18, supplying teaching-learning materials such as text books, etc."
Secondly, trained facilitators should be engaged to provide psycho-social support to the children affected by emergencies. The primary aim is to provide care and support to the children at regular intervals. "Our role should be of a facilitator, building the right linkages with schools so that children can go back to school safely," adds Dengle.
Reiterating the importance of psycho-social support, Venkatesh Malur, education specialist, Unicef, says sports for development and arts-based therapy has been undertaken to engage children in various participatory activities and divert their attention from what is happening around them in Chhattisgarh.
"Avenues for expression and articulation of their thoughts and ideas have been created using which children have been able to exhibit their skills," he adds. Innovative measures such as activity-based learning methodologies are being used in the classroom. Teachers have been trained on the methodology and age-appropriate learning materials have been designed.
Education also has a vital role to play in social reconstruction in the aftermath of a disaster. In Gujarat, after the earthquake (2001), the concept of building as a learning aid (BaLA) was developed in some schools. "The rebuilding of schools and resuming classes is a positive step towards recovery and the future. It is essential to review the development of new curricula and training of teachers in these areas, this could begin to symbolise a departure from the violent past and the advance towards a peaceful future," says Geeta Menon, who is working as a consultant with Unicef on education in emergencies.
The Druk White Lotus School in Leh, which became famous after it featured in the Bollywood film 3 Idiots, was devastated in a cloudburst in 2010. Several rooms including the computer lab and elementary classes block was damaged in the disaster. Thanks to the concerted efforts of both the local and school authorities, the school got a new lease of life.
Education is essential both as a human right and as a component of the peace-building process. "Displacement is a crucial time of transition and vulnerability not just for children, but for youth and adults as well. Failure to incorporate youth and adult education and vocational training as a standard component during displacement is a detrimental omission in the quest to secure peace and initiate long-term development," says Malur.