Learning gaps, Marginalised children, Government, Child labour: A reflection

- As far as the situation is concerned all sorts of stakeholders, government, non-government organizations, parents, guardians and volunteers are giving their best efforts directly, indirectly in different approaches so as to continue education for the children.

Millions of well off parents adopted virtual education as a mode of educating their children in an active manner whereas millions of underprivileged parents could not opt for it because of the socio-economic challenges. It’s been more than three months since schools shut down across India but, no alternative moves of the government policy is adjustable for the marginalized communities.

It seems we are facing a crisis of innovative ideas in terms of confronting with the challenges of most deprived communities. In other words, are we not taking serious measures or have abandoned them or are we standing on the beliefs like, ”survival of the fittest”, we all collectively have to answer this.

However, the constitution clears about equal rights in terms of education regardless of advanced community or deprived community, upper class or lower class, normal children or differently-abled children. If this is the constitutional truth, then I would believe creating something innovative ideas for educating the millions of deprived children during an emergency without remaining silent. Nevertheless, we know the facts that these children are going to be missed out of their education which might be the prime reasons for school dropout rates, unemployment, poverty etc.

In this short write up I am attempting to address a few reasons of why COVID19 pandemic would result in long term impacts towards marginalized children.

Learning gaps:

Academic mentoring is one of the keys to successful learners. Rural parents posses traditional random mentoring skill which is almost like a command rather than being able to point out the areas of academic weakness and strengths. But, most of the rural parents do not have technical mentoring skills in terms of academic. Lack of such skills might impact towards child’s mental stabilities. The depressions caused by the current situations for various family issues have already occupied most of the parents' mind and thus, it is assumed to be a tough time in terms of dealing with children in a positive manner.

Image source: International Labour Organization, 26 Jun 2018

Default child labour:

This season is also about harvesting; so many children are forced to help their parents in the field. Not only, forced in the harvesting activities but also in daily wages such as fishing, selling firewoods, etc. They have been conditioned to go through such abusive activities in order to feed their hunger every day skipping formal learning and education.

Government policy on virtual education does not completely fulfil the needs of rural children:

In order to mitigate the learning gaps, the government has ordered to go on with virtual education system in most of the states which are completely digitalized. However, such government initiatives also discriminatory for most of the deprived communities who actually do not have smartphones as well as operational skills. As far report by Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) 70% of the Indian rural population does not access active internet connections. Moreover, broadcasting through All India Radio (AIR) also have lots of challenges for deprived communities as the minimal number of them have access to it. So, these policies are almost discriminatory and not inclusive.

CLF External communication

So, from my personal point of view, the government should emphasis on inclusive policies accessible to all classes of people. Empowering many educated youths as a volunteer with minimum remunerations targeting the most deprived communities and remote areas would be highly beneficial during this high time. Such small initiatives might help the children at least touch with their academics and mitigate from mental depression and school drop-out in future. Thereby having continuity in learning.

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Reflection is contributed by:

Satyasing Mushahary

Senior Consultant at Clf India.1

Alumni of Azim Premji University (2014-16)

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