UNESCO released the Global Education Monitoring Report 2019 with the theme “Migration, displacement and education: Building bridges, not walls”. The Report highlights countries’ achievements and shortcomings in ensuring the right of migrant and refugee children.
Findings wrt India:
Migration scenario:
Inter-State migration rates have doubled between 2001 and 2011.
An estimated 9 million migrated between States annually from 2011 to 2016.
Construction sector absorbs the majority of short-term migrants.
Impact of Parent’s migration on children’s education:
Literacy levels in rural India suffer due to seasonal migration.
In India, 10.7 million children aged 6 to 14 lived in rural households with a seasonal migrant in 2013. About 28% of youth aged 15 to 19 in these households were illiterate or had not completed primary school, compared to 18% of the cohort overall.
80% of seasonal migrant children in 7 cities lacked access to education near work sites; 40% are likely to end up in work rather than education.
There is growth of slums due to migration where schools are often scarce.
Steps taken by India for migrant children’s education:
The report acknowledges that union government as well as some State governments have also taken steps.
The Right to Education Act in 2009 made it mandatory for local authorities to admit migrant children. National-level guidelines issued allow for flexible admission of children, providing transport, creation of seasonal hostels etc.
However, most interventions focus on keeping children in home communities instead of addressing the challenges faced by migrants. E.g. a pilot programme on brick kiln sites from 2010-2011 in Rajasthan did not improve learning of out-of-school children.
Report recommendations:
Include migrants and displaced people in the national education system
Understand and plan to meet the education needs of migrants and displaced people
Represent migration and displacement histories in education accurately to challenge prejudices
Prepare teachers of migrants and refugees to address diversity and hardship
Harness the potential of migrants and displaced people
Support education needs of migrants and displaced people in humanitarian and development aid.
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