49% of children out of school are SCSTs, 25% are Muslims: Survey
Chethan Kumar
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Bengaluru:
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Six years since the Right To Education Act came into effect, around 60.6 lakh children between the ages of 6 and 13 years are still out of school in the country.While SC ST children constitute 49.03% (29.73 lakh) of them, those from other backward classes (OBC) form 36%, which shows that RTE has brought little change in the lives of marginal groups.The trend was revealed in an extensive survey recently conducted by an independent agency for the Centre. According to the survey, the majority of out-of-school (OOS) children are in rural areas (77%). Besides, 15.57 lakh Muslim children are out of school, constituting 25% of the OOS children. The OBC category includes Muslims.
In all, 2.9% of the total 20.4 crore school-going age children have been deprived of their right to education.
Speaking to TOI, Rakesh Senger, director, Victim Assistance and Campaign at Bachpan Bachao Andolan, said, “It is not necessary that even this number is accurate as a recent study by us shows that many children who continue to work as labourers in Delhi are being marked present in schools. That is just dubious. There is a long way to go in this regard.“
Activists argue that fam ilies from backward communities fail to send their children to school largely due to non-affordability . They say non-affordability doesn't necessarily mean payment of school fees, which may be subsidized. It could mean sending a child to school would reduce the family's earnings by a few rupees the child could otherwise contribute by working.
The study also revealed that more than 48% of the children out of school, rough y 29 lakh, are girls.
The statistics are based on a survey commissioned by the HRD ministry and conducted across all 640 districts of the country . This is the third round of such a survey , the previous ones having been conducted in 2006 and 2009.
The number of OOS chil dren has always been a bone of contention. A July 2015 Unesco report saying India “has made mpressive progress provision of primary education“ is based on the 2012 figures provided by ndia, according to which 17 akh children are out of school.The number was borrowed rom various agencies.
The Unesco report clubs ndia with some of the worst performing nations. “At least 10 lakh children were denied he right to education in each of the following countries: India, Indonesia, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Sudan, Sudan and the United Republic of Tanzania,“ it notes.
In all, 2.9% of the total 20.4 crore school-going age children have been deprived of their right to education.
Speaking to TOI, Rakesh Senger, director, Victim Assistance and Campaign at Bachpan Bachao Andolan, said, “It is not necessary that even this number is accurate as a recent study by us shows that many children who continue to work as labourers in Delhi are being marked present in schools. That is just dubious. There is a long way to go in this regard.“
Activists argue that fam ilies from backward communities fail to send their children to school largely due to non-affordability . They say non-affordability doesn't necessarily mean payment of school fees, which may be subsidized. It could mean sending a child to school would reduce the family's earnings by a few rupees the child could otherwise contribute by working.
The study also revealed that more than 48% of the children out of school, rough y 29 lakh, are girls.
The statistics are based on a survey commissioned by the HRD ministry and conducted across all 640 districts of the country . This is the third round of such a survey , the previous ones having been conducted in 2006 and 2009.
The number of OOS chil dren has always been a bone of contention. A July 2015 Unesco report saying India “has made mpressive progress provision of primary education“ is based on the 2012 figures provided by ndia, according to which 17 akh children are out of school.The number was borrowed rom various agencies.
The Unesco report clubs ndia with some of the worst performing nations. “At least 10 lakh children were denied he right to education in each of the following countries: India, Indonesia, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Sudan, Sudan and the United Republic of Tanzania,“ it notes.
