Make schools attractive: activists

By Ramya Kannan

CHENNAI, NOV. 28. Hundreds of school and working children joined together here today to raise what is probably the loudest voice for the `Right to Education' that has been heard in this part of the country.

Beginning at T. Nagar, the procession moved slowly towards Valluvar Kottam where the children further reinforced their point of view, demanding quality and free education. Apart from 800 working children, there were above 3,500 children from schools. Students from 28 city schools participated. The protest in the city was mirrored by several demonstrations in various parts of the State - in at least 20 other districts.

Organised by the Coalition Against Child Labour (CACL), the protest was an attempt to make amendments to the Right to Education Bill. The Centre had decided to enact a Constitutional amendment in the current session of Parliament to make right to education a fundamental right for children upto the age of 14 years.

It is the contention of the child rights movement that the right must include `free, quality, equitable education' and the right to early childhood care and joyful learning methods. CACL has been campaigning that the right to education must be guaranteed upto 18 years of age for students from the poorest socio-economic sections of society, so that children clear at least upto Standard Ten. This strategy would be important to attract children to school, prevent dropouts and keep children out of the workforce.

Presenting statistics to support their cause, the members of the Campaign say it is essential to make schools attractive to children to keep them there. The data of the Non Formal Education Directorate of Tamil Nadu indicates that nearly 35 lakh children in the age group 6-14 years, are not enrolled in schools or have discontinued school education.

Among them, 30 lakh children are employed as child labour in different fields. CACL-TN however puts the figure at close to 55 lakh children. Due to the inability of schools to hold children, high dropout rates are becoming alarming.

With increasing dropout rates, more children are being forced into labour - even prohibited and hazardous forms.

Several MPs from Tamil Nadu had also been sensitised about the problem and it was hoped that they would represent this point of view when the amendment came up for discussion, Mr. Thomas Jeyaraj, convenor, CACL-TN, said.

Another demand made by the national campaign is that the State shall ``provide the manner in which students from scheduled castes, tribes and children with special needs are enabled to exercise and enjoy this right.''

The co-ordinating organisations that participated in today's series of rallies across the State included Vidya Sagar, Arpanam, Dalit Struggle Committee, Nesakkaram, CCRD, Jeeva Jyothi, FORWORD, Karunalaya, Black Theatre, TNPFSD, Arunodhaya, ICCW-TN, Morning Star, CDaWS, Anbu Illam and Human Rights Advocacy and Research Foundation.

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Section  : Southern States
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