Discrimination-
Although the right to education movement in India is not very new, but seems to be always the main issue even after more than 50 years of independence. The Right to Education Bill to make education a fundamental right is still pending with the Govt. Most of the policies and programmes related to education in India have given required emphasis on quantity of schools and quality of education but many issues have been ignored resulting into low education indicators of Dalit children.
Dalit Perspective
From the perspective of Dalits, who constitute largest population of historically discriminated community in the country, the past and present policies and programmes have ignored the core issues of dignity and equality, whose denial has been central to dalit struggles. Any programme for welfare and development of Dalits need to address the issues of dignity and equality.
Education and Dalits
No need to mention here that denial of education to Dalits by certain dominant groups was the main cause of Dalits being oppressed and disadvantaged for centuries. The constitution of India for the first time in the history of India made provisions of free primary education to marginalized communities particularly Dalits. School gates were opened for Dalits. A dramatic change in the dominant ideology was not expected but to some extent Dalits made little progress even after being harassed and victimized. Dalit experience of education can be viewed in following terms-
I. Access to Education (The Enrolment)
II. Retention in School (Problem of drop out)
III. Educational Provisions (environment with school and outside)
IV. Policy problems
Situation of Dalit children’s Education
I. Dalit children’s Enrolment in schools:
Total population of dalit children in India is about 17.38%. The government statistics show that a large number of these children have been enrolled in schools. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in primary classes (I-V) is 88.30 %, for middle classes (VI-VIII) its 71.86. This data suggests that the enrolment goes down as the children move from primary to middle stages.
II. Drop out situation of Dalit children
The statistics presented recently by ministry of human resource development indicate a horrible situation for dalit children. The drop out rate in primary stages (I-V) is about 36.56 %. In the middle stages (I-VIII) the drop out rate is 59.42 % and the same for secondary stages is 73.13 %.
It shows that a majority of dalit children have to leave schools not only in primary stages but the situation becomes worst in middle and secondary stages drop out. The situation is worse in some of the states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. It also suggests that there are some problems which compel children to leave schools. The problems may be within or out of school.
Issues of concern
This exclusion from education is definitely related with social exclusion processes which are operating in the society at large, of which school is a sub-system. The social exclusion in education has been well documented by various authors. Some of these aspects of social exclusion in schools are as-
• Problems in accessing education
• Problems related to school
Problems in accessing education
Dalit parents are not welcomed by the schools to get their children enrolled in schools and also the schools fail to motivate both parents and children to continue the studies. The prejudices and biases against dalit community continue to be practiced in the form of discrimination. No non dalit children are denied admission in school. On the other hand Dalits are denied admission on various grounds.
Problems related to school
Dalit children’s first encounter outside their locality happens to take place in heterogeneous environment of school. This environment is a reflection of the social environment outside the school. Dalit children have to face discrimination and even untouchability in the school. These children are exposed to the tasks which have been traditionally done by Dalits. This includes sweeping the school grounds, classrooms, bringing water for teachers etc. In most of the classroom situations, Dalit children sit on the back seats. They are not encouraged to sit in the front and participate in the classroom processes. In many states the reports of untouchability in drinking water and mid day meal scheme have been documented.
III. Provisions for Dalit children
There are many provisions for encouraging Dalit children to study. These include scholarships, uniforms, books, mid day meal (for all) etc. these are not in proportion to the population of dalit children’s population. The access to these resources takes lot of pain and majority do not get. Even if it reaches to them, an insufficiency prevails. Dalit parents are treated inhumanly by administration. Many a times these resources are not provided to dalit children. There is either delay or nothing is provided.
IV. Policy problems
The general approach has been to make the education ‘universal’
Government statistics itself tell the whole story. However, there have been efforts to universalise the elementary education but no efforts seem to take place on analysing the poor education indicators of Dalit children. By focussing on universalizing the education, a special focus on Dalit children’s education is lost, due to which the Dalit children continue to get marginalized.
It is evident that usually the schools are not located in the Dalit habitations. The schools are ‘owned’ by non Dalit dominant community as they are able to influence the school administration.
The government’s flagship programme for achieving the goals of primary and elementary education, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is supposed to focus on Dalit children’s education on principle but it does not seem to have any specific programme for Dalit children.
The issues of discrimination in education have been ignored resulting in lowest educational indicators of Dalits. We need to focus on this issue and make it an agenda of action.
