Merger of schools is anti-Dalits, minorities and girls: Study

JAIPUR: A study conducted by NGOs and activists working for child rights highlighted that state government’s step to merge schools has affected 10 lakh students. It has come as a denial of education for children from vulnerable sections by taking away schools from their door steps. Study was conducted in Jaipur, Bundi, Alwar, Baran and Pali districts.

Organizations like Bharat Gina Vegan Samiti (BGVS) and PUCL volunteers conducted a study of 102 schools in five districts on a questionnaire-based survey. This includes 71 schools in Jaipur city. The findings say that schools which were in Dalits’ and minorities’ areas were worst affected and resulted in a sharp decline in enrollments since August 2014.

In all 9,399 children were enrolled in 71 schools of Jaipur city (Adarsh and Merged), out of which 840 children of the merged schools stopped going to school. This is around 10% of the total children enrolled.

“The government of Rajasthan has disregarded the law of the land by merging schools. This has overnight affected the success of several schemes and campaigns which have brought students to the school,” Vishwambhar, member State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights.

The members presented some case studies which say that where Dalit schools were merged into schools in higher caste areas the students have reportedly faced discrimination. The level of discrimination is such that Dalit children were discouraged from going to school. For instance, a school in Kalbeliya ki Dhani was merged with another school in Khatipura (Jagatpura), which is a Meena-dominated locality. As a result, all 23 children of Kalbeliya School stopped going to school.

The activists also accused the government of discouraging education for girls. Report says that many schools for girls were merged with co-educational schools. For instance, Girls’ Primary School in Dhankiya Basti, Jhotwara was merged with a co-ed school in Raeger Basti, where mostly boys study and that resulted in all the girls students from Dhankiya School quitting school.

Source: The Times of India