Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) Issues Challenges and way forward in ensuring The Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 of Children in Tea Plantations in India Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) Right to Education Kerala Dr. A.P. Kuttykrishnan State Project Director,Kerala.

Children in the tea garden area have low level enrolment and education and so special and strong effort is required to bring them into schools. This may be because of negative attitude of the parents towards education and because of other social constraints such as poverty, health etc. Both parents may have work in the plantation and elder children, especially girls, often have to stay back at home to look after the younger siblings. As per the data available with the SSA, a project aiming universalising elementary education , give the fact that the largest number of children in the ‘out of school’ category, is from the plantation sector.

Comparing other parts of the country, because of the social demand , Kerala is providing more educational facilities. The plantation managements of Kerala are trying to comply with the PLA section 14 and they are providing support to strengthen enrolment in schools. As per recent study on drop out, the situation in Kerala is better ,11% less than the National average in plantation region. This is due to proactive steps taken by SSA, Govt.of Kerala ,social movements to secure the education to the children by any means.

The educational amenities available to the worker’s children is not properly utilised either because of the attitude of the learner or because of the mismanagement of the system. The quality of the education in the tea plantation area is very poor. SSA is taking initiatives to improve the quality by giving additional classes for students during holidays. The major problem SSA facing is the reluctance on the part of parents to send their wards to schools and training centres.

Some of the Programmes initiated by SSA: Colony Visit by the teachers and Volunteers Parental Awareness Programmes Gothrabhasha Parichayam (Learning material in Tribal Language) Padanaveedu (Learning Centre in Colony) Counselling and Career Guidance Gothrafest (Tribal Festival) Learning Materials and Uniform Transportation facility Remedial Teaching.

Enrollment trend Sl.No Village Name 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 1 Estate located Villages Peermade Block, Idukki District for the last three years Sl.No Village Name 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 1 ANAVILASAM 1141 1307 2 ELAPPARA 2205 2290 1958 3 KOKKAYAR 1427 1428 1866 4 KUMALI 6209 5532 5465 5 MANJUMALA 3129 3052 2772 6 PEERMADU 4139 3820 4003 7 PERIYAR 1997 2081 2162 8 PERUVANTHANAM 2684 2620 2109 9 UPPUTHARA 4399 4495 4253 10 VAGAMON 806 759   Total 28136 27265 26654

Enrollment in Peermade Block, Idukki District for the last three years

Enrollment in Munnar Block, Idukki District for the last three years Enrollment trend Enrollment in Munnar Block, Idukki District for the last three years Sl.No Village Name 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 1 CHINNAKKANAL 1620 1585 1538 2 KANTHALLOOR 691 648 611 3 KDH (MUNNAR) 7294 6449 6411 4 KEEZHANTHOOR 450 447 413 5 KOTTAKKAMPOOR 116 105 118 6 MANKULAM 95 88 103 7 MARAYOOR 3118 3088 2954 8 PALLIVASAL 100 89 91 9 VATTAVADA 225 204   Total 13709 12703 12443

Estate located Villages , Idukki District for the last three years

Estate located Villages - WAYANAD Enrollment trend Estate located Villages - WAYANAD Sl.No Village Name 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 1 Chundale 4118 4113 4102 2 Thavinjal 2869 2770 2712 3 Mooppainad 3521 3598 3461   Total 10508 10481 10275

Estate located Villages - WAYANAD

Implementation of Section 14 (and related Rules) of the Plantation Labour Act What percentage of tea gardens are complying with this obligation? Tea plantations managements are complying the section 14 of PLA act. They are cooperating with SSA to ensure school enrolment. But in most of the tea plantation management data on number of children is not available.

What is the status of implementation and what measures are taken to further it? Peermade, Munnar(Idukki District) and Wayand are three major areas of tea plantations. In Munnar, 28 lower primary schools are functioning under the tea estate management. In Peermade and Wayanad altogether 58 lower primary schools are functioning. Majority of tea plantation area have only Lower primary schools. Also there are Govt./Aided schools within the premises as per RTE norms .

What are the monitoring and oversight mechanisms in this context? SSA, General Education department, child line, District child protection unit, and saksharatha mission officials are monitoring the education activities and give on sight mechanism in these areas.

Your observations on the quality of educational facilities and implementation of the prescribed standards. To ensure the quality of education as per RTE norms in the areas of migrant education SSA is organising several programmes in the area with the help of the LSGD and other stake holders. To address the demand of multilingual learning facilities we provided text books and CDs in their own languages.

Educational Volunteers review and training Educational Officers Convergence meeting Convergence meeting including all the stake holders, CDPU, child line, department of Education, SSA,RMSA, NRHM, Saksharatha Mission, ICDS and other NGOs is convened at least twice in a year. Parents Awareness Programmes Organised Shyam Ka Millan programme in every Sunday evening with the presence migrant parents. In this programme we discussed different aspects of healthy and progressive living ,like health and nutrition, good parenting, against using drugs, right to education, right of migrants, education and entertainment , Positive effect of medias and technologies and family planning.

Research Oriented out of school programmes All the teachers and educational volunteers dealing with migrants will be assigned to conduct an action research based on their real class room experiences. Also research oriented teaching learning methods are plant to implement in class rooms . Multi lingual needs catering techniques will be emphasized for the whole teaching learning process. Proclamation of RTE Open campaigns in the settlement colonies of migrants with the help of already enrolled children to ensure the complete enrollment of migrant children.

RTE in tea plantations Status of implementation of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 in the tea plantations. Status of implementation, when compared to implementation of the Act, in general, in the State. Even after implementing several steps to ensure enrolment, there are number of out of school children in these region. Main reason for the non-enrolment: Both parents may have work in the plantation and elder children, especially girls, often have to stay back at home to look after the younger siblings. In Kerala, the attitude of parents are positive towards the education. But in the case of migrant labours, they are relucant to send their wards to school .

Key challenges faced in the enforcement of the provisions related education rights of children, in tea plantations. Lack of availability of qualified educational volunteers from their native states Lack of availability of teaching- learning materials in the regional language like Bengali, Assamese etc. Lack of training for teachers in such schools Hesitation from parents to send their wards to schools Situation of elder child to nurture their younger ones and managing of household affairs denying educational opportunities Lack of Breakfast facilities Lack of Travel facilities to children from remote places Seasonal migration of families In securities due to difference in mother tongue, culture and other aspects Lack of awareness

The way ahead/ key recommendations to strengthen the implementation of RTE in plantations, within the context of PLAs Upgrading of LP schools related to the tea plantations or ensuring the facilities or allowances to nearby UP & HS for remote areas, as per requirement. Provision of teaching learning materials in the concerned language from different states to ensure reading & writing skills in their own mother tongue , by using educational volunteers. Provision of breakfast to ensure health & nutrition's standards and these by promoting attentive learning. Opening of anganawadies, pre primary schools and crushes within the premises of schools will engage the children between the age groups 3 to 5 hence we can assure them schooling of their elder ones.

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