1. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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 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

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

9. 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 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

10. Estate located Villages , Idukki District for the last three years

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

12. Estate located Villages - WAYANAD

13. 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.

14. 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 .

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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 .

20. 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

21. 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.

22. THANK YOU