By Dr Sumana Paul
The recent rapid urban population growth and relative lack of attention to urban poverty has possibly exacerbated deprivation in urban areas. As the population of urban areas has grown, that of slums accounted for 22.5 per cent of the urban population in the Census of India 2001. There is often reluctance to regularise informal settlements, and provide basic infrastructure and services to such areas because rural to urban migrants are often regarded as temporary urban residents.
The slum population is constantly increasing and it has doubled in the past two decades. The National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) surveyed in 2002 has identified 51,688 slums in urban areas of which 50.6 per centof urban slums have been declared as ‘notified slums’. This growing slum population and the lack of basic facilities will broadly impact on socio-economic and health sectors. In most of the cities a large chunk of populations (half to one fourth) live in poverty and are deprived of the basic needs. The central and state government has been introducing number of urban welfare programmes for improving the socio-economic conditions of urban slum dwellers in India. The NSSO has estimated that the population in urban slum areas has increased and paced by leaps and bounds in the recent past. Based on the 65thround survey, “basic features of slum areas, 2008-09, which reveal that as per the 2008-09 estimates the populace in urban slums areas has been, increase to the soaring heights. It is also stated that there are 48994 slums areas that includes notified and un-notified slum areas. In the light of the NSSO’s report in 2011, government has constituted a committee to make a survey on slum areas and other perennial problems.The state and central governments have been introducing number of welfare programmes especially for urban poor to improve the socio-economic status of slum dwellers in urban areas.
Slums are the most dilapidated dwellings in the modern township. Shillong, nicknamed as the “Scotland of the East”, has become a safe haven for slum dwellers. Surprisingly, the slum population has increased to thousands in just few years. Thus, the present investigation focuses on the need to spread education in the shanty town.
In Meghalaya, in fact a large number of the population lives in the urban slums. This rapid urban population growth and relative lack of attention to urban poverty, has possibly exacerbated multi-dimensional deprivation, including deprivation of education. The emergence of slums in Shillong is mainly due to high growth and unplanned development of Shillong urban area which has been one of the oldest, largest and fastest growing hill areas in the country. It has been seen that slums take a deep rooted seat primarily through migration in search of better economic opportunities which is a major threat to proper urban planning and demographic integrity of the citizens residing in the state. Though Shillong ranked 18th in terms of good urban sanitation and cleanliness among other Indian cities, it is found to be the only state capital in the entire north-eastern region having a slum population of over 50,000.
According to the Meghalaya State Development Report, 2008, “Slums have emerged in the urban areas of the state purely because of lack of infrastructure. Most of the slum pockets are located in low-lying and water-logged areas amid poor sanitary conditions and unhygienic surroundings”.Migration from the rural hinterland to the urban areas has been attributed as one of the factors behind the growth of slums in Shillong.Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma expressed concern over rural migration as it led to unregulated growth. He opined that the rural areas lack several amenities, which is forcing people to migrate to the city and there is a need to address the root cause of rural migration. Therefore, he assured his Government’s commitment to ensure holistic development and also urged city localities to suggest ways and means to maintain cleanliness.
Working towards the betterment of slum children inherently becomes the need of the hour if we consider the basic rights of the children as enshrined in the Right to Education Act 2009 (RTE Act.).As per the RTE all children in the age group of 6 to 14 years need to be in the schools.This right also enables a poor child to learn in a main-stream school in a healthy environment atsubsidized expenses.A rigorous awareness campaign is required to make the slum children and their parents aware of this law.
The writer of this article conducted a study targeting some slums pockets.The study reveals that the school attendance ratio of those slum children is much lower than that of children in Shillong as a whole. Parental perception of education and financing education are the major constraints too. Even if the children are attending schools, the majority of them are over-aged and are attending the non-formal schools. Lack of a friendly learning environment at home has largely forced urban slum primary school-going children out of school. The study also shows that children who work as garbage pickers have higher school dropout rates aschildren from these families are unable to get integrated into nearby schools, owing to poor social acceptance.These are some of the major reasonswhich discourage slum children from attending school.On the other hand, it is very encouraging to find out that these children too have high aims in life and desires to become learned citizens of the country. Of the total respondents22 per cent of them want to become doctor, while 29 per cent expressed their desire to become teachers. Besides, some aimed to become policemen and army officers while others showed interest in sports and government jobs as well.
Now the question arises-How can these slum children access proper education?It is only quality education for slum children which will stop the self-perpetuating cycle of poverty.Education creates avenues for gaining information, capabilities, confidence and eagerness to try alternative approaches for earning. We need to ensure basic rights of the children and make education a reality for every child. For realising this, we have to give them a good living conditionand a secure home so that they do not have to think of earning money for supporting their family.Employment opportunities should also be provided to their parents along with a safe home.Importance should also be given to the need for inclusion of all children in education thereby ensuring their Right to Education and finally mainstream them.The goal should be to “Make Education a Reality for Every Child”. To achieve this goal the Government should work hand in hand with NGOs.NGOs can take initiative to arrange awareness programs for raising sponsors. They can take out peaceful demonstrations and carry out street plays in raising support for their cause.Adult literacy programme is a must.No slum children should be denied admission in government schools for absenceof birth certificates, especially for children whose parents have never been to school and migrated from rural areas. Sadly, the government schemes earmarked for these children are not being properly implemented and even the NGOs are mute spectators to this issue.The existing various government incentive programmes can be improved to reach slum households.
Nascent organisation like Shishu Shiksha Ghar, recognised by SSA andDMC, East Khasi Hills Districtsis working towards the upliftment of under privileged children. As concerned citizens, we must give our best to ensure education to the slum children which will enable them to break the bondage of poverty and live a purposeful and meaningful life.Let us do our bit to brighten and shape their future through the light of Education as the children of today are the building blocks of tomorrow.
(The author is a faculty, in the department of Education, Women’s College, Shillong)