Director Primary Education, Mamta on Monday said that Inter State coordination was required to ensure education and protection rights to children in brick kilns. Statistics shows that large number of people from Jharkhand migrates every year to brick kilns in West Bengal especially Malda and 24 Parganas.
In 2012-13, 764 children from Jharkhand in various age categories were part of the intervention of which 421 children were of 0-6 years, 283 of 6-14 years and 60 were of 14-18 years category.
Speaking over the matter at a consultation meeting of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA) members from Jharkhand and West Bengal Mamta who is also the State Project Director of SSA said, “We can ensure facility like residential schools to the children only when we know about them. later on the SSA Jharkhand should take up the issue of migrant children with counterparts in West Bengal. This is necessary to guarantee education to these children.”
The migrant labourers working at the brick kilns at West Bengal generally hail from districts Sahebgunj, West Singhbhum, Ranchi and Gumla.
‘Save the Children’, an NGO working for providing Right to Education (RTE) facilities for around 70 migrant children at Malda and 24 Parganas since 2008 informed that a substantial number of migrant labourers along with their family come from Jharkhand and Odisha.
This NGO had established Bridge Course Centres for the mentioned number of migrant children wherein teachers impart studies according to RTE provisions. Mahadev Hansda, State Program Manager, Save the Children said “As an outcome of seasonal migration children drop out of schools and are deprived of education opportunities or vocational skills which can enhance their circumstances. Coordination between SSA Jharkhand and West Bengal is required to ensure continuous education to these children.”
According to Hansda Hindi text books must be provided for migrant children in government schools in West Bengal. “Enrolment of children should be ensured once they are back in Jharkhand and they should be tracked here for providing midday meal, text books and school dress as per provisions of Right to Education Act,” added Hansda.
Most of the migrating families from Jharkhand to other eastern states do not have any domicile certificate or health card or any other identification proof in the name of Jharkhand domicile. “A database is being generated at the State labour department for this purpose,” Mamta said.