Equal opportunities
In India, right to education is a fundamental right. In 2009, a law was implemented which gives every child from the age of 6 to 14, the right to free education. Still, millions of children are not attending school.
Reasons why many children living in slums don’t go to school:
- Most slum dwellers are living at or below poverty line, and simply can’t afford education for their children. Basic needs like food, clothing and shelter come first.
- There are hardly any government schools nearby the slums. These schools are for free, but located too far away and parents don’t have the money for transport for their children. Sending their children to a private school is financially impossible.
- The quality of education in government run schools is very poor. Teachers are not regularly coming to schools, teaching methods are outdated, and corporal punishment is not unusual.
- Children are forced to work in order to assist their families economically. Or they (especially girls) have to help with domestic duties (such as cleaning, cooking, and collecting water) and take care of younger siblings.
- Often, parents don’t understand the value of education. Being illiterate themselves, they aren’t aware of the benefits of education.
The Wisdom Academy creates educational opportunities by:
- Providing free education.
- Giving classes inside the slums.
- Offering good and attractive education, so the students will enjoy coming to school and learn as much as possible.
- Running awareness programmes in the slums to encourage the parents to send their children to school.
- Going into the slums to collect the children who didn’t show up for school that day.
- Adjusting school times to accommodate working children from the poorest slums. Both the Wisdom Academy and Narangi are against child labour. But reality is that in many poor families children earn an important portion of a family’s income. By employing the ‘earn and learn approach’ these boys and girls can continue working and have access to education.
How education can change your life
Education can be the key to better job opportunities and can help
children escape a life in poverty.
Education equips girls and boys with the knowledge and skills necessary to adopt healthy life styles.
Educated adults are more likely to send their children to school.
Being able to read and write makes people less vulnerable to abuse by others. Then you can read about your fundamental rights, and fill out forms and your voting ballot yourself.