Chennai
Research indicates that 60% of children in Perumbakkam, where more than 4,500 families were resettled after the 2015 floods, are school dropouts, due to lack of adequate educational facilities. Policy Researcher Vanessa Peter from Information and Resource Centre for the Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC), who has been closely working with these settlements, pointed out that many families were relocated from Saidapet, Guindy, Kotturpuram slums and other parts of the city.
“As a result, there is a loss of livelihood and a reduction in family income. There is one school within the settlement and two schools nearby but these are not enough to cater to the sheer volume of school-going children in the region. Children who drop out of school incur the risk of delinquency or being exploited for child labour, sexual abuse and trafficking,” she said.
Nandhini P, from the NGO Uravugal Social Welfare Trust said, “The parents find it difficult to send their children to their previous schools, located 30-40 km away. Many have already paid the fees for the academic year and are also worried about the security of their wards during the long journey to school and back.
These children have studied in English medium schools – so getting into a Tamil-medium one was a challenge. There are no kindergarten facilities – only Anganwadi units for toddlers,” said this social worker. A child resource centre is being planned to encourage children to continue their education. Nandhini added, “We are planning tuitions as well as counselling to ensure they return to school.
Through extra-curricular activities, computer classes and spoken English sessions, we want to rekindle their interest in studies. The centre can also monitor violations of child rights.” Educational activist Prince Gajendra Babu said, “The children have been relocated in between the academic year. The adjustment to change in environment can be difficult for children.
There needs to be a child-friendly environment as well as facilities such as safe shelters, counsellors and even a grievance redressal system to monitor child abuse,” he concluded.
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