India caught the world’s eye when a recent UN report declared that more than half of the nation’s population is under the age of 25, accounting for more than 600 million people. With a major segment constituting of children and youth, India surely seems to be on its way to a brighter tomorrow.
The youth forms a sizeable portion of the existing workforce. However, the true potential of the workforce of the future (children) can be satisfactorily exercised only if the child receives what is crucial for their proper physical, emotional, and intellectual growth.
This sort of nourishment can come in the form of good education, training in income-generating activities, nutritional and health support, and emotional and physical security. The sad thing is that a lot of our young ones spend their childhood in a state of deprivation. A lot of them never get to attend school. This alludes to the possibility of a bleak future for them and for the country at large.
Children Turning Away From Books
According to a World Bank Report, only 44% of Indian children complete their 10th standard studies, with too many of them dropping out of school before finishing their primary level education, leading to the high rates of illiteracy in the country.
India is on its way to becoming the country with the largest and the youngest workforce the world has ever seen. This makes it extremely important for us to address this issue with more concern and attention. And to be able to do so, we must first investigate why children withdraw from schools within a few years of their induction into formal education.
What Is Dragging Children Out Of Their Classrooms?
1. Poverty
Poverty is one of the major reasons for students discontinuing their education. Children belonging to economically weaker sections of society are the most susceptible. Their parents cannot afford to pay for their education. Even when a child is studying in a government institution, their parents don’t give priority to their child’s education. Poverty-stricken parents would rather have their child earn a little than ‘waste’ time at school. Children are also forced into working long hours at a tender age, to supplement the family income, leaving no time for them to learn.
2. Gender Bias
In some parts of India, parents still hesitate to send a girl child to school. The situation is the most severe in rural areas, where it is believed that the primary responsibility of a girl child is to tend to the household. However, to be fair, the country is becoming increasingly aware about the importance of girls’ education. We may see a major shift soon.
3. Boring Classroom Environment
Children grasp things best when they are taught in a way that tickles their curiosity. The traditional way of imparting knowledge, which has been more of a theoretical approach than a practical one, may not always invoke a child’s interest in learning. The rote, directive method of teaching can drive children away from studies, increasing their possibility of dropping out of school at an early stage.
The need of the hour is to make the pursuit of education interesting for children. This can easily be done by adopting a more interactive, approach towards knowledge sharing. This shall positively keep the children invested in the learning process and motivate them to continue their education.
What Can We Do To Bring A Child To The Book?
The government’s mid-day meal initiative has been quite successful in bringing underprivileged children back to classrooms. It has also changed the attitude of poverty-stricken parents, towards schooling, for the better. Knowing that their child will receive a nutritious meal, parents now encourage their children to go to school.
Some charities in our country are also running the mid-day meal programmes for school children. However, since they are non-profit entities, they need help to continue the good work. Any contribution that we make towards the cause shall help feed a poor kid. It will also greatly impact their academic career by giving them an additional reason to stay in school.
If you want to drive a change in the lives of these poor children, please make a donation here. Your contribution will go a long way in improving their lives and ultimately, the future of our country.
Happy Giving! 🙂