Ensuring Education for Migrant Children: Bridging Gaps in Access and Opportunity for a Brighter Future
Migration in human history existed almost from the dawn of time. Migration is done in search of better job opportunities or conditions, or because of the worst situations. Because people seek for a wider world, they search for the future and often leave their homes. However, migration brings basic issues under its fold. What is often overlooked is the impact of migration on the children of migrant families.
1. According to estimates, internal migration makes up the bulk share or 88 per cent of the total migration, that is, millions within the country for work, especially from rural to urban areas. Many of them, perhaps most, are almost seasonal migrants traveling for work in agriculture and construction-whenever these peak seasons occur. It is not that; they cannot be said as migrant (as many are known) because they have temporarily left native land and would go back to it until the next season arrives. The term migration certainly refers to their journeys throughout the year. Thus, while migration may provide an economic opportunity for the participants, it imposes certain challenges-profound challenges, especially on children of migrant workers who are victims of education interruptions.
2 The chances of finding a migrant student being a “stable student” and simultaneously finishing his or her schooling without disruption is apparently a very big luxury for this set of students associated with migration. Most of them don’t really go to school at all; those who do are present only intermittently and hence very often remain absent when crucial learning moments are on. Consequently, many of them are barely able to cross even one grade by the time they hit adolescence. A report derived from census data states that 17 million out of 92.95 million classroom-attending child migrants aged between 6 and 14 years are enlisted in early childhood centers. Unfortunately, this frequent shifting or migration from one school to another leads to their missing out on early educational exposure, which is very important for development.
Early childhood is a stage in a person’s life that precedes the age of six years, the most crucial stage of development whereover 85% of brain growth as averred by UNESCO takes place before then. During this time, a child’s brain is very sensitive to the experiences that it is acquiring; therefore, any disruption in their education around the largest growth of their brain will have long term effects on the rest of their life. Early experiences will have an impact on the migrant children who have been left out, and this will have repercussions for the rest of their lives.
3 For child development a very important area, the Indian government has initiated various measures in this kind. Some of these measures have already been adopted, and they carry titles like Navchetana 2024, which is the National Framework for Early Child Stimulation, or Aadharshila 2024, the National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education. Since the education provided for thousands of children will be of high quality, they will eventually have frameworks ensuring their habitations away from their homes with full-fledged early learning experiences. With such education, they would be given access to learning spaces with strong enough foundations at the age from birth to six years across their migrational statuses.
4 But many measures are still needed to ensure migrant children receive an uninterrupted and consistent education. Tracking the progress of these children is one key issue. A huge challenge is the fact that because these children keep moving, the schools might find it challenging to gather accurate student performance data on these migrant children, which then denies them tailored support. Policies to address this bottleneck should consider the unique conditions of a migrant family, as migrant children move seamlessly, despite moving to another region or to another school.
Moreover, schools, Anganwadi Centres, and other educational institutions should create a conducive environment that remains supportive and inclusive for migrant children. These institutions must offer equal opportunities to other children, apart from their origin, and most particularly, should not stigmatize or leave behind children from migratory backgrounds. With training provided for teachers and caregivers, they can appreciate the specific needs of children coming under such transition and can offer emotional and academic support accordingly.
Every child deserves to have an education, no matter who he or she is or wherever he or she may be situated. This remains a fundamental principle that the world set under protective custody within wise international accords such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This demands that every migrant child anywhere can confidently be assured of quality education.
5 In recognition of International Migrant’s Day, it would be the opportune hour for us to dismantle that proper barrier hindering the young migrant children to attain their schooling because to promote them: let us introduce mobile schools, online teaching forum, or any other community-based initiative that secures this means for keeping the children together even in the event of frequent moves.
Migrant children depend on today’s choices to fashion their futures. Given that educational challenges are addressed beforehand in time, future migrant children would indeed be most likely pointed on their way by discovering the needs for empowerment involving the growth, learning, and success that they shall use as stepping-stones to make a positive future for both themselves and their communities.
Let us act together to realize this as every child deserves to learn, flourish, and succeed.
