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AP's Vision 2020 -- Succour for child workers and illiterates?

J. Sivaram

EDUCATION is crucial for the development of the human personality. It provides knowledge, skills and shores up the individual's self-confidence. Indeed, the lowest paid job in any sector is no longer available to the uneducated. Education is the sine qua non for development -- material, intellectual and spiritual. Unfortunately, 43 years after Andhra Pradesh's formation, 56 per cent of the population remains illiterate.

Under Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu's stewardship, the Andhra Pradesh Government released a Vision-2020 document, which targetted cent per cent literacy by 2010. Recently, it proclaimed it would achieve this by 2005. On December 3, 1999, the State Government published the Draft Approach Paper on Education: An Agenda for Swarnandhra Pradesh and urged citizens to send in their suggestions. Though laudable, the Government's action is debatable.

Suggestions

Female education influences demographic factors and improves the educational status of children. An African proverb rightly observes: ``If you educate a man, you educate a person, but if you educate a women you educate a family.'' Educating a mother dire ctly influences the levels of motivation, achievements and study habits of their children. The gender disparity and poverty in Andhra Pradesh is obvious from the table.

From the table is evident that only 7.2 per cent of girls in disadvantaged households complete the VIII grade compared to 25.4 per cent of the boys (a difference of 18.2 per cent). This difference is narrower (8.6 per cent) in economically well-off top 2 0 per cent households. Kerala, with a per capita income of Rs. 11,936, has succeeded in bringing a significant share of the poor into the education system, with a higher percentage of female (57.9). So, supply side factors play a vital role.

Political commitment and government policies are the factors that play a decisive role. The lack of commitment to education is reflected in the low public spending on education when viewed in the context of overall budget on education. Though the total a mount spent on education rose from Rs. 1,702.93 crores in 1995-96 to Rs. 3,076.37 crores in 1999-2000 (BE), its total share in the State's revenue expenditure declined from 16 per cent to 15 per cent during the same period. Moreover, as per the norms, ex penditure on education must be 6 per cent of GSDP, but the State spends a little over 2 per cent of GSDP.

The Vision 2020 document points out that the State's higher education system needs to focus on the development of specialised and technical skills, such as computer applications or information technology. The trend has been set with the introduction of c ourses such as BCA (Bachelor of Computer Application) and BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration). However, as per Budget estimates, a meagre Rs. 76.78 crores was proposed to be spent by the State on technical education in 1999-2000. To develop technic al education, the allocation for this sector has to be stepped up -- Rs. 163.38 crores was expected to be incurred towards grants-in-aid to non-government colleges and institutes in 1999-2000. The State shall initiate measures to discontinue the aid to t hese colleges in phases and permit them to mobilise resources on their own.

It is necessary to involve the private sector in higher education. However, the Government will continue to ensure higher education to the poor, women, minorities, disadvantaged groups and residents of backward regions to achieve the Swarnandhra Pradesh' s goal. By utilising the Rs. 549.6 crores sanctioned by the World Bank for primary education meaningfully, no doubt the State will achieve cent per cent literacy, provided it also eradicates corrupt practices.

The CSO and National Sample Survey Organisation statistics show that Andhra Pradesh's literacy rate increased to 54 per cent during 1996-97, but was relegated to the 28th place in the country. It was also observed that the drop-out rate was more than 62 per cent in standard I-VII.

Meanwhile, illiteracy has been blamed for various social evils among the youth. Low literacy levels are responsible for low employment, or employment in lowly-paid and unskilled jobs, which often generates frustration and lawlessness among youths. Howeve r, it is hoped that the implementation of action-oriented programmes, such as Total Literacy Mission and Adult Literacy Programmes, will improve the situation and actually turn the State into Swarnandhra Pradesh.

The Vision 2020 document states: ``AP will be free from child labour before 2005.'' As per labour statistics of the Census 1991, there were 16.62 lakh child labourers in Andhra Pradesh -- the highest in the country.

It is disheartening to note that children can be found working in the canteen of the State's Secretariat. As per the Supreme Court judgment on the elimination of child labour, delivered on December 10, 1996, a child labour rehabilitation-cum-welfare fund was to be created at the district level for depositing compensation money (Rs. 20,000 per child) collected from those employing children in contravention of the present Act. However, hardly any State government has resorted to this. The apex court also asked the Centre and the States to provide compulsory education, vocational training and health facilities to working children, either by directing the industries to do so themselves, or in coordination with the State Governments. Since it is a nation-wi de phenomenon, the Union Government must be approached to set up a National Commission for Children to eliminate child labour.

In the 11th round of the Janmabhoomi programme, the Government gave nodal officers and personnel a direction to identify the State's child labour and illiterates, so that it could initiate measures to achieve cent per cent literacy and eradicate child la bour in order that Andhra Pradesh becomes Swarnandhra Pradesh.

(The author is a Deputy Statistical Officer, Technical Library, Finance and Planning Department, Andhra Pradesh Government.)