Date:07/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/07/stories/2008100755310600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Childhood stinks with illiteracy

Deepa H Ramakrishnan

Children of migrants are far from schools

— Photo: M.Vedhan

LOST CHILDHOOD: Children of migrants scour a garbage dump in Thiruverkadu near Chennai recently.

CHENNAI: In an age when students are penalised for absence from school, these children of migrants have long forgotten what schools and lessons are. Having come down from Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, Lakshmi and her sisters are forced to scour garbage for bits and pieces that could bring in some money.

Their parents keep promising them that they can go to school “tomorrow.” Three children were seen near a pile of garbage at Thiruverkadu recently. Angamma, who looked about five years old, said: “When I asked my father, he said he would take me to school tomorrow.” But they are yet to see the day when they join a school. Having come down to Thiruverkadu and pitched their tents near the municipality building, the settlers have been here for nearly two months now.

The children roam around during the day begging . They don’t know how old they are or why they migrated from their native land. Their parents are street entertainers and don’t earn much. Thiruverkadu Municipal Chairman G. Prabhu said many of the settlers were labourers but they refused to send children to school. They will also move away all of a sudden without any notice.

“We have tried several times to make them send their children to school but they do not respond to our requests. The parents just do not cooperate because they depend on these children, who contribute towards the family’s income. We have several schools in the neighbourhood and will not have any problem in admitting them to school. Some philanthropists even said they would bear the expenses, if any,” he added.

Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) Joint Director S.Kannappan said that alternate education centres were opened for children of migrants who were mostly labourers, doll-makers and entertainers. “We engage a graduate to teach them the basics and also if need be, integrate them into formal schools. There is no need for certificates under the SSA. Representatives of non-governmental organisations or members of the public can inform our offices if they find such migrants who need help.” A total of 36 such centres function in Thiruvallur in which around 400 children study. Migrants working in brick chambers stay in Minjur, Sozhavaram and Poondi areas.