Lok Sabha Question No. 929 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-17
Subject: Migrant Workers
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: BHAGWANTH KHUBA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.929 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2018

## Migrant Workers

## 929. SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware that literacy levels in rural India suffer from migration families;

- (b) if so, the details thereof;

(c)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  UNESCO  report  says  80%  of  seasonal  migrant children in few cities lacked access to education and 40% were likely to end up in work; and (d) if so, the details thereof and the action plan of the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (Dr. SATYA PAL SINGH)

(a) to (d) UNESCO's Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report 2019 has stated that 80 per cent of migrant children across seven Indian cities do not have access to education near work sites.  However, the UNESCO Report does not mention the methodology used in the study and the source of this data is stated to be a study by a non-governmental organisation. The UNESCO did not share this data with Government and therefore, this Ministry cannot authenticate the UNESCO report.  However, this Ministry is aware of the issues of providing education to migrant children.

There are a total of 11.42 lakh elementary schools in the country including 7.23 lakh primary  and  4.19  lakh  upper  primary.  As  per  Annual  Work  Plan  &  Budget  2018-19  data, 97.15%  habitations  are  served  at  Primary  Schools  within  a  radius  of  1  km,  and  96.49% habitations are served by Upper Primary Schools within a radius of 3 kms.  Transport/ Escort Facility is also provided for migrant children.  When migrant workers live on the worksites which is generally at a distance from the main village, the access to school for their children becomes an issue. The children of such migrant workers are provided the Transport / Escort Facility.

Provisioning  of  schooling  facilities  for  all  children  on  institutional  basis  is  the fundamental  requirement  of  achieving  universal  enrolment.  In  order  to  ensure  free  and compulsory education in the age group of 6 to 14 year, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, has laid down norms and standards for opening of schools in neighbourhood.  The RTE Act provides children's access to elementary schools within the defined area or limits of neighbourhood. Section 6 of the Act provides that 'The appropriate government and local authorities' shall establish, with in the area or limits of a neighbourhood, a school, where it is not already established, within a period of three years from the commencement of the Act.  Further, the Act places a compulsion on the State to ensure  that  no  child  from  the  weaker  sections  or  disadvantaged  groups  is  discriminated against in any manner or prevented from pursuing and completing elementary education.

The  SSA,  since  its  inception,  has  provided  2.04  lakh  primary  and  1.59  lakh  upper primary schools for ensuring universal provisioning of schooling facilities across the country.

In addition to regular schools, 1,020 residential facilities with sanctioned capacity of 1,08,275 has been sanctioned to States. It includes 333 residential schools and 687 hostels attached with existing schools for children living in remote  and  sparsely  populated habitations of rural and deprived children of urban areas. These residential facilities  are in addition to  5,970 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs, Girls residential school at upper level) with a total capacity of 7.25 lakh girls have also been sanctioned to the states for improving access to marginalised girls.

Further,  to  address  the  issue  of  seasonal  migration  for  varying  periods,  States  are using various strategies which are supported by Government of India through the provisions under the erstwhile programme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA, 2001-02 to 2017-18) and current programme of Samagra Shiksha.  All States/ UTs are required to conduct household surveys/ update household surveys annually to identify out of school children. These surveys also collect information on children affected by migration of their families. All such children are  provided  adequate  support  to  be  able  to  join  school  and  complete  their  elementary education. The broad strategies to ensure elementary education to all category of children are as under:

(i)  Seasonal  hostels  /  residential  camps  are  provided  to  retain  children  in  their  villages  (in sending villages) during the period of migration of their families. The intervention primarily aims  at  retaining  'In-  school-  children'  during  the  period  of  migration  so  that  they  can continue their education while their parents migrate by providing residential facilities in the villages itself. The residential facility continues till parents of all children return back.

(ii) Special Training Centres at worksites are provided for children to bring them school and to  prepare  them  for  age  appropriate  classes.  Section-4  of  the  RTE  Act,  provides  for admission of all drop out and never enrolled children (i.e. out of school children) in a class appropriate to his or her age and provisioning of Special Training, in order to be at par with others. This section, thus, guarantees right to age appropriate admission and right to receive special  training  to  all  those  children  who  are  above  six  years  of  age  and  have  not  been admitted in any school or though admitted, could not complete their elementary education. Special Training is, thus, organized at destination points for migrant children so that they can be at par with other children. Central Government under Samagra Shiksha provides support for out of school, dropout and migrant children @ Rs. 6000/ child/annum for non-residential Interventions and Rs. 20,000/ child/annum for residential interventions. (iii)  Mid-  Day  Meal:  -  The  National  Programme  of  Mid-Day  Meal  in  Schools,  popularly known  as  the  Mid-Day  Meal  Scheme,  is  an  on-going  Centrally-Sponsored  Scheme  which covers  all  school  children  studying  in  Classes  I-VIII  of  Government,  Government-Aided, Special  Training  Centres  supported  under  Samagra  Shiksha.  During  2017-18,  9.51  crore children studying in 11.34 lakh institutions have been benefitted under the Scheme. (iv) Provision of Free Uniform: Free Uniform is provided to all girls and boys belonging to SC, ST and BPL categories studying at elementary level. During 2018-19 an amount of Rs. 474435.36 lakh has been approved for 8.24 cr. students of elementary level. (v)    Provision  of  Free  Text  Books:  Free  Text  Books  are  provided  to  children  studying  at elementary level. During 2018-19 an amount of Rs. 308042.25 lakh has been approved for 10.14 cr. students of elementary level.

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