Before actually starting over lets discuss the facts we have in India

  • 440 million or 40% of India’s Population are children.
  • Over 14 million children remain out of school.
  • After five years of classes, fewer than 60% can read a short story or do simple arithmetic.
  • Official figures indicate that there are over 12 million child workers in India, but many NGOs reckon the real figure is up to 60 million.
  • Article 24 of India’s constitution prohibits child labor.
  • Outside of agriculture, child labor is observed in almost all informal sectors of the Indian economy. Above facts are taken from Wikipedia and these stats .

Education is both the means as well as the end to a better life; means, because it empowers an individual to earn his/her livelihood and the end because it increases one’s awareness on a range of issues – from health-care to appropriate social behavior to understanding one’s rights, and in the process evolve as a better citizen and live a prosperous life. Why children you ask? It is because if children are given a quality education then what we will achieve is an informed and responsible citizen, an empowered individual. As they say - The children are the future of our country. Well they are the future no doubt in that, but how they being the future will help if they are not going to be educated? How will they take informed decisions for their country? How will they form the government that promotes a healthy democratic environment? How will they establish businesses that are a part of fortune 500 companies? How will they make our country a developed country? And, if children are not aware of the consequences of their actions, then how will they make EARTH a better place to live?

Sadly in India, Several problems persist: issues of ‘social’ distance – arising out of caste, class and gender differences – deny children equal opportunities. Child labor in some parts of the country and resistance to sending girls to school remain real concerns. Lack of awareness in rural India leading to undermining the need for education. As the stats revealed, 14 million children remain out of school, which speaks for itself about the situation. There are some places where the children and the parents are ready to be educated, but there are not enough resources. There the education system faces a shortage of resources, schools, classrooms and teachers. There are also concerns relating to teacher training, the quality of the curriculum, assessment of learning achievements and the efficacy of school management. Given the scarcity of quality schools, many children drop out before completing five years of primary education; many of those who stay on learn little.

There are many individuals and organizations which have taken the responsibility to tackle this grave situation of child education in India. Organizations like Save the Children, Goonj, Smile Foundation to name a few are involved proactively in the process of development of children.

Take for example the Save the Children’s - “Children’s Manifesto” (PDF) for the Lok Sabha Election 2014, which takes children’s Education, Health and Protection into account. Governments rarely prioritize children, and fail to recognize that they have rights. Realizing this the Children’s Manifesto is written to appeal to all the political parties to give significant attention to issues related to child health, education and protection.

Some sources of similar articles and movements-

Further if you really care about the future of our nation; about their health, education and protection then do sign the pledge here. By signing the pledge you will be taking the first step in telling the decision makers that this pathetic situation needs to change.

This post is a part of the #Vote4Children Blog-a-thon on Youth Ki Awaaz. Find out more at: http://www.youthkiawaaz.com/vote4children