Children continue to be at the receiving end
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 20 2009: Notwithstanding Article 45 of the Indian Constitution which guarantees free and compulsory education to all children of the country up to 14 years of age, a large number of children are being deprived of education due to poverty and gender bias on the part of the parents.

13 year old Bidyarani is one such girl victimised by gender bias and poverty.

In addition to economic woes, it seems Bidyarani's parents are still caught in the early 20th century mindset of what use is of educating a girl child'.

After reading up to just class III, Bidyarani had dropped out.

She is now helping her mother in daily chores of the family, looking her younger brothers in addition to assisting her mother in her profession of pottery.

Kids working to earn a livelihood

Bidyarani's family are residents of Thongjao, about 60 kms from Imphal and her mother's profession is pottery.

Her father is a casual worker doing different odd jobs from time to time.

She has two younger brothers and one younger sister.

Though she is just 13, Bidyarani has learned the skill of making pottery.

But what she wished is receiving proper education."It has been three years since I stopped going to school.

I could read English when I was studying but now I could not write any English word except my name", the young girl said.

One being asked why she stopped going to school, Bidyarani, then busy making flower-pots at the verandah, said "most of the time I did not attend classes".

"I stayed at home looking after my younger siblings.

Then my mother asked me to quit schooling as she could no longer afford it.

"Because of my persistent nagging, my mother has agreed to send me to school in class IV this time.

My former classmates have already reached class VI.

Yet, I don't mind that", she said.

She quit schooling before giving final examinations of class III at Waikhong High School.

His younger brother is reading at class III at the same school.

The two younger siblings are yet to attend any school.

"When I stayed back at home during the brief period of schooling, my teachers often urged my parents to send me to school regularly.

I was also the class monitor", Bidyarani reminisced.

"I have been dreaming of becoming an educated woman but it seems I have to take over the profession of my mother", the little girl moaned.

When asked to Lalita, Bidyarani's mother, as to why the young girl was pulled out of school, she narrated her helplessness to send her daughter to school as she been struggling very hard to earn a square meal a day.

"Nowadays, education has become very expensive.

She is a girl and she has learned how to read and write.

We thought she should quit schooling so that her younger brother can study", Lalita said.

Cursing her inability to send her daughter to school, Lalita acknowledged that Bidyarani was a good learner.

"We are thinking to admit her in class IV, in case we can spare some money this time", the 30 year old mother said.

On being enquired about the earning potential of pottery, Lalita said that a hard-working potter can earn Rs 1000 in a month.

"But I cannot make much pottery as I have to look after my small kids too.

At the most, I can earn up to Rs 500 in a month", she said.

"As she is no longer going to school, I asked Bidyarani to join in making pottery in spare time.

It is also a custom and a necessity for every women of Thongjao to master the skill of making pottery for they no other source of income", Lalita added.

She said that Thongjao women are mostly engaged in making pottery unlike women of other parts of the State who are more active in weaving etc.

To another question, Bidyarani said that many of her peers are attending classes on and off.

"But it is only two or three of us who have completely quit schooling", she added.