India has more uneducated people than anywhere in the world – partly because of a preference for sons

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India has more uneducated people than anywhere in the world – partly because of a preference for sons

Despite education being offered as a fundamental right, more than 40% of India’s children drop out of elementary school.

India is home to the world’s largest population of illiterates. And part of the blame, according to a new study, may lie in the country’s preference for sons over daughters.

Despite education being offered as a fundamental right, more than 40% of India’s children drop out of elementary school – and the country has more than 287 million illiterates, 37% of the global total. Moreover, 40% children are stunted in India, which means they don’t grow to their full potential because they don’t get the necessary resources.

Part of the blame lies in the cultural preference towards the male sex, according to Adriana Kugler of Georgetown University and Santosh Kumar of Sam Houston State University who authored the working paper, published by the American non-profit, National Bureau of Economic Research.

They come to these conclusions by analysing district-level household survey from 2007-08 to examine the impact on educational outcomes and the national family health survey from 2005-06 to examine the impact of family size on weight and height of young children. Both these surveys are among the most comprehensive surveys produced in the country.

One way in which this bias manifests is in families where, when the first born is a girl, parents will continue to have more children until they have a boy. Thus, in a society that prefers sons, the first child’s sex in India becomes an indicator whether or not a second child will be planned, and of the total number of children in the household. This, in turn, decides the size of the family.

This situation does not have much effect on children’s literacy or health in a rich family. There these “extra” children tend to receive at least the minimum amount of resources needed to survive and thrive. In lower caste, rural and poor households, however, the limited resources means that an extra child takes away some resources from all the children in the family.

An extra child in the family reduces schooling, on average, by 0.1 years. Furthermore, that extra child reduces the probability of ever attending or being enrolled in school by up to 2%. Both numbers may seem small, but for the size of India’s young population, the upshot is that millions don’t go to school enough or at all.

However, the impact of an extra child “in terms of reducing enrolment and attendance double and the impact of an extra child on years of schooling increase fourfold for illiterate and poor mothers, suggesting much larger gains from reducing family size in disadvantaged households,” according to the report.

Kugler and Kumar also looked at the effect on the health of children as families became larger. But they got mixed results on the impact it had had. However, Quartz recently reported that another study by Northwestern University’s Seema Jayachandran and Harvard University’s Rohini Pande had clearly shown negative results.

The Indian first and eldest son tends to be taller than an African firstborn. If the eldest child of the family is a girl, and a son is born next, the son will still be taller in India than Africa.

For girls, however, the India-Africa height deficit is large. It is the largest for daughters with no older brothers, probably because repeated attempts to have a son takes a beating on the growth of the girls.


As is the case with any working paper, there is a chance that Kugler and Kumar’s finding may not withstand stronger scrutiny. However, Kugler remains confident. “We have done many robustness checks so the results are unlikely to change,” she told Quartz.

Nigeria to build schools for 'begging' pupils

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Nigeria to build schools for 'begging' pupils:

Initiative comes after pupils who should be attending Islamic classes ended up roaming streets.

Nigeria's federal government is building 100 new schools in the north to deal with the growing problem of young boys roaming the streets begging for food and money.
The boys are supposed to be in Islamic schools learning to recite the Quran, but many of them are going astray.

Yvonne Ndege reports from Sokoto.

Beyond the Right to Education lies a school of hard knocks

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Beyond the Right to Education lies a school of hard knocks:

The Supreme Court's recent mandate that private unaided non-minority schools should reserve 25 per cent of seats for underprivileged children is being hailed as a landmark ruling. The spirit of the decision is indeed laudable as it reflects the egalitarian ethos of the Right to Education (RTE) Act. Thus, as private schools open their doors to children from marginalised sections of society, the government pats itself on the back for engineering a social revolution. Aside from the logistical complications this entails, the government's congratulatory mood is both premature and misguided for a number of reasons.

Undoubtedly, education is the quintessential passport to greater opportunities — be they economic, academic or social. As the RTE Act holds, all children, regardless of their family backgrounds or individual profiles, should have access to a meaningful education that empowers them to read critically, problem-solve analytically and think imaginatively.

ASER study

However, our collective enthusiasm for the court's decision would turn out to be misplaced if anyone bothers to do basic math. According to a study published online by Dr. Wilima Wadhwa of Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), enrolment in private schools in 2008 was 22.6 per cent. While this figure is likely to have increased since, over 70-75 per cent of our children still attend government schools. Even as private schools reserve 25 per cent of seats for economically backward children, the vast majority will still be schooled in government-run institutions. Moreover, most children in rural areas attend government schools. According to the District Information System for Education 2010-11, as many as 84 per cent of children in villages attend government schools. If the RTE Act has to be implemented in letter and in spirit, the government cannot ignore the quality of education it provides under its roof just because it has “won” the reservation battle with private institutions. Even as the government makes private schools “socially responsible,” it still has to bear the onus of educating the majority of children. Further, the assumption that private schooling is superior to a government education is based on the fact that children in the former tend to outperform the latter in examinations. But that is a superficial reading of facts. Once we scratch the surface, we find that other factors also contribute to children's better outcomes in private schools, as indicated in a study conducted by Dr. Wadhwa. When parental education, tuition classes and economic disparities are controlled for, the difference in reading scores between government and private schools falls drastically from 20 per cent to five per cent.

In addition, we have to recognise that private schools differ vastly in terms of the quality of education they provide. This is why there are serpentine queues from the early hours of the morning for admissions into kindergarten in a few reputed schools. The scramble for seats is evidence of the dearth of quality education. Just herding children into private schools is not going to ensure their learning unless teachers are sensitised and trained to deal with children with different profiles. According to a study conducted by Wipro and Educational Initiatives, there are significant differences in the scores of children attending schools affiliated to the various national and State boards. Besides, children in the “top” private schools also exhibit rote learning and prejudiced thinking on sensitive socio-cultural issues.

Three factors abroad

Thus, we cannot overlook the fact that our educational system, both government and private, is in need of serious overhaul. In 2007, McKinsey and Company published a report that analysed why some school systems in the world ranked highly in international assessments of literacy, numeracy and problem-solving year after year. Top performing countries included Belgium, Finland, Japan, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Singapore and South Korea. While the countries sported vast differences, both culturally and politically, three factors regarding their education systems were common to all high performing nations.

First, a teaching job in these countries, unlike in India, is a high-status profession. In addition to receiving salaries comparable to other well-paying jobs, teacher training courses are highly selective and admit only the cream of graduates. Second, teachers are provided intensive training and new recruits are mentored on the job. In our country, teachers tend to work in isolation and inexperienced teachers are expected to handle a class on their own without additional guidance. Third, in the top-performing countries, schools try to offer the best possible education for every child by supporting those who lag behind. These schools monitor student performance closely and intervene when children fall behind by employing special educators who are trained in remedial instruction.

Thus, both government and private schools need to implement systemic changes. The coming academic year is an apt starting point when the RTE goes into effect nationally. Private schools need to welcome poor children wholeheartedly and prepare to meet the educational demands that this reservation will bring. Our educational establishments are generally insensitive to children with learning difficulties with most schools lacking formal remedial programmes. As children from weaker sections enter their portals, the need for such services is only going to increase.

A U.S. study

A study in the United States revealed that the vocabulary of a three-year-old child of professional parents was 1,100 words whereas, a child whose parents were on welfare had a vocabulary of just 525 words. Under the RTE, poor children were admitted in 2011 into Shri Ram School, New Delhi. An article in the Wall Street Journal quoted the principal, Manika Sharma as saying: “The teachers have come into my office and broken down. They say, ‘Help us. There is no learning happening for the other affluent children. What we achieved in one week with kids before is taking three weeks.'” Writer John Gardner aptly says, “The schools are the golden avenue of opportunity for able youngsters but they are also the arena in which less able youngsters discover their limitations.” As private schools open their doors, educators have to ensure that children from poor homes do not feel threatened by their more able and affluent peers, both academically and socially. Schools need resource personnel who can counsel and help these children realise their potential. In addition to supplementary remedial classes that help students bridge the academic divide, all children should be sensitised on getting along amicably.

Even as the child who comes to school in a chauffeur driven car, studies alongside the chauffeur's child, the government cannot shy away from upgrading infrastructure, enhancing teacher quality and promoting educational attainment in public schools. As a society, we need to make a concerted effort to achieve educational excellence, both government and private. Private educators and the government have to work synergistically to loosen the shackles of our strictly stratified society.

( Aruna Sankaranarayanan is Director, Prayatna. E-mail: arunasankara@gmail. com)


Euphoria over the Supreme Court's nod for the RTE Act could evaporate if we do some hard math.

The safety net

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With increasing reports of child abuse, parents and guardians need to take a few elementary precautions and safeguard kids from becoming victims. And if anything unfortunate occurs, it is always better to spot the abuse symptoms at the earliest and put the child at ease.


Clinical psychologist Salma Prabhu says the first step is to explain the difference between good touch and bad touch. She says, “A bad touch isn’t restricted to contact with private parts. It refers to anything that the child is not comfortable with; like cheek-pulling or a kiss on the face.

The child must be taught to refuse this politely, as many well-meaning aunties pull their cheeks affectionately. The parents must teach the child to create an alarm and run away from the place. There may be a few false alarms, but those risks have to be taken.

If such an incident happens, say in school, then school authorities have to be informed. It is always safe to stick to the golden rule of not letting children talk to strangers.”

Defining sexual abuse

Child sexual abuse is not limited to engaging a child in a sexual act or inappropriate physical contact, but it also involves showing a child an adult’s genitals or making a child watch a sexual act or pornographic material.

From self-loathing depression to dysfunctional sexual intimacy, sexual abuse during childhood can scar an individual for life in many ways. Take precautions when children are around two years old and start going to play school, says Prabhu.

No reservations

The government’s first national study on child abuse in 2007 showed that 53.22 per cent of the children surveyed acrossIndia reported one or more forms of sexual abuse. The study also confirmed our worst fear a pervert relative abusing the child. 50 per cent of the abusers were known to the child or are in a position of trust and responsibility and most children had not reported the matter to anyone, the study found. Prabhu agrees that often a relative gets away with sexual abuse as the child is hesitant to talk about it.

“Lack of communication is the biggest drawback. The most crucial thing is to win a child’s trust. So parents must take the effort to communicate in such a reassuring manner that the child feels comfortable to talk about everything; including their boyfriend/girlfriend,” Prabhu says.

If a child tells her parents about her friend who has a boyfriend and the parents ask her to stop hanging out with her, then that would be breaking the communication, she adds. “It gives the child a reason to work around things without keeping the parents in the loop. Parents must realise that friends, other than the family, are a very integral part of an individual’s life.”

Prabhu says that parents need to begin educating their children about sex from an early age, so that they can tackle sex pests better. “Educating your child about sex is a gradual, evolving process and considering the child’s age and when you think she is ready, you should answer her curious questions.

A lot depends on how well you have honed your communication with the child. It is high time parents quit being in denial. If parents feel awkward, they must consult their family doctor to help them discuss it.”

Dealing with abuse
If the child falls prey to sexual abuse, then the family should avoid talking about it as that would only hurt the child further. Instead, take the child to a therapist. “The first symptom is that the child turns very quiet. He/ she will refuse to eat and will start losing weight. So, if this child doesn’t open up at all to the parents, then the counsellor enters the picture.” In such a situation, children should be allowed to cry their heart out, Prabhu says.

After building a rapport with the child, therapists then use psychological tools like:

Play Therapy: Play therapy helps children cope with emotional stress or trauma, by allowing them to alter the world on a smaller platform - through their toys. When children play in a certain manner with certain toys, they play out their feelings so that they can deal with them. When a therapist absorbs what the child feels, the child begins to free its repressed thoughts.

Projective Techniques: Projective techniques such as the Rorschach or the human figure drawings help detect child sexual abuse. In a Rorschach ink blot test, a child is asked what the ten ink blots on white backgrounds ‘look like’ and why. Human figures help children express complicated feelings that may be hard to express. For instance, a sexually abused child will focus on genitalia in his or her drawings unlike a normal child.

CAT: The Children’s Apperception Test is a projective test for measuring the personality traits and attitudes of children (aged 3-10), other than assessing psycho-sexual conflicts during a child’s growing up. Flashing a series of pictures, the child is asked to describe the situations and weave stories around the people or animals in the pictures.• A child must differentiate between good touch and bad touch 

Marriage, work forcing kids out of Delhi schools

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Marriage, work forcing kids out of Delhi schools

New Delhi: The right to education act might have made education compulsory for children in the 6-14 age group, but very few government schools in Delhi seem to be aware of this as they have been allowing students to drop out on grounds like work, marriage, long absences and non-payment of fees.
This was revealed by a Right To Information (RTI) plea, which also said only two out of 28 zones under the directorate of education in the capital could give information on government school dropouts.
RTI activist Manish Bhatnagar says when he sought information on school dropouts in 2009-10, the divisional officers of the state education department didn't have any such details.
Then he applied RTI to the directorate of education to know the number of school dropouts, but out of the 28 zones across Delhi he only got responses from the northwest and outer zones.
Information from the rest was not provided.
"Even from the two zones, the plight of school dropouts was startling. The information given showed that mostly girls studying in Classes 8 and 9 were granted school leaving certificates (SLC) as they had to get married while some institutions granted the same to boys as they had to work," Bhatnagar said.
The RTI findings reveal that the UK Rajakiya Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Daryapur Kalan, Delhi, granted SLC to a student, Kanchan of Class 5, mentioning that the family was shifting back to their home state of Bihar for labour work and she was needed to support the family in the work.
The same school replied that the administration had granted SLC to a student, Sonam of Class 10, as she was about to get married.
As per the Government Co-Ed Secondary School, C-block, Metro Vihar, Holambi Kalan, in the present session they have provided the SLC to Class 5 student Rakesh, who has been working and has been absent for a long time.
Almost all schools of northwest Delhi have answered that the maximum number of students dropped out due to long absence and non-payment of dues.
Rakesh Singhar, national secretary of the child rights NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), told IANS, "The status of Delhi government schools is no doubt like this. Government school teachers and officers are less aware of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE Act 2009)."
The RTE Act states that every child in the age group of 6-14 will be provided elementary education in an age appropriate classroom in the vicinity of his or her neighbourhood.
The act also states that any cost that prevents a child from accessing school will be borne by the state which shall have the responsibility of enrolling the child as well as ensuring attendance and completion of eight years of schooling. No child shall be denied admission for want of documents; no child shall be turned away if the admission cycle in the school is over and no child shall be asked to take an admission test, as per the rule.
Singhar also said in Delhi that only six percent of them were aware of RTE. Many government school teachers, principals, MCD officials and lower level district education officers are not aware of RTE.
"When crores of rupees are spent by the Indian government to eradicate illiteracy, in schools in the outer district, particularly Narela, in Classes 8 and 9 the school dropout rate of girls is high as all of them get married. When we ask the principal why they grant SLC on this ground, they can offer no reasons," Bhatnagar added.
Singhar said: "Often when we rescue children who are being exploited as labourers, we discover that they are school dropouts. This is a major problem but the government is less concerned."

Pupils who dislike school 'more likely to drink'

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Pupils who dislike school 'more likely to drink'

Youngsters who dislike school are twice as likely to be involved in under-age drinking, research suggests.

And the more young people drink the more likely they are to have sex, it adds.

The study of 3,641 11 to 14-year-olds by a team at Liverpool's John Moores University suggests those drinking once a week are 10 times more likely to have full sex.

And it found links between general unhappiness and alcohol use.

The findings suggest that children who did not feel school was a nice place to be were twice as likely to drink and two and half times more likely to engage in sexual activity - including kissing, touching and full sex.

The youngsters were also asked about their general well-being - how they felt about their looks, how well they got on with their parents and their teachers.

'Hardest to reach'

The study, published in the journal Substance Abuse, Treatment, Prevention and Policy, says those with an unhappy home life and those unable to talk to their parents are also more likely to drink.

The findings by the team from the university's Centre for Public Health also shows a strong link between alcohol and sexual activity.

Children drinking once a week or more are 12 times more likely to engage in any sexual activity, and have 10-fold higher odds of having sex, it adds.

Lead researcher Professor Mark Bellis said: "Our study identifies that the children who drink and are sexually active are also more likely to be unhappy with their school and home lives.

"Such children can become disengaged from both family and educational support and risk progressing to sexually transmitted infections, teenage pregnancies or becoming an alcohol related casualty at an accident and emergency unit.

"This study paints a clear picture that the children we most need to support are often the hardest to reach through conventional educational and parental routes."

BRAC Schools In Sudan For 175 Poor Children

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BRAC Schools In Sudan For 175 Poor Children

Summary

This project builds 5 schools in Southern Sudan, providing 175 of the poorest children (mostly girls) with an accelerated quality primary education.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?
After the genocide in Darfur, there is fragile peace between the North and South in Sudan and much unresolved conflict. Children in this country urgently need our help. BRAC’s schools address the challenges in Southern Sudan by targeting poor children, street children, nomads, child soldiers, and a majority of girls. BRAC offers an accelerated learning program for children who have never enrolled into primary school or who have dropped out by teaching 5 years of primary school in just 4 years.

How will this project solve this problem?

1) 5 schools built within 1km of students’ houses 2) Female local teachers recruited & trained 3) 70% of students will be girls 4) Teaching methods include culture, music, dance and games 5) Meetings with parents held to ensure their support

Potential Long Term Impact
Building capacity among these 175 students will enable them to improve their well-being, grow their incomes, and provide for their families. This project is essential in stabilizing Southern Sudan and preventing the spread of Darfur-like genocide.

Project Message
“The only way we can save Sudan is to educate its children. Give a girl or boy the opportunity to learn and earn a future.”
- Susan Davis, President & CEO, BRAC USA

Funding Information
Total Funding Received to Date: $5,448
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $60,302
Total Funding Goal: $65,751

Additional Documentation

 

Education for 175 vulnerable children in Southern Sudan
BRAC USA
Globalgiving.com

Project Title:  Education for 175 vulnerable children in Southern Sudan.

Project Summary: This project builds 5 schools in Southern Sudan, providing 175 of the poorest children (mostly girls) with an accelerated quality primary education.

Project Need and Beneficiaries:

Sudan has been entrenched in civil wars for 37 or the past 47 years. The devastating effects can be seen in the destruction of infrastructure, the breakdown in education, social services and local administration, and in famine. The conflict has affected Southern Sudan much more than the rest of the country. Social and economic services, especially access to education by children in Southern Sudan have deteriorated rapidly. As the genocide in Darfur continues, the need for social and economic sustainability in Southern Sudan becomes more and more critical.

Considering the devastating situation, the main challenge is to build capacity and develop the infrastructure in the education sector. In Southern Sudan, children attending schools are sharply decreasing in the upper grades of the primary cycle. In 2001, 41% of children were enrolled in grade one (88,404) while only 1% were enrolled in grade eight. Due to the overwhelming conflicts in the country, thousands of children have been previously recruited as soldiers or have been associated with armed groups, meaning that they are at higher risk of dropping out of schools and need assistance in reintegrating with society. In addition, because of cultural beliefs, girls’ education is given even less priority. Parents are reluctant to send adolescent girls to distant schools if there are only male teachers and for security reasons where there is conflict. Daughters are also kept at home to perform household chores. As a result, girl’s enrollment in schools is half of that of boys and only 1% complete primary school.

BRAC’s education approach addresses all of the educational challenges facing Southern Sudan; it targets children in remote locations and those whole lifestyles are not easily accommodated to the routines of formal schools. This includes poor children, street children, nomads, and child soldiers.  BRAC offers an accelerated learning program for children who have never enrolled into primary school or who have dropped out by teaching 5 years of primary school in just 4 years.

The main features of the BRAC low cost Non-Formal Primary Education school mode are: flexible school timing, location close to the student’s house (within walking distance – no further than 1km), small class sizes managed by female local teachers (the student to teacher ratio is kept at a maximum of 34:1), little or no homework,  a child-friendly learning environment, relevant curriculum with basic education and life skills, teaching methods that make learning fun including culture, music, dance and games, close involvement of parents and communities in school management, and the maintenance of at least 70% girls in the classroom.

Project activities:

This project will fund the creation of 5 BRAC primary education schools. Main activities of the program include:

Opening school: Before opening a new school a door to door survey is conducted to identify the target age group of students and eligible teachers in a village. To avoid duplications with any government schools in the area, the list of identified students is cross checked with the head masters of these schools. Once the area is selected, BRAC’s staff organizes one to two meetings with community leaders, teachers of other institutions, local government representatives, and parents of potential students. The schoolroom is then constructed at minimal cost.

Teacher recruitment and training: The criteria for selecting a teacher include passing the Secondary School Certificate exam or a minimum of nine years of schooling. BRAC prefers if the teacher lives in the same vicinity and she must be female to ensure that parents are comfortable with sending their girls to school.

Once recruited, the teacher is enrolled in a training program that involves twelve days of basic training on different topics, such as basic concepts of education, child psychology, and learning techniques and methods. Orientation courses are also held the beginning or at the end of the school year to enable teachers’ assessment about students’ progress and to prepare them for the coming teaching year.

Monthly refreshers are also held through the school cycle where teachers from various schools come together to share best practices.

Donation options:

$15 will provide one student with textbooks.
$25 will provide one student with school supplies.
$60 will provide one teacher with a year’s worth of monthly training.
$100 will provide one student’s schooling for a year.
$3,000 will build a school.

Potential Long-term impact:

This project will educate 175 children who will otherwise be left out of the educational system in Southern Sudan. By building capacity among these students, they will be enabled to improve their well-being, grow their incomes, and provide for their own families. This project is essential in ensuring stability of Southern Sudan, and aims to prevent the spread of genocide like Darfur in the rest of this country, which is the largest, and one of the poorest and most unstable in Africa.


Project Funding requested: $65,751

 

Poor Children's Education

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Poor Children's Education

Education for Poor Children

Children are the future of a country. For an emerging and developing nation like India, development of children holds the key to the progress of the nation itself.

Education for Children is the key whether we are addressing healthcare, poverty, population control, unemployment or human rights issues.

The educational initiatives for children include Crèche [0-3 yrs], Pre-school [3-6 yrs], Non Formal Education [6-14 yrs non-school going], Remedial Education [6-14 yrs school going], Bridge Course [14-18 yrs drop-outs], Functional Literacy [18-45 yrs women] and Family Life Education for adolescent girls.

'Unequal start'

"The gap in educational chances comes full circle when disadvantaged children fail to get qualifications, face poor job prospects as adults and then are unable to give their own children a good start in life," it says.

Report author Donald Hirsch said it was "amazing" the way the gap in achievement got wider and wider as children got older.

"Our ambition for the education system is that it compensates for an unequal start.

"In primary education in particular, you might hope that the education gap would start to narrow."

But the report claims that far from reducing the differences between children from different social backgrounds, the education system allows it to grow.

'Worse prospects'

A particularly big jump occurs in the first three years of secondary school, according to research by the Department for Children, Schools and Families quoted in the report.

And by the time they are doing GCSEs, poor children are more than one and a half grades behind their peers.

The report concludes with a call for poverty to be tackled alongside the education gap.

"Unless both are done simultaneously, children growing up with unequal chances will become the next generation of parents without the resources to give their own children a good chance - and this "chicken and egg" cycle will continue."

The campaign wants the government to invest £4bn to halve child poverty by 2010.

The government says it is working to reduce child poverty and increase opportunities for children from poor backgrounds.

Schools minister Andrew Adonis said: "We know that education is an effective route out of poverty. Helping children from disadvantaged backgrounds - both in the classroom and beyond the curriculum - is one of our key objectives.

"Just like the Joseph Rowntree reports last week, this report chimes with many of the things we are already doing.

"For example, we announced in June that by 2010-11 we will spend over £1 billion more on narrowing the attainment gap through schemes across a range of ages - such as Sure Start Children Centres, extended schools, one to one tuition and personalistion."

Basic Education
Teacher Training

Objectives

The aim of this article is to improve access and quality of basic education by:

expanding primary and lower secondary school facilities and teacher training facilities;
providing scholarships for poor children throughout lower secondary school;
training teaching staff in child-centred teaching and learning methodology and life-skills (health, environment, gender, farming and bicycle repair);
and supporting access to primary teacher training while building up educational management capabilities at different levels.
The project gives priority to poor and vulnerable areas and pays attention to gender issues.

child education in India

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child education in India

Children are the future of a nation. For an emerging and developing country like India, development of underprivileged children holds the key to the progress of the nation itself.

Education for underprivileged Children is the key whether we are addressing healthcare, poverty, population control, unemployment or human rights issues.

The educational initiatives for underprivileged children include Crèche [0-3 yrs], Pre-school [3-6 yrs], Non Formal Education [6-14 yrs non-school going], Remedial Education [6-14 yrs school going], Bridge Course [14-18 yrs drop-outs], Functional Literacy [18-45 yrs women] and Family Life Education for adolescent girls. These projects support more than 100 grassroots initiatives working for the education of very poor and underprivileged children in various states of country like Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Assam, Manipur, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh etc

Various education programmes launched by Smile are: Mission Education, Smile Twin e-Learning Projects, Swabhiman, Action for Change, and You Can Make A Difference.

Numerous projects under Smile’s educational programmes cover poor children under difficult circumstances such as child labour, children of poorest of the parents, underprivileged children inflicted and affected with HIV/AIDS, runaway and street children, children with rare disability [Autism, Deaf & Dumb, Blind, and Spastic etc.], disaster struck children and slum children etc.

Smile Foundation, a national level development organization, has a network of more than 100 children welfare projects and a bandwidth of more s many NGOs and non-profits organisations across India.

Statistics on Status of Child Education in India
The litercay ratio of India is 65.38% with male literacy at 75.85% and female literacy at 54.16%

Of the 193 million Children in the age group 6 to 14 years, 8.1 million children are out of school as of Sept 2004 as per Government statistics.
Net primary enrolment ratio in 2001/02 : 83 7%
Children reaching grade 5 in 2000/01 : 59 8 %

Ministry of Finance / Press Information Bureau Data

Number of Primary Schools in India : 0.664 million (2001-02)
Number Upper Primary Schools in India : 0.219 million
Population in the age group of 6-14 years : 193 Million
Secondary and Senior Secondary Schools : 0.133 million; Enrollment : 30.5 million
Findings from the Survey – ‘Social infrastructure like education is as important as physical infrastructure, not only for sustaining high growth but also for enhancing welfare. The root of poverty often lies in illiteracy.’

Census of India 1991

State with highest literacy rate : Kerala (89.8)
State with lowest literacy rate : Bihar (38.5)
District with highest literacy rate : Kottayam, Kerala (95.7)
District with lowest literacy rate : Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh (19.0)
Facts on Education

Less than half of India's children between the age 6 and 14 go to school.
A little over one-third of all children who enroll in grade one reach grade eight.
At least 35 million children aged 6 - 14 years do not attend school.
53% of girls in the age group of 5 to 9 years are illiterate.
In India, only 53% of habitation has a primary school.
In India, only 20% of habitation has a secondary school.
On an average an upper primary school is 3 km away in 22% of areas under habitations.
In nearly 60% of schools, there are less than two teachers to teach Classes I to V.
On an average, there are less than three teachers per primary school. They have to manage classes from I to V every day.
High cost of private education and need to work to support their families and little interest in studies are the reasons given by 3 in every four drop-outs as the reason they leave.
Dropout rates increase alarmingly in class III to V, its 50% for boys, 58% for girls.
1 in 40, primary school in India is conducted in open spaces or tents.
In Andhra Pradesh (South India), 52 upper primary schools were operating without a building in 2002, while in 1993, there were none.
In Maharashtra (West India), there were 10 schools operating without a building in 1993, this has climbed to 33 in 2002.
More than 50 per cent of girls fail to enroll in school; those that do are likely to drop out by the age of 12.
50% of Indian children aged 6-18 do not go to school