Shadab Anis
The urban poor are the one who
dwells in precarious conditions while the most elites of the city enjoy a life
of dignity. The denial of basic facilities is an outcome of both active and
passive exclusion which hits the educational opportunities, access and
participation of the children living in slums.
The supply side element refers to the availability or unavailability of
schools in their immediate proximity, quality school infrastructure or bad
quality, or teacher attitude, whereas the demand side is mostly determined by
household factors. Households determine the demand for education, which is
influenced by factors such as poverty, a lack of understanding about the
long-term benefits of education, and a lack of trust in public education.
Despite primary education being a fundamental right under article 21 (A) of the
constitution of India the children coming from urban marginalised caste, class and
communities are struggling to make it a reality and disparities in education
continue. In light of education being a fundamental right, the primary
objective of this study is to examine the educational status of children living
in the urban fringes of Patna. To achieve the objective a primary household
survey was carried out on a sample of (N=220) from eight selected slums of
Patna. The finding suggests that the significant number of children aged
between 6-14 are dropped out, out of school and never enrolled is an alarm to
achieve universalisation of school education.
Urban Slums, Education, Children,
Poverty
VOL.15, ISSUE No.3, September 2023