As migrants set to leave TN, kids’ edu in peril

In the past week, several thousands of migrant labourers from various states have been protesting in various forms and demanding the State government to permit them to journey back to their native places.

Under the Directorate of Elementary Education, over 4,000 children of migrant labourers were identified during 2019-20 and a total of 3,975 have been enrolled in age-appropriate classes in government schools across the State.

A senior official from the School Education Department told DT Next on Tuesday that more than 100 educational volunteers in Hindi, Bengali, Odiya and Telugu, languages have been appointed to cater to the needs of inter-State migrant children.

Stating that textbooks will be provided in their mother-tongue every year, he said proper bilingual transfer certificates will also be issued to the students so that they can continue their studies without any hindrance, wherever they go.

“However, with most of the migrant workers wanting to go to their native due to coronavirus threat, education of their children will be affected,” he added.

Claiming that the State government has allocated about Rs 63 lakh for the new academic year, which will be utilized for the benefit of children of the migrant labourer, the official said, “Till now, only a few parents, who work as contract labourers in various places, have approached us for renewal of the enrolment of their children and none came for new admission.” He also pointed out that no parents, who wish to go to their native, attempted to get the bilingual transfer certificates for the children to continue their education in their native State. “It would be difficult for them to admit their children to a school in their home town as the certificate is mandatory,” he added.