Street children and education in India

According to a UNDP case study, a non-formal educational method was developed by the Child in Need Institute (CINI) to enable the slum and street children to get an education and changed their attitude positively towards education. The children are equipped for school through specially designed courses that accelerate their knowledge. CINI is a voluntary organisation that works with issues concerning street and slum children and operates in urban Calcutta. Parents of these children do not consider education as a priority and argue that working endows their children with skills which were for life, keep them from being idle and also helps support their families. Children are also not able to relate education to future job prospects given the high employment rates around them. People employing children felt they were helping the children and their families and also need children for certain jobs. Most of these children (60%) have run away from their homes in Bihar, West Bengal and Bangladesh. The street children were indulges in four primary activities to improve their life style:

• Drop-in centres - provide education, counselling, bathing, health and nutritional facilities (currently 4 in operation)
• Night shelters - safe places for street children where they can eat, sleep and play, away from the dangers of the street at night (currently 3 in operation, two for girls and one for boys)
• Half-way houses - 24 hour residential centres where the children are prepared for integration into formal schools
• Sick bays - children are given temporary shelter, doctor's examination, medical help and nutrition

The process of mainstreaming street and slum children aims to prepare children for formal schools and residential camps; mobilise local resource from community and other donors; have community based coaching centres; provide conselling on individual or group basis to help children and parents; and create a supportive environment and ensure education It was found that the poor families had not only made the adjustments necessary to send their children to formal schools but had also changed their attitude positively towards education.