Children of Faridpur sweeper's colony deprived of education
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
Our Correspondent
FARIDPUR, Nov 04: The children of sweeper's colony of Faridpur, situated in Alipur area of the town, are staying out of the light of education.
A team of Children's Express recently found out that lack of consciousness of the guardians are the main cause of the backwardness of the children.
Some child journalists of Children's Express, a project of Massline Media Centre (MMC) financed by UNICEF, while visiting the sweeper's colony to survey the position of children there heard the guardians as saying, “What will be the benefit of education? We shall engage them in cleaning job like us and they will earn for us".
The inhabitants of this sweeper's colony came from India more than one hundred years ago. There are two or three children in every family here. But most of them get little chance to become educated. Boys are mostly deprived.
Puja (14) studied only up to class III and then was barred by the guardians from going to school.
Bakul (9) never went to school and is now looking after her younger brother at home. Kakoli had to be got married at the age of 14 only.
Most of the boys and girls, while talking to child journalists, expressed their interest in going to school if their guardians agree.
The sweeper's colony is commonly known as "Bandhab Palli". Its welfare association president Mantu Jamadar told the journalists that lack of awareness of the guardians is only the cause of the state of affairs of the children there.
FARIDPUR, Nov 04: The children of sweeper's colony of Faridpur, situated in Alipur area of the town, are staying out of the light of education.
A team of Children's Express recently found out that lack of consciousness of the guardians are the main cause of the backwardness of the children.
Some child journalists of Children's Express, a project of Massline Media Centre (MMC) financed by UNICEF, while visiting the sweeper's colony to survey the position of children there heard the guardians as saying, “What will be the benefit of education? We shall engage them in cleaning job like us and they will earn for us".
The inhabitants of this sweeper's colony came from India more than one hundred years ago. There are two or three children in every family here. But most of them get little chance to become educated. Boys are mostly deprived.
Puja (14) studied only up to class III and then was barred by the guardians from going to school.
Bakul (9) never went to school and is now looking after her younger brother at home. Kakoli had to be got married at the age of 14 only.
Most of the boys and girls, while talking to child journalists, expressed their interest in going to school if their guardians agree.
The sweeper's colony is commonly known as "Bandhab Palli". Its welfare association president Mantu Jamadar told the journalists that lack of awareness of the guardians is only the cause of the state of affairs of the children there.