Promoting Equity & Inclusion for Dalit Children

in Education

Addressing Equity Issues in Education

CSEI 31st Jan 2014

Equity in Education• Recognizes and specifically names the

excluded, marginalized, vulnerable, at risk groups/individuals

• Recognizes the historical exclusions, exploitation, deprivations

• Tracks current discrimination, inequality, inequity

• Ensures that identity or characteristics do not obstruct equality of educational opportunities or aspirations.

Educational Exclusion of Dalit Children

• Historical, Rooted in beliefs and traditions• Rooted in exclusion and exploitation• Family lacks resources, gets disheartened

when education does not translate to employment and economic mobility

• Inadequate academic support or environment in the home/community

• Unequal provisions by state• State provisions do not match with needs,

deprivations

Multi-pronged Strategy Needed

• Needs institutional systemic changes in policy, practice and resources.

• Engaging children and nurturing aspirations

• Supporting youth to move ahead in own education and support children’s education

• Build confidence in parents on the long-term benefits, on dignity, self image through education

• Build linkages with other networks

Children 1- Articulating barriers as HR Violations

• Facilitate groups of children to articulate barriers experienced in education as human rights violations – child labour, early marriage, discrimination in schools, non-teaching, seated at back, corporal punishment ..

• Promoted puppetry as medium to articulate and present – non-threatening, not personalized, opportunity to change

Children 2 – Promoting Inclusion Environment - KSM

• All are included• All are winners • Cooperation and collaboration• Experience equality in relating to others

Children 3- Assessing capability to learn

• Out of school children – • Assess capability and interest to learn through 10 indicatorsLearning Indicators• 1- Observe/Reading /writing • 2-Expression• 3-Curiosity• 4- Creativity• 5- logic• 6- Concentration• 7- Confidence• 8-Leadership• 9-INterpersonal Intelligence• 10- Social Awareness

Children 4 – experiential education

• Taking Learner Centric approach• Starting from where the learner is • Shift from zero sum/deficit mindset to win-win

approach• Ambedkar saw the power of Experiential Learning

when he came across John Dewey’s views on Experiential Learning

• Focus on reflection and critical thinking

Children 5 – Education Resource Centre

• Place of meeting and exchange• Place to expand self – others

Children 6 - network• 9 is mine linkage• New York – UN – Poonam -

Educated Youth 1 - • Build confidence and dignity – aspiration to

resume own studies & development • Engage in education related matters in

community, with children• Network with other youth forums• Promote new skills – KSM, social skills, social

mobilisation, video volunteers, advocacy

Educated youth 2 - BASF

• A platform to come together, move ahead

Community Led Organisations (CLOs)

• Found CLOs to be concerned and effective to promote and influence in education (TS)

• Have continued presence and influence in community, often the most educated there

• Community looks to them for information, guidance and support

• Need to build confidence and skill to engage in education, with schools, with administration, with education networks/campaigns.

Community Engagement• Building confidence in community –

shiksha samman divas – recognizing achievements, interest, participation of children and adults in community

• Link educated role models with the community in celebration and motivation

• Encourage to participate in schools – SMCs• Contribute back

System Changes• Inclusion actions in schools• Institutional spaces for inclusion in schools

–games, human rights education• Institutional spaces to promote leadership

of marginalized children in school – social justice in Bal Sansads, Meena Manches

• Equity forums in schools/blocks

System changes• Social welfare hostels• Scholarships including post matric

scholarships• SCSP-TSP budgets• Research and study on identity and

sub identity

Ways Forward• Scale up the engagement with CLOs across

states and across social groups to create a critical mass.

• Build up an Equity Working Group in Education

• Process of developing Equity Indicators and Equity Audits in Education

• Modules for teacher trainings • ‘Zero Discrimination in Education’ campaign

Thank You