Every child must have access to quality education as it develops essential skills to earn a living and make informed decisions. An educated individual is more capable of navigating through hard times and contributing to the growth of society in comparison to an individual who never received formal education.

Quality education helps children realise their maximum potential and attain financial independence.  Education also plays a vital role in eradicating poverty and achieving social justice. India has made great strides in increasing literacy rates across the country. The Right to Education Act 2009 enabled millions of children to get formal education. But according to the 2011 Census, there are approximately 8.4 crore children in the 5-17 age group who do not go to a school. It is a matter of grave concern that such a large number of children are not getting educated.

Here are some reasons why education is important for underprivileged children:

• Education is essential for developing critical thinking.
• Education plays a pivotal role in getting higher-paying jobs.
• Kids who are educated can communicate effectively.
• Education promotes gender equality and helps create a society that empowers the underprivileged.
• Education reduces child labour.
• Education can eradicate social evils like child marriage and dowry.
• Education increases creativity and imagination.
• Education is a powerful tool to break free from generational poverty.
• Quality education about health, nutrition and hygiene drastically reduces preventable deaths.

ROOT CAUSE OF UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN’S EDUCATION IN TODAY’S INDIA

India’s illiteracy

The Right to Education Act of 2009 has helped India reduce the number of children who are out of school. In India, however, 6 million youngsters are still out of school. Because of the economic insecurity caused by the Covid-19 epidemic, the number of Out of School Children has increased. Several children have begun assisting their parents with domestic tasks, daily wage-earning, or caring for younger siblings. Girls’ situations have become more vulnerable as a result of the pandemic. Spending more time at home causes them to get more involved in household tasks and, in many circumstances, leads to child marriage.

Poverty and Children

Millions of youngsters in India still work for a living, and the poorest children are not educated. They aren’t getting enough food. 373 million Indians are still suffering from severe poverty. The majority of these poor people are children, the country’s future. According to a joint report produced by UNICEF and the International Labor Organization in 2019, India is home to 30.3 per cent of the world’s poorest children. The country has made progress in lowering the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), yet the core challenges persist. The country’s current burning challenges include poor child education, lowering school dropouts, food security, and child mortality.

Drop-outs

According to a recent ASER report, many young children have not returned to school since the reopening, and the number of out-of-school children in the 6-10 age groups has increased dramatically. This has increased from 1.8 per cent in 2018 to 5.3 per cent in 2020, and from 4 per cent to 5.5 per cent among all children aged 4 to 16. One of the main reasons for this could be the financial difficulties that parents are experiencing as a result of the pandemic. Learning difficulties are also common among school-aged children. This learning barrier is the result of a lack of a solid foundation. Quality early childhood education usually provides this foundation. Another issue is a scarcity of trained instructors and inadequate teacher training.

HOW ISFH FOUNDATION IS HELPING TO EDUCATE THE UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN?

ISFH Foundation works from the grassroots to ensure children will achieve the privilege of the right to education. ISFH Education Mission improves the lives of underprivileged children by supplying their end-to-end educational needs from KG to PG. The progress of children is the headway to strengthen our national economy. Participate in our mission to gift happy life to needy and impoverished children.

We identify the cause from the grassroots by understanding their living conditions. ISFH Foundation supplies the whole education needs of underprivileged children. We provide financial assistance to the students along with educational kits that include school bags, uniforms, books, and stationery. We ensure that no child will drop out of school due to financial challenges. ISFH lends support to the 29 state children of India deprived of education.