There is approximately
4500 Chin Refugee population living in Delhi which includes more than 2000 children
in the age group 0-18 years. Out of these children only 59 children are
attending Government schools, 124 attending Don Bosco schools and 184 attending
community schools. It reveals that approximately 1633 school age children are
not attending any kind of school. Adv Ashok Agarwal sometimes back had visited
community schools and found the same horrible. Don Bosco Schools are un-recognized
educational institutions with low level of education standard. Children attending
Government School are also facing various problems besides the fact that such
Schools are not performing well.
It has also been
noticed that large number of school age children (Child labor) are engaged in
work and not attending schools. Chin families are generally seen giving excuse
of the ‘question of survival’. Undoubtedly, they are by an large economically poor
but such kind of excuse is not acceptable.
It has also been
noticed that there are on average six children in every family. Adv Ashok Agarwal
has been telling them, ‘either stop producing children or ensure that each child
attends regular school, completes at least class XII and receives quality education.
I don’t mind children been produced but it is unacceptable that they are at work
and not in school’.
In today meeting, it
has been decided to form a group of 10 volunteers among the Chin Refugees who
will undertake to mobilized and motivate the parents to send their children to regular
schools. Ms. Sunita Chouhan, Social Worker would be joining the Group to help
them in its work. Adv Ashok Agarwal would be holding weekly meetings of this Group
and would also visit the schools and community concerned on Saturdays to facilitate
the process of admission of the Chin Refugee children in regular Government
schools. Meetings would be held with the school authorities to sort out the
problems being faced by the children.
It is hoped and
expected that as long as Chin Refugee children are staying in India, each one
of them must be provided with quality education as a part of its right to