Education and Social Equity in Elementary Education...!!!

The Scheduled Castes (SCs, also known as Dalits) and Scheduled Tribes (STs, also known as Adivasis) are among the most socially and educationally disadvantaged groups in India. This paper examines issues concerning school access and equity for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities and also highlights their unique problems, which may require divergent policy responses.

The paper is divided into six main parts. 

1.   Conceptual Issues and Debates

• SCs and STs have been discriminated and systematically excluded from educational opportunities. The caste system impacted self-worth, dignity and economic life of SC and ST.
• Commonalities and differences in the experience of social exclusion by both groups.
• Exclusion of SCs is based on menial jobs while for STs it is different set of economic and cultural factors.
• For SCs education has been focal point in their struggle for equity and social justice.
• Basic livelihood needs and the access to forests and natural resources have been central in ST movements. Education remained a secondary issue.
• Concept of Ashram schools (residential) for ST children-poor quality, problems related to curriculum, high dropout rate.
• Increased elementary schools in ST hamlets- issues of quality and relevance still there.
• SCs have greater access to education but face discrimination, prejudice and rejection in schools.
• Poor performance in exams affects their employability and increases sense of alienation.
• There is consensus that education is critical in addressing the marginalisation of both groups.

2.  History, Economy and Society: Implications for Education of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

• Problematic to treat SC and ST as homogeneous- 400 castes among SC and 500 among STs.
• State programs generically target all SC and ST and benefit the socially and economically better off.
• Churches played a pivotal role in socialising STs to outside world which improved their educational and economic status.
• Ambedkar urged SCs to convert to Buddhism to annihilate the caste system. This led to two different political movements within SCs with different perspectives on education-
• Reformative-education for access to jobs and improved status through economic mobility.
• Alternative-education to affirm SC consciousness and empowerment to challenge caste and other forms on inequality.
• Govt approach to SC and ST education coincides with reformative perspective.
• Mainstream education focused on mental abilities and ignores and devalues manual skills.

3.   Literacy Advancement among Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

• Remarkable progress in enrolment of SC and ST but could be deceptive as there is significant variation in school completion due to the social disadvantage they face.
• Literacy rates for SCs are better than STs
• The income of the household, parental education, home environment and school environment are major determinants of retention
• High demand for schooling by SC and ST families leading to mushrooming of private schools- From ‘budget schools’ to super-elite.

4.    Policies, Programmes and Initiatives

• Until 1999 there was single National Commission for SCs and STs. Now to separate ministries address their concerns- The Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the National Commission for SCs (2004) under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• Special Component Plan (SCP), Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) and Modified Area Development Approach (MADA)
• Incentives to attract SC and ST Students- free education at primary level, scholarships, hostel facilities, MDM, free uniforms, textbooks and attendance based scholarships for girls. But the intended target group often does not receive the benefits of it.
• MDM contributes to advancement of elementary education, child nutrition and social equity. Its impact on SC and ST students is evident.
• Lack of awareness, administrative lapses and lack of community participation and infrastructural facilities lead are major hindrance.

5.   Areas for Research and Policy Intervention

• Policy reforms and programs have not tackled deeper systemic factors that underlie the poor performance of SC and ST students.
• A social justice approach to access and equity would entail policy changes that concentrate on improving institutional accountability and transforming teachers’ attitude, curricular content and pedagogical issues.
• Discrimination by teachers-appointing teachers of same community- lack of studies that assess the impact of such teachers on learning of SC and ST students
• School curricula are bookish and abstract and do not utilise local examples, materials and modes of learning.
• Using the native language as the medium of instruction
• Establishing a common school system that end the segregation of SC, ST and other marginalised students in Govt schools

6.   New Directions

• Exclusion and discrimination cannot be removed simply by providing more schools.
• Attitudes and biases of the majority community should become a subject of school reform
• Using capability approach to design curriculum and classroom processes.
• Critical areas for further research-

Ø  Comparative research between states.

Ø  Teacher professionalism.

Ø  Qualitative and ethnographic research on school culture.

Ø  Research that involves SC and ST communities and parents.

Mona Sedwal and Sangeeta Kamat