Educating destitute children

Ram Rattan Sharma
Several negative factors work to swell the ranks of destitute children in India. Some children are orphaned; others are abandoned or lost in crowded places like fairs and bazaars. Some actually get left behind on railway platforms, while the rest of the family rushes to board a train but many of our  destitute children are migrants from rural areas, come to a big city in search of a better life. They are no body’s children. In the sense that no body is directly responsible for them, this vast body of destitute children has a tremendous potential and guided to make  decent, useful citizens. They can lead meaningful lives. Failing this, however, they  live in want and squalor and often turn to crime. Many of us are moved by the light of such children and genuinely wish to help but do not know how to go about it. In this field, as in many others, good intentions alone are not enough. Reinforced with self discipline and some knowledge of how to tackle the issue, good intentions can make a break through.
To educate destitute children, we must first educate ourselves. Before a teacher can lead students to the fount of knowledge, he/she must uncomplainingly accept them as they are :Be they dirty and unwashed,  ill mannered or loud, they are children in need of care and but for an accident of birth, we ourselves could have been in an identical position.
It is equally important to establish a rapport with destitute children and be accepted by them, else  we can’t touch the heart of the problem. To this end it is advisable to start by mingling with them, quietly, un obtrusively with out any hint as to our real intent, observe them at work and play and a moments of response, so that we know just what we are dealing with, even so we will probably have to modify our approach all the way because we are dealing with the most changeable of materials- human beings. Acceptance goes hand in hand with understanding once we put our squeamishness behind us and team to see the child behind the rags, we begin to appreciate the pressures that made him what he is. Most migrant children are runaways from home. They are the victims of an unhappy childhood, of poverty  and hunger and various forms of maladjustment with in the family. In many cases, such children have undergone terms in a remand home and the experience does nothing to  heal the wounds. What does help, however, is counseling, which is why counseling forms the first step towards educating a destitute child. Runaways are most unwilling to be restored to their parents. Most of these children are aware of the negative side of life, of drugs and extortion and harassment by the police. They prefer to live on the pavement and feel free rather than submit to parental aberration. They need someone who stand between them and life. If not to protect, at least to mould and soften their negative attitudes towards society.
When dealing with destitute children, it is best to postpone direct teaching till much later, because they are simply not prepared for it. Many are school dropouts, who ran away from home because they were forced to attend school. It is best to start teaching through skits along the lines of nukkar natak where a messages is conveyed through a real life situation that the children can relate to. Games play a cathartic role in that they channelise pent up energy and promote the team spirit.  For a younger age group, games set to music are always a great draw so  is craft,  which can prove to be both absorbing and rewarding, a much needed reprive from a drab existence. In this milieu, a teacher with musical and artistic skills would be a positive asset. Every child must be taught not just how to keep himself clean, but why it is important to do so. Needless to say, teaching will be of great importance if the basic facilities of life could be made available to these children. What does, however, make sense to street children is functional literacy. They know nothing about budgeting of resources. When money flows in, they eat well, go to the movies, indulge in smoke and generally enjoy themselves. In lean times,the picture is just the reverse because there is nothing to fall back upon, a teacher can motivate them toward functional literacy unburdened by constraints of syllabus or examinations. The idea is to make them appreciate that being literate. They can do beter business and no body can cheat them. There is an urgent need to induct such children in to vocational training courses that would open up for them an alternative source of employment. Many dedicated, non Govt organizations are doing excellent work in this area and it will be a matter of happiness if more volunteers join such NGOs.
(The author is former Dy. Librarian, University of Jammu)

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