Educational Status of Children Living in Brick Kilns

Access, Enrolment, and Dropout

Abstract

Any country that values its citizens must prioritize education, and in the modern world, the importance has increased very much. Without any doubt, the social and economic progress of any country depends on the education system of that country. The most vulnerable group in terms of education are children who live with their parents in brick kilns. Children are mostly involved in this kind of work because brick-making is a piece-rate work that requires minimal skill. They are forced to join their parents in the low-wage, low-skill trap due to the illiteracy of their parents. The families only stay here for the active season which starts from May to October, for the rest of the year they return to their native places. Children are the most negatively impacted from the educational point of view, they live with their parents in brick kilns which are far away from their native places, and don't have any educational facilities available for five to six months of the year. There is no official data or specific information available regarding the number of laborers and their children living in brick kilns. Their magnitude generally varies keeping in pace with the demand and production of bricks taking place at a particular time. Poverty and illiteracy of parents are two main reasons behind the involvement of children in brick kilns of the kulgam district. The present study makes an attempt to understand the educational status of children living in the brick kilns using a broad framework of research. In the present study, purposive sampling technique was used to gather data from the respondents of 06 brick kilns through self-made interview schedules. The study found that 180 children are living in these brick kilns without receiving any kind of formal education at present times.