A recent survey conducted by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has revealed that 6,936 children in Bengaluru are not attending school. The survey, which included data from over 1.08 lakh children, showed that nearly 6.4% of them were not enrolled in any school.
In response to these findings, child rights organizations, including the Child Rights Trust (CRT) and the Karnataka Child Rights Observatory (KCRO), have written to the state’s School Education Minister, Madhu Bangarappa, urging the government to take immediate action to ensure these children receive their right to education.
The letter highlighted a concerning issue—despite the Right to Education (RTE) Act, which ensures free and compulsory education for children between the ages of 6 and 14, many children in Bengaluru remain out of school. The organizations have called for the creation of a task force that includes representatives from the Education, Labour, Women and Child Development, Social Welfare, and Police Departments. This task force would coordinate efforts to develop a comprehensive plan to address the issue.
The child rights bodies have raised concerns about the reasons behind this problem, questioning whether school authorities are neglecting their duties and whether there have been adequate efforts to track down these children. They also pointed out that many of these children might belong to migrant families, be involved in child labor, or be victims of early marriages, making the situation even more urgent.
In their letter, the organizations stressed the importance of conducting a thorough study to identify the root causes of school dropouts and to seek expert advice on how to tackle these challenges effectively.
The groups have asked the government to provide a clear response regarding its plan to address the issue and have urged the state to take swift action to ensure every child in Bengaluru has access to education.
