Contrary to the state government claims about propagation of elementary education, the drop out rate of orphan children continues to rise at primary level in Kashmir.
In 1989 the drop out rate at primary level stood at 55%, while over the period of two decades it has jumped up to 60 to 70 percent.
Despite the state government’s efforts to promote elementary education and ensure its accessibility to the poor, the immense poverty compels orphans to leave education halfway to eke out a living.
"Over the period of two decades, education of orphan children has received severe setback. Although dropout rate is increasing at alarming rate, state government has failed to take holistic view of the educational needs of orphan children who live in penury," says noted educationist Prof Madhosh.
During mid 1990’s more than 400 schools were gutted in the conflict and above 60 percent children, which mostly comprised orphans in the age group of 10 to 14 were deprived of education.
With the exponential increase in the number of these children-different research studies put the figure close to 80,000- the situation has turned grim.
Compounding all this is the psychological stress the turbulence has brought about. The feeling of uncertainity, danger and anxiety impaired the learning capacity of these children and consequently increasing the dropout rate.
According to noted lawyer and social activist AR Hanjura, even if most of orphans are living with their relatives, they are unable to procure proper education.
"After losing their parents, they are being continuously shifted from one relative to another. In some cases relatives hardly accept them as they fear the property rights of their own children may be superseded by orphans. Not to speak of receiving education, number of such children also reported maltreatment," reiterated Hanjura
"When the government fails to provide support to these neglected children, the role of social activists is counted.
Unfortuantely, with 3000 NGO’S registered in Kashmir most of them siphon grant money for their vested interests," he added
Experts assert that the 2005 earthquake has aggravated the scenario and lent another blow to the education of these children owing to destruction of schools in remote areas falling close to line of control. With financial uncertainty looming over their heads, most of them lead a miserable life.
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