Over 24,000 students enrolled: Kerala launches new initiative to educate migrant children

Thiruvananthapuram: With the number of children of migrant workers enrolled in public schools nearing a quarter of a million, the Department of Public Education has introduced a special initiative to ensure every child is brought into the education system.

The number of children of migrant workers has increased from 21,299 in the 2023–24 academic year to 24,525. In response, a new education programme titled ‘Aayie Ek Saath Sikhen’ (Let’s Learn Together) has been launched to ensure that all children of migrant workers attend Anganwadis and schools.

Multilingual support for inclusive learning

To support this initiative, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has prepared detailed guidelines, including the provision of multilingual volunteers.

If a class has only three to four migrant children, teachers will be given multilingual training to instruct them. Where the number of children exceeds 20 in Lower Primary and 30 in Upper Primary, multilingual volunteers will be assigned.

Adherence to RTE guidelines

In line with the Right to Education Act, the minimum age for admission to Class 1 for these children is set at six years.

Community-based campaigns underway

A campaign is being carried out in migrant worker residential areas, led by panchayat members, to encourage school enrolment. Children aged three to six will be sent to Anganwadis, while those above six years will be enrolled in schools. Anganwadi workers are conducting ward-level data collection of migrant families.

It is currently estimated that around 35 lakh migrant workers are employed in Kerala.