Streets to Schools: On Nagaland’s Move to Enroll Children Engaged in Begging to School

In line with the advisory of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which was issued about a year ago for the protection and rehabilitation of impoverished, uneducated children, women, and persons with disabilities engaged in begging, the government of Nagaland has made the move to implement it in the state. The Directorate of School Education has requested NGOs, municipal/town/village councils, churches, student unions and the general public to help identify and provide details of children aged between three and 14 who are involved in begging or dropped out of school before completing elementary education to the Child Helpline 1098 so that they can be enrolled in government schools. It has also directed district officials to facilitate the admission of such children as per the provisions of the Right to Education Act, 2009. This is a laudable move, which will not only protect the rights of underprivileged children but also empower them with knowledge and skills to break the shackles of poverty and live a dignified life. What is to be seen is how the initiative is implemented on the ground, an area where Nagaland often falters.

In India, there are more than four lakh beggars and homeless individuals, including over 45,000 children aged below 15 years, as per the 2011 Census. States like West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar have the highest number of beggars. Over the years, their number has swollen in Nagaland too, to be precise, in Dimapur. While some are forced into begging due to poverty, disabilities and displacement, etc., there are others who are abducted and coerced into it by organised groups, making it almost impossible to escape the trap. The issue remains unaddressed to this day despite various welfare programmes initiated by the government; it is more than just meets the eye. Sensing the need for a more holistic and humane approach to address it, rather than criminalising individuals, the NHRC has recommended measures like providing rehabilitation, healthcare, education, and vocational training programmes. Nagaland’s initiative to bring children engaged in begging to school may be just a baby step towards empowering the underprivileged and their social integration but a much-needed one that should be pursued with unceasing vigour. Such support services can also be extended to remote areas where the school dropout rate is high. There may not be Naga children engaged in begging, but many are deprived of quality education due to lack of functional schools, family circumstances and other reasons. The Right to Education (RTE) Act guarantees free and compulsory education for children aged below 14. It is a fundamental right enshrined in Article 21A of the Indian Constitution.