Educational efforts in remote villages of Jhansi district help tribal children attend school regularly

By Bharat Dogra 

There is widespread consensus in India on the urgency of ensuring school education for all children. However, when one visits the poorest households in remote villages, it becomes clear that numerous practical problems prevent children from attending school regularly—even when a government school exists in the village and offers incentives such as free books, uniforms, scholarships, and midday meals.

The Sahariya tribal community, scattered across many villages of Babina block in Jhansi district, faces some of the greatest challenges. Their hamlets are often located at a distance from main settlements and include some of the poorest households. For a variety of reasons, many children here struggled for years to attend school consistently.

In many families, both parents work, leaving older children responsible for younger siblings. Seasonal migration further disrupts schooling, as children are often taken along for weeks at a stretch. Upon returning, they find it difficult to adjust after prolonged absences. Another major obstacle is the lack of proper identity documents. Admission and facilities in schools often depend on birth certificates, but since most Sahariya children were born at home without institutional records, many lack them. The process of obtaining certificates is complicated, often requiring Aadhaar cards of parents, visits to government offices, affidavits, and signatures from village leaders. Parents frequently spend ₹1,000 or more on this process—an unaffordable burden for poor households.

As a result, despite the presence of government schools, many Sahariya children either dropped out or never attended regularly.

This situation began to change with Sabal, an educational initiative launched by the voluntary organization Parmarth. The program identified the main hurdles and addressed them systematically. While its most visible feature is the establishment of informal schools in 20 community hamlets, much more has been achieved.

Aditya, a teacher in one such informal school, explained, “Apart from teaching, I realized I had to help children and their families obtain identity documents. I had to run around a lot, but it was worth it because this ensures continuity in education.”

According to Himanshu Nayak, closely involved in the initiative, about 500 children needing such support were identified. So far, documents for 235 children have been completed, with work continuing for others.

Project coordinator Aditi Trivedi described other solutions. During migration season, teachers and community members persuaded parents to let children stay behind with relatives or neighbors. Since parents were keen on their children’s education, workable arrangements were often found. To overcome children’s initial hesitation to attend government schools located some distance away, teachers began accompanying them to the school gate. After returning, the children continued at the informal schools in the evenings, ensuring they remained engaged throughout the day. Parents were reassured that their children were safe while they were at work.

The community schools typically run in the evenings, with flexible hours during holidays. They start with prayers, followed by group teaching adapted to different age levels. Communities provide rooms for these schools, decorated by children themselves, and outdoor spaces are often used when weather permits. Besides studies, games and extracurricular activities are encouraged.

The initiative also set up bal sabhas (children’s assemblies), eco clubs, and kishori samoohs (groups of adolescent girls). In the bal sabhas, children take on roles such as Prime Minister, Education Minister, and Health Minister, learning responsibility and leadership. Eco club members ensure trees are cared for, while adolescent girls receive guidance on health issues. Local women volunteers known as Jal Sahelis, recognized for their work in water conservation and sanitation, interact regularly with the children.

These efforts have quickly transformed education in the hamlets. As Sulekha, an active volunteer, noted: “Initially it was very difficult to win the trust of the community. We repeatedly visited offices and schools to help with admissions and emphasized the children’s right to education. Seeing our commitment, the community began trusting us and even provided rooms for the Sabal schools.”

According to Dilip Verma, associated with the initiative since its beginning, the situation has changed dramatically in the past two years, with many more children—especially girls—attending school, including higher levels.

Sanjay Singh, founder of Parmarth, said, “We hope this progress continues and that a model emerges for ensuring education of all children in the poorest communities of remote villages.”

The Sabal team describes its role as creating a bridge between the community and the government school. The government schools are meant for these children, but practical hurdles stand in the way. Sabal helps overcome those barriers.

While challenges remain, the progress is inspiring. Within a short time, the team has developed teaching materials, drawn up plans to tackle obstacles, and implemented them effectively. Teachers’ hard work and parents’ growing confidence are already showing results.

One lesson from Sabal is the importance of policy changes. For example, if schools admitted children even without birth certificates and then took responsibility for arranging the documents through coordination with government offices, a major hurdle would be removed. This simple step could greatly improve access to education for children from the poorest communities.

Initiatives like Sabal matter not only for their achievements but also for the lessons they reveal about the challenges poor households face in securing education, the solutions tried, and the approaches that succeed. These experiences must be carefully documented and shared.

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The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, When the Two Streams Met, A Day in 2071 and Planet in Peril