FROM PLATE TO SLATE: A CASE STUDY OF THREE SIBLINGS

CASE:            School Dropout; child labour

VILLAGE:       Sapkata no.1, block- kachugaon, dist.- Kokrajhar, PS- Gossaigaon

DROPOUTS: 1.Dhani Kisku

                       2.Lokiram Kisku

                       3.Rajesh Kisku

Dhani Kisku, Lokiram Kisku and Rajesh Kisku are three siblings from Sapkata of Gossaigaon block in Kokrajhar district. Their father- Astam Kisku is a daily wage labour who earns Rs. 250 per day but the work is not fixed and also he wastes his money in consuming alcohol and their mother- Ful Hansdah was a housewife but she left home and married some other man. They had a small hut and no property to rely upon. After been registered for Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana they built a pucca house which has a single room.

The three siblings, were counted as dropout when they had to leave school because their drunkard father forced them to work in nearby hotel and in household. The eldest daughter Dhani Kisku who is 14 years old was studying in class 7 in Sapkata M.E. school which is 2kms from her home. She left school 3-4 months back and started working in a household nearby. She says that her father beats her everyday and forces her to go to work in the household. At the end of the day he takes away all the money and wastes in buying drink for him.

Lokiram Kisku who is 12 years old studies in Mayanguha school no.1 sapkata. It is 1km from his home and has to go by walking. He left school since last one and half year because his father wanted him to earn money. He has worked in circus for 1 year and then he came back home  because he didnt feel good working there. After coming back home, he used to work in a hotel where he washed utensils and do other cleaning work. He earned Rs. 200/- per day for the work and food. He says that he wants to study in the school with his friends and doesn’t want to work in the hotel.

Rajesh Kisku is 8 years old and studies in std 1 in sapkata no.1, L.P. school. It is around 1 and half km from home and goes by walking. He left school since 1 and half year back and works with his elder brother in the same hotel in his village. He gets 100/- per day for his work  and food. He says he wants to study in the school with his friends  and also says that both of the brothers do the same work but the elder one is paid more than the younger one.

The Child Protection group of NERSWN- Ms.Jharna Narzary, Mr.Anil Murmu and Mr.Hadungra Boro intervened in this case. Initially, Ms. Jharna Narzary got to know about Lokiram Kisku  from his village children during the sessions taken in the vilage.  They looked into the case as ‘Dropout from school’ and ‘Child Labour’. So, this case needed to be looked into as early as possible with the school authority, family, police and villagers as the stakeholders. The first step they took was to intervene in the child’s family, so the member of child protection of NERSWN went to talk to his family and so they interacted with his father. His father agreed to get the him admission in the school and also promised not to trouble them to work in the hotel and household. And after few days, the team went to the Ramurai hotel in Sapkata where the child was working. The team approached the owner and some village people and with the consent of all of them it was decided that the Lokiram Kisku and Rajesh Kisku will be admissioned in the school.

So, in the month of june Lokiram Kisku and Rajesh Kisku got admission in the school and their sister Dhani Kisku was also admissioned in a different school. The follow up of this case is been done by the Child Protection team to ensure that there is no violation of Child Rights and every child gets benefit of his rights.

Lokiram Kisku receiving his school uniform

By- Daisy Kujur

Email- daisykujurofficial@gmail.com