Kerala to conduct outreach programme to enroll migrant children in school

In an effort to address the educational marginalization of the children of migrant workers, the Kerala government is set to start a month-long outreach programme in May, reaching out directly to migrant colonies so that all the children are admitted to school.

The move was made following a recent top-level meeting that brought to the fore the chronic educational lag of children of guest workers, who tend to miss out on formal education because of frequent migration and lack of access to public services.

"We are bringing education to where the children are. No child should be left behind just because their parents migrate for work," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced launching the campaign. He also made the announcement that a comprehensive education programme for migrant children will be announced at the fourth anniversary of the state government event in Ernakulam on May 7.

The campaign will be carried out through a network of local stakeholders—local self-government representatives, Kudumbashree workers, teachers from local schools, and parent-teacher association members—who will collaborate to identify out-of-school children and facilitate their speedy admission.

CHILDREN'S RIGHT TO EDUCATION

The new programme takes cues from past attempts like the Roshni scheme and similar initiatives in Idukki and Kannur. Based on these templates, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) is formulating an integrated education plan specific to migrant children, to be completed by April 30.

To ensure continuity in education despite the seasonal migration of families, the government is going to introduce a localised registration system for kids. It would monitor their whereabouts and ensure they do not fall off the rolls when their families shift.

Along with education, the program encompasses overall welfare activities. Settlement children and parents will be provided with medical check-ups, and medical camps will be arranged wherever necessary. The campaign also seeks to create awareness about hygiene, health practices and the harms of drug consumption.

Officially, there was an emphasis on social integration. "Children need spaces to grow—not just classrooms," stated General Education Minister V Sivankutty. To this effect, local authorities have been directed to work out holiday activity spaces for public use, including arts, sports and cultural exchange programmes with children in the area.

REGISTRY FOR MIGRANT WORKERS

This training drive accompanies a wider digital revamp of the state's guest worker registry. The government, in September 2024, said it will introduce a single portal and mobile app to make Aadhaar-based registration of all guest workers seamless.

Under this system, every worker will be assigned a unique ID, and their information will be made available to several agencies. Employers, labour contractors, and accommodation providers will be made mandatory to register the workers they employ or accommodate. To facilitate the process, the Labour Department will provide clear guidelines and conduct awareness sessions for the registration authorities.

While Kerala had introduced the Athidhi portal in 2023, where workers were registered using mobile numbers, the new system will necessitate Aadhaar information and will have modules tailored to gather details of workers' children.