Research Paper
Year: 2022 | Month: October | Volume: 9 | Issue: 10 | Pages: 510-522
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20221057
Seasonal Migration and Its Influence on Children's Education: A Study from the Select Village from the Santhal Pargana of Jharkhand
Sweety Marandi1, Dr. Sasmita Patel2
1Research Scholar at Department of Social Work, Visva-Bharati (A Central University), Santiniketan, West Bengal, India
2Assistant Professor at Department of Social Work, Visva-Bharati (A Central University), Santiniketan, West Bengal, India
Corresponding Author: Dr. Sasmita Patel
ABSTRACT
Migration, seasonal or permanent, from one area to another in search of improved livelihoods is a crucial feature of human history (Srivastava and Sasikumar, 2003).
Talking about seasonal Migration has long been a practice for improving livelihood and risk-coping in rural areas, especially in developing Countries. Shortage of farmland, indebtedness, food insecurity, lack of viable nonfarm activities locally, and the desire to earn additional income are significant reasons for seasonal Migration from the Santhal Pargana region. The lack of availability of resources and livelihood options in the areas of Santhal Parganas has led to the entry of Santhals into the labour market as migrants. The rural migrants, unaware of the fact that seasonal Migration has brought severe negative impacts on the schooling of their children, health care, poor living and working conditions, and also a constant fear of sexual abuse, have chosen seasonal Migration to the districts of west Bengal and another place to be the best option for their earnings and survival. The entry of Santhal women, in particular, is nothing but a survival strategy since staying at home could mean starvation. Women being part of such Migration, it could be said that the whole family is on the move, and since there is no one behind to look after the children, children cannot be held back in the absence of the family members.
Though Migration is a coping mechanism, the situation in rural areas does not seem very upgrading. With temporary or seasonal Migration, the moving populations remain undercounted during census count and are often deprived of several fundamental rights meant for them and their development. Children moving out with their parents are deprived of their educational rights. Educational attainment being one of the essential indicators of socio-economic development and a significant drive to economic growth, seasonal family migration from the part of Santhal Parganas division to nearby states has resulted in many children being deprived of School education.
Keywords: Migration, Seasonal Migration, Migrating parents, Children's education, Santhal
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