Tribal Education
Education is the right of every child. Help a tribal child learn, and change a lifetime.
Where Education Has Not Reached
Every child has the right to learn. But in many tribal villages, that right remains out of reach.
Tribal communities have historically lived in isolation, far from schools, roads and the mainstream of development. For generations they have been left behind, and government programmes have often not reached them properly. The result is a deep educational gap that has lasted for generations.
The Numbers
- India's Scheduled Tribe literacy rate was 59% in Census 2011, against 73% for the whole population. tribal
- In Rajasthan, the Scheduled Tribe literacy rate was 52.8%. rsdebate
- Female literacy among Rajasthan's tribal population was only 37.3%. vajiramandravi
- Rajasthan is home to more than 92 lakh Scheduled Tribe people, about 13.5% of the state's population. tribal
Behind these figures is a simple fact: millions of tribal children, especially girls, are growing up without the ability to read, write and build a future of their own.
Why Tribal Children Are Left Behind
Basic Needs Come First
Many tribal families cannot afford water, food and shelter, which are basic human needs. With so little to spare, parents are left with no real choice. They send their children to work, often in the same unfair system of child labour they grew up in. Few families can save enough from their wages to send a child to school, so the cycle of poverty and injustice continues from one generation to the next.
Schools That Are Too Far or Too Weak
There are many government primary schools in Rajasthan. But for many tribal children, those schools are:
- far from home, requiring long, difficult walks,
- in poor condition, with limited facilities,
- poorly staffed, with teachers who are often absent.
Discouraged, children stop attending. Instead they are sent to graze cattle or do labour work.
Families Do Not Know What Is Available
In many villages, people are unaware of government schemes and entitlements, and do not know how to demand quality education for their children.
Girls Are Hit Hardest
When resources are short, girls are the first to be kept at home, married early or put to work. Their dropout rates are the highest, and so is the cost to their families and communities.
Our Aim
Aspirant Education focuses on:
- Strengthening school admission for tribal children, from the primary level to higher levels
- Reducing school dropout rates, especially among girls
- Raising awareness among tribal families about the value of education
- Helping communities demand quality education from the government
We believe that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty.
Shiksha Vikas Kendra: Our Tribal Education Programme
When the school is too far away, we bring the school to the village.
Shiksha Vikas Kendra is our programme of community schools in tribal villages. We run these Kendras in places where quality education is discouraged or simply unavailable, to provide schooling for school dropouts and underprivileged children in tribal areas.
What Is a Shiksha Vikas Kendra?
- A single-classroom, one-teacher school in the heart of a tribal village
- Delivers learning up to the 6th grade
- Led by a local teacher who knows the children, their families and their language
- Provides the equipment, learning materials, food and other essentials that children and the school need
How We Open a Kendra
| Step | What We Do |
|---|---|
| 1. Survey | We study the village: the state of local education, the condition of the community and the number of children out of school |
| 2. Listen | We stay in continuous communication with villagers, to understand their needs and build trust |
| 3. Counsel Parents | We speak with families, explain why education matters and encourage them to enrol their children |
| 4. Open the Kendra | We set up a Shiksha Vikas Kendra in villages where people are unaware of government schemes and where schooling is out of reach |
| 5. Appoint a Local Teacher | We hire a teacher from the community, someone children and parents trust |
| 6. Equip the Kendra | We provide the classroom materials, food and essentials the children need to learn |
| 7. Stay Connected | We continue to support the teacher, track attendance and learning, and keep talking with families |
Why It Works
- Distance is no longer a barrier. Children learn in or near their own village.
- A local teacher builds trust. Families are more willing to send their children when the teacher is someone they know.
- Parents are partners. Our team counsels families so that they understand and support their children's education.
- Children are fed and supported, so that hunger does not keep them away from learning.
- Communities find their voice. The Kendra enables villagers to demand quality education from the government, and to claim the schemes they are entitled to.
Our Impact
| 101 | Shiksha Vikas Kendra schools |
| 4,000 | Children served every year |
What Has Changed
- At our Kota centre, all the children can now read and write.
- Parents, too, have learned the importance of education, and the whole community now values it.
- Children who were once sent to graze cattle or work are now in a classroom, learning to read, write and count.
Learning Does Not Stop: Our Response During the Pandemic
When the global health crisis made centre-based education impossible under government protocol, we found another way to keep children learning.
- Small group classes: We taught 4 to 5 children at a time in open areas near their homes, across the intervention blocks of our districts, to follow safety rules while keeping learning alive.
- Reaching around 400 children through these adapted methods, to reduce learning loss.
- Self-learning materials for children to continue studying at home.
- More than 200 families sensitised about COVID-19 and how to stay safe.
When the second wave brought a lockdown and village classes had to pause again, we made sure the connection between teacher and child was never broken:
- Phone-call support for parents and children
- Daily home visits by teachers
- Online facilities for educators
Throughout, we safeguarded the health of children, teachers and the community.
A Story from Our Kendra
A ten-year-old boy comes to one of our Shiksha Vikas Kendras. His father is a truck driver. He has been attending the Kendra for years and enjoys learning English, Hindi and Maths.
When the pandemic forced the Kendra to close for a time, the boy lost interest in studying. When classes returned in small groups, he missed the old routine and no longer enjoyed it.
His teacher noticed the change during group study and went to visit him at home. At his parents' request, the teacher taught him one-on-one for a few days, listened to him and encouraged him.
Today, the boy is regular again, and more eager than before to be part of his group. His parents are happy with the group and phone-based learning that kept him going.
It takes a teacher who cares, a family that supports and a school that is close to home. Together, these changed the course of one child's education.
Why This Matters
A child who learns:
- Grows into a youth who can read, think and choose
- Can enrol in skill training and earn a livelihood in the future
- Brings new awareness to their family and village
- Breaks the cycle of child labour and poverty for the next generation
- Becomes a voice for their community's rights
Educating a tribal girl is especially powerful. She is more likely to marry later, keep her own children in school and earn for her family. When a girl is educated, the whole generation is educated.
How You Can Help
Sponsor a Child's Education
Your contribution helps a tribal child get the books, teacher and meals needed to learn. [Add cost per child per year / per Kendra.] Donate Now
Volunteer
Help with awareness drives, village surveys, learning activities or content for children.
Partner with Us through CSR
Support the opening of new Shiksha Vikas Kendras in more tribal villages, with transparent reporting and regular field updates.
Spread the Word
Share our story and help more people understand that a school in a village can change a community's future.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Shiksha Vikas Kendra?
A single-classroom, one-teacher community school in a tribal village, which teaches children up to the 6th grade.
Who teaches in the Kendras?
A local teacher from the community, appointed and supported by Aspirant Education.
Who can attend?
School dropouts and underprivileged children in the tribal villages where we work.
Is it free?
Yes. Children attend free, and we provide the materials, food and essentials they need.
How do you choose villages?
We survey the area, assess the state of local education and the condition of the community, and talk to villagers. We open Kendras where schooling is out of reach.
What happens after the 6th grade?
We encourage and counsel families to continue their children's education at higher levels, and we work to reduce dropouts, especially among girls.
How can I support?
You can donate, volunteer or partner with us through CSR. Please contact us.
Join the Mission
Contribute a little to these children, and help them learn.
Aspirant Education Sansthan | Ajmer, Rajasthan
www.aspiranteducation.org | Hello@aspiranteducation.org | WhatsApp: 7230991222