Bihar Launches Drive to Enroll Laborer Children in Schools

Patna- The Bihar Education Department has initiated a special campaign to ensure children of laborers aged 6 to 14 years are enrolled in nearby schools, implementing the Right to Education (RTE) Act. The department has instructed district authorities to identify and enroll children working with their parents at brick kilns, sand ghats, and construction sites, aiming to prevent educational deprivation due to economic constraints.

Additional Chief Secretary of Education S. Siddharth emphasized that education is a fundamental right and directed officials to connect out-of-school children to formal education. After personally inspecting brick kilns and construction sites, Siddharth noted that many children drop out of school due to the necessity of staying with their parents at work sites. The initiative will enroll students under RTE Act Section 3(1), which mandates free and compulsory education for children aged 6-14 in nearby schools.

The comprehensive plan includes specific directives for authorities to identify and enroll children from labor-intensive workplaces, with flexibility to register students at any point during the academic session. Brick kiln owners and construction site employers have been instructed to ensure workers' children are registered and attend classes regularly. The Education Department has also established special monitoring mechanisms to track attendance and prevent dropouts, reinforcing the commitment to providing educational opportunities for children from marginalized backgrounds.