Globally, the ILO gives a conservative estimate of around 3.3 million children working in brick kilns,77 with a large majority in South Asia. A health study on child labour estimated that brick kilns engage about 1.7 million children in India. The industries which run mostly on migrant labor is brick making or brick kilns.Up to 63% of the brick kilns are found in the northern Indo-Gangetic plains in the Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.Brick kiln workers are mainly seasonal migrant workers who migrate for six months or more with their families to the kiln sites. Lack of livelihood sources in the villages forces parents to migrate along with their children to work at the brick kilns. Children accompanying migrant parents to the brick kilns face a more difficult life due to factors like social and cultural isolation, participating in work alongside parents, vicious cycle of extreme poverty, poor health conditions, language barriers, poor educational attainment etc. Children at brick kiln sites engage in labor-intensive tasks, working for their parents and relatives to meet basic needs. They lack time for play and are exposed to various forms of abuse, living in cramped conditions. Their health suffers from strenuous work. Seasonally migrant children at brick kiln sites face educational challenges, disrupting their schooling and perpetuating poverty. Many haven’t attended school for years, lacking basic skills and confidence. Gender bias and the absence of support worsen their situation.
How is LIFI addressing the educational needs of the children at the brick kilns?
LIFI has collaborated with Disha Trust to work at brick kiln sites in Gannuar block, Sonipat, Haryana.
Through the collaboration, LIFI’s LeAD UR India Fellowship is currently implemented at 2 brick kiln sites. The Community Teacher Leaders (CTLs) undertake the following activities with the children at the brick kilns:
1: CTLs implement an activity-based curriculum for FLN classes using diverse materials such as worksheets, whiteboards, markers, chart paper, and flip charts. The approach heavily emphasises ‘Learning by Doing’ and game-based methods throughout all sessions, encouraging children’s active participation in interactive activities, arts, and games. Many parents express concern when their children, upon returning to their villages, forget academic courses, leading to repeated grades and eventual school dropouts. FLN education aims to keep these children motivated, facilitating smoother reintegration into their classes upon returning to school.
2: Government Advocacy: Our advocacy with government bodies aim to champion the mainstreaming of the brick kiln children into regular elementary education (Class 1 to 8) as mandated by the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
3: Local CTLs undergo training in teaching and leadership skills to effectively support children at Maati Paathshalas. Additionally, arrangements will be made, in collaboration with government authorities and brick kiln owners, to construct suitable classrooms (huts) near brick kilns.
4: The LIFI app will facilitate mapping children to their source origin, ensuring continued support for their learning upon returning to their villages. This mapping process will also enable collaboration with local non-profits or government agencies, ensuring a comprehensive and sustained educational support system for the children.
It gives us immense pleasure to share that 40 of the children from these two brick kiln sites have also been mainstreamed to nearby Government schools. Grateful to all the stakeholders who are involved in this project including the Government school staff and teachers for their unwavering support. LIFI and Disha Trust will be mapping these children with non-profit organizations at their source villages also to ensure the children’s continuity of education and access to a local CTL.
