Bangalore 2nd most illiterate district in Karnataka

The city's many construction projects have attracted an influx of unregistered and uneducated migrant workers.

By Tej Sapru

BANGALORE (Jan. 10)—A lack of focus on the education of migrant workers appears to be to blame for a 60 percent increase in the illiteracy rate in Bangalore over the past 10 years.

According to the Census of India website, “The districts that have shown decadal percentage increase in illiteracy of more than 50 percent are Yadgir and Bangalore.”

Yadgir is one of the most economically backward districts in the state. Social workers believe that an influx of uneducated migrants is the reason for the high rate of illiteracy.

“Our literacy mission is not being implemented with enough zeal—money is not being used to promote adult literacy,” said Victor Tauro, coordinator for the Indian Literacy Project.

State government authorities agree that uneducated laborers are negatively skewing the numbers, but say the problem with adult education is not poor implementation.

“It is very difficult to run these [adult education programs] because the programs need them [migrants] to be in the same place for at least five months, but they keep moving around to find jobs,” said Ms. Kaveri, director of mass education at the National Literacy Mission.

Onus on employers

Both government organizations and nongovernmental organizations agree that the problems that arise with education of migrants are connected to the fact that they are employed unofficially.

“Employers of migrant labor should be made to do all transactions through banks, so that government organizations and NGOs can track them,” Tauro said.

The ILP has been coordinating with employers to run evening classes for laborers, but few employers are cooperative.

Migrant children kept out of school

According to the ILP, the children of migrants could easily access education if government schools did not require documentation.

“Children of migrant laborers should be allowed to go to school in the local areas without the need for proof of address, so that they can access school,” Tauro said.

But authorities believe that the Right to Education Act will take care of these problems.

“If RTE is implemented we can be assured that in 15 years, 100 percent of children of school going age will be educated,” Kaveri said. “That should be our focus.”

The same census data shows that Yadgir is gradually improving its literacy. If authorities do not find a solution Bangalore could soon hold the dubious title of most illiterate district in the state.