Samipya 1992 Vol 09 Ank 01 02

Author(s): Pravinchandra C Parikh, Bhartiben Shelat
Publisher: Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Adhyayan Sanshodhan Vidyabhavan

Page 83

The Indian Constituion assures equality of opportunity and social justice to every Indian child and citizen as fundamental rights. Education is open to every child and article-45 has made it a compulsory requirement. Even after the four decades of the constitution, pupils of this community are still facing the problem of hostile attitude and caste prejudice, illiteracy, hunger and injustice. Further more the rigid customs and social attitudes are not changed. The pupils of this community are condemned and they are looked down, by the pupils of other castes.
The pupils of this community cannot tolerate such insult. They do not like to be dictated or condemned by others as 'Vagharis ! They want to maintain self-respect at any cost, so some of the pupils prefer to give up studies rather than to live in hostile envionment. It weakens the moral fibre of the growing youth. Such hostile and unfriendly atmosphere have despirated them. Consequently their patience has worn thin.
Thus various factors are responsible for the deprivation of education.
Emotionally unorganised family structure is marked in this community. However, the domination of women is very high and dectative. Their will is final in social as well as economic affairs, and also because of frequent divorces infants and children are deprived of emotional support which is very essential for the better growth. Social norms and values are imbibed in childhood through the elders at home and unless a home becomes a centre of social education, it is not possible to raise a new generation of people with a new social awareness. This is lacking in this community. Of course, women do have affection for their children but their role as an earning member of the family does not allow them to perform their duties towards their children. So the infants and younger children are looked after by the elder children in the house, who wander together aimlessly, in then earing streets, like herds of some animals. As a result, the younger children are also desprived of the benefit of modern education. Since from their tender age they are burdened with adult's duties, they usually follow their family profession.
Even if they go to school, they cannot pull on any more in the hostile attitude prevalent in the schools. Morever, the Jātar ceremony is observed during the months of Chaitra and Aşadh, i.e. the period of examinations in the schools. Thus, they cannot regularly attend the schools and large number of children are not inclined to enhence their studies and they leave the school. In most of the families the children are found employed in some trade or some occupation and they also become the earning members of the family. Inspite of this, their economic condition is very poor.
Thus, their children do not seem to go through the phase of adolescent.
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[Sāmipya : April, '92-September, 1992