In the violence affected areas, it is the education of children that is the worst hit, as many schools have been destroyed due to fight between Maoists and security forces, says a report released by Save the Children, an international NGO working for the upliftment of under privileged children.

Jairam Ramesh, minister of rural development released the report titled ‘Caught in Crossfire -- Children and education in regions affected by civil strife’ on the Children’s Day.

The report said that the strife has either led to destruction or closure of schools and often to occupying of schools by the security forces for setting up of check posts and security bases. “When schools are occupied by security forces the Maoist cadres retaliate and second, roads are destroyed because they help create access for paramilitary units carrying out anti-Maoist operations,” said the report.

“The condition of children, the status of their education and child protection issues in these civil strife-affected regions have been overshadowed by the discourse on conflict and conflict-resolution,” wrote Thomas Chandy, CEO of Save the Children in the foreword of the report.

The report recommended that schools should be demilitarised. “All schools should be demilitarised immediately, as per the supreme court order. The government must focus on development efforts and initiate measures to build confidence amongst the local population by investing in schools, teachers, Anganwadis and health centres. Further, the government should make efforts to train and sensitise the security forces to deal appropriately with children, or separate provisions under law for children affected by civil strife should be made,” said Shireen Vakil Miller, advocacy director, Save the Children.

The report also mentioned that government’s right to education act has failed in some of the strife torn areas. According to the report, schools in the remote areas of Bastar Gajapati Khunti and Lohardagga do not exist. According to the government’s study, 14 districts in Chhattisgarh, nineteen in Odisha and twenty-three in Jharkhand are affected by the Maoist insurgency.

However, the report found that the schools in the violence affected areas lack not only quality teachers but also no teaching or learning resources. “There is an urgent need to change the way policymakers think about tribal areas. To policymakers, they are just mineral-rich areas that need to be developed. This report is timely as it highlights social issues like education and health,” Jairam Ramesh said.

According to the report, “Since most upper primary/secondary schools are located at a considerable distance from their homes, girls drop out after primary schools and became more vulnerable and targets of the armed groups, who use them for various exploitative purposes.” Eight districts of Chhattisgarh (Dantewada, Bijapur, Bastar and Narayanpur), Odisha (Gajapati and Kandhamal) Jharkhand (Khunti and Lohardagga) were studied in October-December 2012 for the report.

Read the report