Children - Terre des Hommes

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been attending government schools for a number of years
but were learning very little in these schools. One mine
worker explained how his three children had been attending
the government school, but there was no teaching there. So
despite his extremely low wages, he was in the process of
enrolling them in a nearby private school, where he hoped
that the standard of education would be higher. 107
In Jethwai village, Jaisalmer district, a similar situation
could be observed. The residents explained how they had
a government school up till class VII, but the teachers do
not turn up. Because of this, drop-out rates have been high;
earlier there were 120–130 children enrolled in the school,
but now there are only 70–80. Some of these drop-outs can
now be found working in the mines nearby. The villagers
had filed complaints to the government about the teachers
several times, but claim that the government does not listen.
Some of the residents have now started a private school in
the village with their own money, where 40 children are
currently enrolled, but not all parents in the village can
afford the Rs. 100 a month contribution. 108
In Barmer district, similar problems were highlighted. A
resident of Akali village explained how the teacher comes
to the school but does not bother to teach anything, despite
always taking his salary on time from the government. 109 In
Thumbli village, there has been a school since 1965, but this
only runs till class VIII and the villagers explained how they
did not have the money to send their children outside the
village for education beyond class VIII. 110 In Joga village,
Jaisalmer, the school also only runs till class VIII, and out of
15 students, maybe only two or three go on to higher studies
in one of the larger towns, leaving the majority of children
without alternative career options but to work in mining. 111
of the approximately 350 children in the community were
able to read or write. 112
With little or no education, the children living in the mining
communities around Rajasthan grow up with no alternative
but to work in the mines and quarries like their parents.
This will ensure that the cycle of poverty continues for
these families. All the parents interviewed recognised the
importance of education for their children, and many were
making sacrifices on a daily basis to keep their children out
of work and in school. But tragically the poor education that
they are receiving in these government schools will ensure
that for the vast majority of them, they will be left with no
option but to follow their parents’ footsteps and work as
daily wage labourers in the mines.
Child Labour
Thousands of children in the state are out of school and
working in the mines and quarries. With the informal
nature of the sector, and the vast number of mine and quarry
sites across the state, it is difficult to accurately estimate the
number of children involved. However, in just one mine
in Kaliberi, Jodhpur district, mine workers reported that
there were more than 100 children—over 50 of whom are
girls—working in the mine and that children tend to start
work there when they reach 12 years of age. 113 Children are
employed to fill tractors with stones and earn around Rs. 80
for every tractor filled. Children under 12 years of age are
In a ST community in Jodhpur district, parents explained
how the younger children were now attending the MLPCrun
crèche close by, but that none of the older children were
attending school as the nearest one was too far away (over
3 km) even though the parents are keen to educate their
children. Some of the children stay at home all day in the
village with the older women. Most of the children over 12
years old go to work in the mines with their parents. None Child engaged in stone quarry at Kaliberi (Photo July 2009)
107. Interview with mine worker, Bhuri Beri village, Jodhpur district, July 2009.
108. Interview with mine workers in Jethwai village, Jaisalmer district, July 2009.
109. Interview with local farmer, close to Giral mine site, Barmer district, July 2009.
110. Interview with residents of Thumbli village, Barmer district, July 2009.
111. Interviews carried out in Joga village, Jaisalmer district, July 2009.
112. Interviews carried out in Bhat Basti, Jodhpur district, July 2009.
113. Interviews with child and adult mine labour in Kaliberi mining area, Jodhpur district, July 2009.