NCPCR conducts study on education and vocational training

PUNE: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has recommended that tutorials have to be given to children in conflict with law at observation homes so that they can return to mainstream education.
In a survey of 50 observation homes across the country, the NCPCR said it was found that considerable percentage of children are either school drop outs or have never gone to a school.
Observing that education has not been a "priority" at these homes, the apex child rights body recommended that teachers be deputed to these homes to help the children with their education.It has also recommended that observation homes need to start intervention on education soon after the child, who is in conflict with law, is referred to a home. In their report _Availability of Quality Education and Vocational training in Observation Homes in India', they have recommended that tutorials be provided to rehabilitated children to regular schooling.
The study covered 50 observation homes where around 2,691 children are lodged. The report stated that a whopping majority of 42 homes did not have a separate budget or funds earmarked for education of children living in these homes. The majority of homes are being run by the Government except 4 homes managed by NGOs.
The Juvenile Justice Act mandates that children found in conflict with law be sent to a special home that provides reformative services like education, skill development, counselling, behaviour modification therapy and psychiatric support during their stay.
The initiative has been undertaken to see in detail if the provision of education and vocational training is being provided to the children living in these homes. The study also said that the scheme of Special Training Centre (STC) should be established in all Observation Homes as children need such programme given their educational attainment and their status of being out of school.
The NCPCR also stressed on the need to provide skill development centres at observation homes. "The existing skill programmes running in some of the observation homes are traditional in nature and need to be revamped to match the present day demand of skill set.'' There is also a suggestion to approach the Ministry of Skill Development to conduct a situational analysis for transforming these programmes into Skill Development Centres.
There are about 293 observation Homes for children in conflict with law, according to NCPCR data.