Why our slum dwellers lack access to education

The educational status of slum dwellers varies widely depending on the country and region. Slum dwellers often face significant challenges in accessing quality education due to factors such as poverty, lack of infrastructure, inadequate government support, and social exclusion.In Bangladesh, slum dwellers face numerous challenges in accessing education due to poverty, inadequate infrastructure, and social marginalization. However, both national and international mechanisms are in place to address these issues and improve the educational status of slum dwellers.

Preliminary Population and Housing Census 2022 study estimates that over 18 lakh people live in slums across the country, while 22,185 individuals are homeless. The census indicates that Mymensingh has the fewest slums, whereas Dhaka has the greatest proportion of slum dwellers. There are 8.84 lakh slum inhabitants in Dhaka and 36,491 slum dwellers in Mymensingh.

People who live in impoverished areas lack access to basic amenities. Bangladesh struggles to make ends meet on a meagre wage and nearly always lives below the poverty line. Many earn inconsistent incomes from low-paying activities including pushing rickshaws, selling goods on the street, working as day laborers, or performing various household tasks. Slum residents also have significant difficulties accessing healthcare services.
 Government-run clinics and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) may offer healthcare in some places, but these resources may not be sufficient to meet the needs of the entire populace in other communities. Consequently, treatable illnesses frequently remain untreated, creating more healthcare issues.

The United Nations has set global targets for education under the SDGs, including ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all. Goal 4 specifically aims to "ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all," which includes addressing the needs of marginalized groups such as slum dwellers.

Global dynamics of education development have an impact on the Maldives educational system (Di Biase, 2019). Following UNESCOs 2000 introduction of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), the Maldives embraced the Education for All program and duly reported on attaining the objective of granting all citizens national access to primary education (Ministry of Education, 2008). Due to local efforts for basic education and literacy programs, the Maldives also registered an exceptional 98.94% literacy rate when compared to neighboring countries.

The Maldives school system experienced remarkable progress in the 1990s. Every inhabited island has a school now, thanks to the cooperation of nations like Japan and international financial organizations like the World Bank, United Nations, and Asian Development Bank.

Although the UDHR established education to be a human right and the constitution states that education is a fundamental right, children living in slums lack access to high-quality, comprehensive educational facilities. Its common knowledge that children in underprivileged communities engage in a range of illegal activities and crimes, mainly as a result of receiving insufficient instruction and supervision.

Numerous national and international organizations, non-governmental organizations, businesses, politicians, and the general public offer assistance to children living in slums across the country. For our nations slum children to receive a residential education system, cooperation between the public, the government, and other stakeholders can be vital. The chances of the government programs succeeding are higher when they work together and receive support. Financial support from other countries, such as Japan, as well as from global financial institutions like the World Bank, United Nations, and Asian Progress Bank, could be another helpful step in the advancement of that project.

Despite these efforts, significant challenges persist in improving the educational status of slum dwellers. These challenges include inadequate funding, insufficient infrastructure, cultural barriers, and the need for comprehensive approaches that address not only access to education but also factors such as poverty, health, and social inclusion. More concerted efforts from governments, international organizations, NGOs, and local communities are necessary to address these challenges and ensure that all individuals, including those living in slums, have access to quality education.

The writer is a student, Department of Law, North South University