Fighting against all odds to get education

VELLORE: Twenty-one yearold rescued child labourer, R Murugan from the Narikuravas community, is fighting against all odds to pursue higher education. The officials of the Child Labour Abolition Support Scheme (CLASS) spotted the boy selling beads near Arcot in 2005 and admitted him in their special training school. After completing a two-year bridge course, he was enrolled in class VIII in a regular school.Today, Murugan is a second year student pursuing a Diploma in Computer Technology at Sri Sitheswarar Polytechnic College near Arcot.Though he has overcome all academic barriers, he is still fighting poverty. He came out with flying colours in the first three semesters of the course. “I secured 61, 71 and 83 per cent marks in the first three semesters respectively.I am confident of securing over 90 per cent in the remaining semesters, but I am worried about the financial crunches faced by my family,” he said.Murugan is the eldest of six children for his parents Ravi and Anjali, who sell beads and balloons during weekends to make money to support his studies. “I got a loan of `9,800 per year from a nationalised bank for my education. But it was only sufficient to buy text books.My family foregoes meals for several days to save money for my other expenditure such as exam fees,” said Murugan, who aspires to become an IAS officer.However, Murugan’s is not an isolated case, according to sources in CLASS.Several rescued child labourers who are now pursuing various courses have been finding it difficult to continue their studies. They are getting a maximum of `12,500 as bank loan. This has forced many to withdraw from degree courses, while others have been struggling to get financial assistance to keep their dreams alive.A Kousar, a young girl found rolling beedi seven years ago, was rescued and enrolled in a mainstream school. She is studying ECE in Global Institute of Engineering and Technology at Melvishram. “I got a loan of `12,500 after I got a seat in ECE through counselling.My mother took a loan of `50,000 to pay tuition fees and buy books. Now she is paying `2,000 as interest per month,” said Kousar. Her mother Mumtaj said that she and her husband had managed to pay the tuition fees for the first year but were now caught in debt trap.“Many rescued child labourers are not able to meet their educational expenditure.The banks are providing only meager amounts as loans. This has forced many of them to discontinue their studies. If they are not supported financially to continue their studies, there is no meaning in rescuing them,” said an official on conditions of anonymity.