Human Rights Monitor
Rights and empowerment of South Asian Youth: Reflections from a regional conference
Kazi Nurmohammad Hossainul Haque
This is the concluding part of the story.
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Photo: yeiiaong.do.am |
Youth and their Right to Education
Youth education scenario is not much auspicious across South Asian countries. There is lack of access to both basic and higher education manifesting the gulf between demand and supply. The gap widens further along gender and socio-economic class. The governments of this region have to fulfill certain commitments about education as part of meeting MDG goal. But many of them may not be able to live up to that. While there is no dearth of policies and laws addressing right to education, their effective enforcement is yet to materialize in most cases.
Sri Lanka boasts almost 100 percent literacy and hence often held as a model for other South Asian countries. But according to Professor Siri Hettige of Colombo University, the country's education situation particularly the higher education system suffers some serious limitations that may even undermine the literacy gains in the long run. Availability and quality of English language teaching is very poor in public schools as evident from general low quality of English language skills. Science education is available in limited number of schools only. Gender pattern of education is distributive enough. More and more young people qualify for university education but much less can be admitted. Only 10 percent of those who finish high school can enter undergraduate education as opposed to over 50 percent who want to attain a basic degree. Moreover, education is often not paying off due to lack of employment opportunities for educated youth. Private sector employment opportunities are still not sufficient and concentrated in western provinces. So, there is undue pressure for public sector employment.
Dr. Elvira Graner and Fatema Samina Yasmin of IGS presented their findings on right to education scenario of Bangladesh mainly based on BYS dataset. They said that the country boasts many programs under its education policy like education for all, free primary education and free education for girls up to eighth grade. But education for all achievements is lesser than expected. There is high admission of boys and girls alike in primary education but then drop out starts after certain times. Lack of qualified teachers in sufficient numbers is as critical as weak education governance.
Professor Vinod Chandra of Luckhnow University discussed about development of right to education in India. He informed that Indian Supreme Court declared right to education as a fundamental right and directed Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) to prevent drop out, increase education access, address inequality and social values of sitting together to have common meal. A child is entitled to basic education up to eighth grade. All private schools have to admit 25 percent students from weaker sections of society. Parents are to be included in school administration. But the total cost of properly implementing right to education all over India is hugely expensive. It will require 150,000 Crore Indian Rupees that the Indian government cannot provide itself. It is planning to generate about 60,000 Crore Indian Rupees worth of fund from outside government. So, Public Private Partnership (PPP) is being taken up to execute right to education.
Youth and their Search for Decent Employment
Much of the growing concerns about youth are centered on higher rates of youth unemployment. Youth are not getting enough employment opportunities and less so decent employment. According to ILO decent work has the following characteristics: productive, fair income, secure workplace, social protection for families, personal development, social integration, freedoms to express concerns, organize and participate in decisions affecting own life, and, equality of opportunity and treatment for all women and men. Being one of the poorest regions in the world, youth unemployment in South Asia is one of the highest.
Education is usually viewed as a way out of unemployment. But Sohini Mookherjee from CSDS, New Delhi told otherwise in her paper on youth unemployment in India. Indian youth's education aspirations are rising but so is educated unemployment. In 2007-08 for example, one-third of Indian youth between 15 to 24 years were enrolled in education institutions. But there is more supply of educated youth than there is demand for in the Indian labour market. This is happening because private rates of return are favorable compared to alternative rates of return in the backdrop of generally subsidized higher education and relatively low tax regime for educated employees. Higher social prestige is attached to people with higher education irrespective of job prospects. Some of the measures to address this situation might be expansion of vocational training opportunities according to labour market demand and stringent entry standards for higher education.
Mahbubul Kabir and Dr. Shahe Alam discussed education-employment linkages in Bangladesh by focusing on transition from secondary education to higher education and employment. They argued that access to both higher education and employment opportunities are heavily influenced by the quality of education received by the youth in secondary level. The density of young graduates in various occupation varied by their educational institutions at secondary level. Among young graduates in salaried employment, 25 percent went to urban government and private schools, 37 percent to rural schools and 45 percent went to urban madrassas. Better educated youth are less likely to accept ill paid jobs.
The writer is a Senior Research Associate, IGS, BRAC University.
