Schools and Training

Last Updated on Monday, 09 May 2011 14:34

The CRS runs a total of 12 education centres in urban and rural project areas. Of those, 3 have primary sections covering 7 to 11 year olds, and 9 have preschool and reception classes. CRS has focussed its activities on the youngest children to enable them to move into mainstream education. The CRS has always concentrated on enrolling girls into education centres because they are more likely than boys to be denied access to education.

The CRS would like to develop their education programme with 3 new initiatives:

• A child labour programme to educate at primary level and to train children that need to work. There are a huge number of children that drop out of formal education every year due to their inability to cope with studies or due to their need to supplement the family income by working as child labourers. The CRS would like to support these children using the existing education centres by providing non-formal education as well as vocational training in crafts that they could use to earn an income.

• An environmental club to encourage awareness in a rapidly industrialising India. The CRS would like to start an environmental club in the centres where students can learn about issues such as waste and pollution, and methods of protecting natural resources.

• Three new education centres. The CRS has identified the need for additional education centres in the impoverished Calcutta dockyards. At present, the children living in this area do not receive a formal education as there are no schools in walking distance.