distrubing trends

i had commented on the the sugarcane industry of western maharashtra and gujarat which spark off mega migration of labour.

while that is easily understood, here is more - mass migration for education. read the article here.

Hundreds of farming families like the Manekars are making a beeline to Karanja from districts like Washim, Buldhana and even Yavatmal in the hope of a better education for their children

and at what costs

... education in town for the children has added a burden of about Rs.25,000 to Rs.30,000 to the family's annual budget, not including the lost income from the livestock.

and hell for the children

The transition from rural to urban life has its impact on the children as well. Rural children, especially those who have been admitted to expensive private schools, find it difficult to deal with the tougher syllabi and the added burden of the English medium.

and when the alternate choice (village school) is functioning

"Good education is possible even in villages. In my own village I ensured regular classes in the school through the village education committee. But town education makes a big difference in the way children dress, talk, behave and present themselves."

and what of farming and familiar livelihood options

"Agriculture means just endless hard work and debt burdens - no respect, no freedom, not even a decent livelihood. Everyone wants the farmer to stick to the land while they enjoy the fruits of development. If there is one thing I want in life, it is to see my grandsons in good jobs and my granddaughters married to officers."

and disturbing fall-out

"I turn to education in the hope of a better life for my children. But this is a different trap. I am losing income (Vijaya has had to sell livestock too, and her farming is suffering, left in charge of hired help), I am spending more than I can afford, I am tiring myself out with the dual responsibility, only to see my daughters, who were bold and free, turning into timid, clingy and difficult little girls."

this episode is just a fractal image of the trend i anticipate to escalate.
along with the well-known bugbears that afflict rural education (infrastructure, teachers, etc), the curricular and reality mismatch is fracturing rural society.