Welcome to Action Education Switzerland
Action Education in South Asia
The intervention context
India, with its population of over 1.4 billion, is a country of immense cultural, linguistic and religious diversity. Its education system is currently facing many challenges.
Primary education is free and compulsory for children aged between 6 and 14, under the 2009 Right to Education Act (RTE). This right has enabled significant progress to be made in terms of inclusion, with primary school enrolment rates rising considerably over the last few decades.
Although access to education has improved at primary level, household poverty remains a major barrier to education, as families struggle to pay not only for basic necessities, but also for education-related expenses such as uniforms, books and transport. Rural areas often lack adequate infrastructure such as schools, classrooms and sanitary facilities.
While access to education is improving, the quality of teaching remains a crucial issue: Teachers suffer from a lack of initial and in-service training, social recognition and motivation. Language barriers also hamper learning, particularly for marginalised children who may not be fluent in the language of instruction.
Social and cultural factors, including gender discrimination, early marriage and child labour, limit access to education for many children, particularly girls. Patriarchal norms perpetuate gender discrimination. These prejudices often result in higher drop-out rates for girls, early marriages and the confinement of women to domestic roles, limiting their autonomy.
In addition to the challenge of access and quality of education for all, India is facing a number of major phenomena that make the situation even more complex. The country now ranks among those most affected by the impacts of climate change, cyclones and floods are recurrent disasters that cause major losses in terms of human life, livelihoods and infrastructure, and undermine the education system.
India is also facing a major internal migration phenomenon. Known as "distress migration", it is mainly due to poverty and unemployment, and is increasing as a result of environmental problems.
According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2020-21, published by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), the internal migration rate in India was 28.9% between July 2020 and June 2021. BMany leave their villages to find work, particularly in the construction industry, in the major urban centres. Exploited and mistreated, they are often treated like slaves. Their children are often deprived of schooling and put to work from an early age.
Internal conflicts also create profound societal, economic and governance challenges. These conflicts lead to humanitarian crises, which disproportionately affect communities marginalised by violence and displacement. Economic disruption follows, including damage to infrastructure and reduced investment. Social divisions along ethnic, religious or caste lines deepen, undermining cohesion.
To solve these problems, we need to comprehensive conflict resolution, peace-building and inclusive development, as well as promoting peace education for community reconciliation.
In response to the many crises that have been identified, Action Education is developing projects to support the most vulnerable populations towards quality education, a vector for resilience and adaptation, and an essential key to knowing one's rights, defending them and exercising one's citizenship.
Our projects in South Asia
India: access to healthcare and education for migrant children
This project aims to improve the living conditions of children...
Vocational training and labour market integration for disadvantaged young people in Sri Lanka (ILEAD)
This project aims to meet the vocational education needs of young people from disadvantaged families, so that they can be more resilient in the face of crises.
Our areas of expertise
Action Education's main areas of intervention in South Asia :
- Access and quality of education
- Health education
- Education for life (training and professional integration)
- Education for sustainable development, peace and global citizenship
- Early childhood education
- Education in emergency and post-emergency situations
- Education in migration situations
Testimonial
Bharati Nag (11), daughter of Pradeep and Kanti Nag from Balangir, has been migrating with her parents, who have been working at the brick kilns at different destinations for the last five years. Bharati has never wanted to work; she wants to continue her studies. She always takes her school books with her wherever she goes, in the hope of being enrolled in a school close to the brick kiln. But she had no opportunity. This year, she migrated to a brick kiln near Balianta, Khurda. An Action Education volunteer found Bharati helping her parents at work and convinced her parents to enrol her in class VI at a local school. The local school not only enrolled Bharati but took proactive steps to enrol other migrant children who, like Bharati, were working at such an early age.
