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Parental Motivations in Sending Children to School in a Paradoxical Indian Learning System of Declining Learning Curve and Increasing Enrolment: A Case Study of West Bengal

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  • Ujjawal Chauhan

Abstract

Current studies explain the growth in enrolment in Indian primary schools to be a result of ‘cost-effective’ incentivized education by the Indian Government. However, this does not explain why parents living below the poverty line (BPL) are forgoing higher opportunity costs and sending their children to school, especially in the context of a declining learning curve. This study investigates the motivating factors among BPL parents and the relative significance of incentives in shaping their decisions regarding their children’s enrolment. This study also reveals qualitative and quantitative data based results showing Right to Education (RTE) Act’s (2009) ‘free and compulsory primary education for all’ motivating millions of ‘very poor’ first generation learners to enroll. However, in these households, incentivized education is not sufficiently cost-effective to substitute child labor. Furthermore, The Right to Education Act’s No Fail Policy is shown to have negatively impacted learning in government schools.

Suggested Citation

  • Ujjawal Chauhan, 2016. "Parental Motivations in Sending Children to School in a Paradoxical Indian Learning System of Declining Learning Curve and Increasing Enrolment: A Case Study of West Bengal," Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Richtmann Publishing Ltd, vol. 5, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bjz:ajisjr:1609
    DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2016.v5n3s1p441
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Afridi, Farzana, 2010. "Child welfare programs and child nutrition: Evidence from a mandated school meal program in India," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(2), pages 152-165, July.
    4. Tsujita, Yuko, 2013. "Factors that prevent children from gaining access to schooling: A study of Delhi slum households," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 348-357.
    5. Paul Schultz, T., 2004. "School subsidies for the poor: evaluating the Mexican Progresa poverty program," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(1), pages 199-250, June.
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