How Leaving Children Out of School is Affecting India’s Future!

For most of us, the highlight of our childhood was our school, even though it often felt intolerable at the time. We spent most of our day there, whether as backbenchers or bookworms, each of us with our own stories to tell. Now imagine if you couldn’t experience any of that. After all, our education plays a key role in shaping our personality. In a country like India, where the streets hum with life and the air is thick with possibilities, there's also a promise, and the potential of millions is lost simply because they never set foot in a classroom. This isn't just a tragedy for those children; it’s a loss for all of us.

Here’s how leaving children out of school is affecting your future!

A child out of school is deprived of their basic fundamental rights. However, the consequences are much more than that.

1) The poverty cycle

The loss of education carries on across generations, not because parents don’t want their children to learn but because they simply can’t afford it. Children who don't go to school are robbed of the skills and knowledge that could lift them and their families out of scarce economic constraints. Uneducated and unskilled, they remain stuck in minimum wages and hazardous labor. The cruel irony? It's often poverty that prevents children from accessing education, which in turn keeps them in poverty.

2) A future dims before it shines

Every child enters this world with unlimited possibilities. But when that child is denied the power of learning, those possibilities remain forever dimmed. Education, which would otherwise give them an avenue for creativity and an identity of self, remains blocked. With no access to extracurricular activities, a child doesn’t learn necessary skills like teamwork and critical thinking. A lack of education is where self-actualization is sacrificed, and so is the future, because a child simply becomes part of the cycle instead of following a path of their own.

3) Social Consequences

Let’s be honest. We learned our best social skills in school. Schools are where children from diverse backgrounds come together, learn about each other's cultures, and develop mutual respect. Without this exposure, they close off into isolation. Moreover, education is a powerful tool for combating social issues. Out of school and on the streets, children are more vulnerable to exploitation they don’t deserve. Social issues like trafficking, child labor, early marriage, and gender inequality find access where children remain uneducated.

4) Cost of no education

It's a fact that today's students will one day make up the nation's workforce. Employers today are eagerly looking for employees who are well-versed in AI and all things digital. We need more skilled professionals every day. But are we prepared to provide these skilled professionals? No, because millions of students are excluded from education, making the potential hit to national productivity and growth huge. An entire section of our population is underutilized, leaving a gaping hole in India's development.

5) A better society builds here

Beyond economics lie deeper losses. Education is a mirror of our society. It is how we ingrain values of justice and responsible citizenship in the next generation. By denying children this grounding, we deny ourselves a progressive society for tomorrow. Additionally, India has long been known for its spirit of innovation and entrepreneurial skills, which thrive in an education-empowered environment. Each child out of school represents a lost opportunity and a diminished potential for our nation.

In conclusion, a lack of education creates a domino effect–one gap creates another, and soon, the whole system feels the impact. But so does your action. Even a simple donation to education today creates an impact that lasts for years because education is just a step toward a child’s future. Want to make a difference today? Join us as we do our part in the future of India by providing essential school supplies for every child. 500+ children have already been impacted. Let’s reach 1100+ children before 2024 ends!

Exclusively written for Giving for Good Foundation by Bhairavi Hiremath