ABSTRACT
As per Census 2011, the literacy rate of Scheduled Tribes in India was 59 percent, whereas the overall literacy rate was 73 percent. The Indian government enacted the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, to guarantee free and compulsory education almost a decade back. It sets several parameters for a regular school to ensure minimum quality, such as infrastructure, teacher qualification, curriculum design, and a continuous and comprehensive evaluation process. As academicians, researchers, and policymakers were critically evaluating the quality of education post RTE implementation in the past ten years, COVID-19 wreaked havoc on education systems worldwide at the end of the decade. In many parts of India, schools switched to virtual platforms with online classes to prevent further educational damage. However, was this a smooth transition for parents and children in terms of the availability, accessibility, and affordability of online education facilities? Furthermore, in what ways do the child’s immediate environment and the larger environment affect the child’s education during the pandemic?
The study was conducted using a case study research design. The study shares the experiences of seven Adivasi parents (mothers) working in the informal sector. The chapter unveils the different dimensions of challenges experienced by migrant Adivasi parents and their impact on their children’s education.
