Equal Dreams, Unequal Opportunities: The Reality of Education

"I wish I had a pair of wings so I could wander around the whole world," a first-grader at Chayatal, a school run by a Bangladeshi NGO, told me when I asked the children in her classroom about their dreams. Amid the familiar aspirations of becoming doctors and teachers, her simple wish for a pair of wings lingered in my mind. To explore the world beyond the boundaries of our immediate surroundings, to discover what lies beyond the familiar, and to live a life of our own choosing, much like the birds that roam the boundless sky. Is that not what we all yearn for? Is that not, in part, why I, too, pursue my education? If our dreams are united by this shared longing for freedom and possibility, are our opportunities to fulfill them equally shared? We are often told that the sky's the limit when it comes to dreaming.

Yet, for a little girl selling flowers on the streets of a busy city, survival may leave little room for dreams. While children her age imagine the people they might one day become, she may have to worry about earning enough to put a meal on her family's table.

Does she not deserve the chance to sit in a classroom, to learn, to explore, and to discover the possibilities that lie beyond the life circumstances that have been handed to her? Does she not deserve the freedom to dream, and the opportunity to turn those dreams into reality? In our country, the sight of children doing hazardous jobs such as welding, carrying heavy loads etc. in order to support their families is quite common. The pathetic sight of bare-footed children riskily maneuvering through heavy traffic and unhealthy environments in an attempt to earn a living can be seen almost everywhere. Many children are also forced to work as housemaids and helpers at tea stalls.

The core reason behind the alarming living conditions of underprivileged children is the lack of opportunities for education. Moreover, the reason behind the lack of opportunities for education is poverty. Can we really call education a fundamental right if millions of underprivileged children must overcome poverty before they even get a chance to enter a classroom?  The literacy rate in Bangladesh currently stands at 77.9 percent, which means that more than 22 percent of the population remains illiterate. According to BBS officials, anyone who can read, understand, interpret, communicate, and count verbally and in writing is considered literate.

A large group of the illiterate population are underprivileged children who suffer from financial hardships, which shows that poverty is the barrier of education.  Now, the biggest question remains. "What initiatives can we take in order to ensure that underprivileged children can get the opportunity to pursue their education?" The biggest barriers that prevent underprivileged children from pursuing their education are dropout due to poverty, child labour, early marriage for girls and climate in remote areas. Most children in Bangladesh are forced to drop out from school due to poverty during the transition from primary to secondary school.

Since the root cause of most dropouts are poverty-driven, the government should take the initiative to provide financial support by expanding stipends and conditional cash support, especially at secondary level as dropouts peak during that time. Scaling up school meals and providing tiffin support in low-income areas can help raise attendance as well as provide nutrition at the same time. As the lack of opportunities to pursue education are also related to child labour and early marriage for girls, it is also the government's duty to enforce child labour and child marriage laws. 

Students, communities and the general public can also play a role in shaping a better future for underprivileged children. Many NGOs in Bangladesh offer child sponsorship programs where people can provide underprivileged children books, uniforms, meals and cover their school fees by contributing a small monthly fee. Many nonprofit organizations and NGOs provide volunteering opportunities for students to teach underprivileged children. Whether it's teaching school subjects, conducting workshops, mentoring students, it could make a huge difference for these underprivileged children. Social media can be an important aspect in order to raise awareness. Students can use social media to raise funds and spread awareness about the hazardous living conditions of underprivileged children who cannot afford to pursue their education.

Running awareness campaigns can also help persuade parents to keep children in school. Working with underprivileged children has made me realize how easily we take our own opportunities for granted until we step beyond the boundaries of our lives and become a part of theirs. It is only when we witness their struggles firsthand that we begin to understand how much even the smallest act of kindness can mean. Sometimes, a little help from us can open doors that once seemed impossible to reach, transforming a child's future in ways we may never fully comprehend. The simple joy of seeing a child's face light up with a smile can be a reward in itself, but knowing that our efforts might also help secure their future makes the experience all the more meaningful. I hope more people will come forward to ensure that every child, regardless of their circumstances, has access to quality education and the opportunity to pursue their dreams. Perhaps then, one day, every child will have the freedom to spread their own pair of wings and soar towards a future of their choosing.


Juaira Munzareen Soha is a 
student in Holy Cross College, Tejgaon, Dhaka.