UN Forum on Minority Issues Intervention by Annie Namala, Director, Centre for Programming Inclusion and Equity, New Delhi, India annie.namala@gmail.com On 16th Dec. 08 Madam Chair person, Prof. McDougal, members and friends, EQUAL ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION FOR MINORITIES 1. Non Discrimination I thank you for this opportunity to place before you the concerns of discrimination arising out of untouchability and caste practices against Dalit children in their schooling process. For many Dalit children, so far protected within their segregated habitations school becomes the first systematic instruction and experience on caste bias. Discrimination of Dalit children is compounded by the belief and practices of untouchability in India. Non discrimination needs to be ensured at two levels: a. Non discrimination in the provision of education by the state b. Non discrimination in the process of schooling In the context of Dalit students we see that both these are being violated and there is no effective state mechanism to address them. Discrimination in the state provisioning accounts on the following counts:  In the first case state itself promotes differential education through its many policies – we have Alternate and Innovative Education (A&IE) Programme where the state allocates about $25/year/child, regular government schooling where the budget per child per year works out to about $60 and special residential schools where the budget allocation per child is about $300-400/child/year.  The state also does not regulate the private education where costs are prohibitory for poor and minority students. Discrimination in the process of schooling: The caste system continues to be the basis of larger social norms and practices in India. The norms of hierarchy, untouchability and exclusion of Dalits in society are reflected in the school by the untouchability practices of dominant caste children, teachers and society on Dalit children.  Dominant caste children refuse to sit, play or eat with Dalit children  They humiliate and physically abuse Dalit children  They do not share or build friendship with Dalit children