What is driving thousands of children to leave school for work in Bangladesh?

Question

Accepted Answer

Climate Change Impacts Force Thousands of Children Out of School and Into Labour in Bangladesh

Thousands of children in Bangladesh are being driven from their classrooms into the workforce due to the escalating impacts of climate change. Extreme weather events such as floods, river erosion, storms, and cyclones are destroying homes and farmlands, forcing families to relocate to urban slums. This displacement disrupts children's education, compelling them to seek employment to contribute to their families' survival and often resulting in a permanent end to their schooling.
Extreme Weather Events Displace Families and Livelihoods

Worsening floods, erosion, and storms in Bangladesh are directly causing families to abandon their homes and agricultural lands. For instance, Alamin's family lost their home and farmland to river erosion, forcing their migration to a slum in Keraniganj. Similarly, Alauddin's family experienced a similar displacement after a flood destroyed their home and land. These climate-induced displacements strip families of their assets, savings, and traditional livelihoods, leaving them with few options but to seek work in urban centres.
Climate Disasters Lead to Increased Child Labour

The loss of property and income due to climate disasters directly contributes to an increase in child labour. With families struggling to meet basic needs after losing their homes and land, children are often compelled to leave school to earn money. Unicef reports that climate change impacts have left millions of children in South Asia, including Bangladesh, facing homelessness, hunger, and a lack of essential services, pushing them into work. In Bangladesh alone, approximately 1.7 million children are labourers, with a significant number forced into this situation as a consequence of climate change.
Disruption of Educational Institutions and Long-Term School Closures

Climate disasters have a direct impact on educational infrastructure, further exacerbating the educational crisis. Floods have inundated numerous educational institutions, leading to the damage or destruction of schools. Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, Bangladesh's deputy state minister of education, noted that floods last year inundated over 500 educational institutions, with many of these schools requiring extensive repairs before classes could resume. These climate-related closures, combined with pandemic-induced school shutdowns, have resulted in a substantial rise in school drop-out rates, as many students never return to their studies.
Climate Change Identified as a Major Driver of School Drop-Outs

Educational officials in Bangladesh have identified climate change as a primary reason for the alarming increase in school drop-out rates. Alamgir Mohammad Mansurul Alam, director general of the Directorate of Primary Education, stated that the damage to schools by flooding caused prolonged closures, leading a significant number of students to abandon their education permanently and engage in labour to support their families. This trend is particularly concerning as it can trap children in cycles of poverty and limit their future opportunities. Girls from climate-vulnerable areas are also disproportionately affected, often ending up in domestic labour or factory work after dropping out of school.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

What is driving thousands of children to leave school for work in Bangladesh?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

2

0

0

Share with friends