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Research Paper

Education

E-ISSN No : 2454-9916 | Volume : 4 | Issue : 10 | Oct 2018

EFFECT OF ETHNIC CONFLICT ON THE EDUCATION OF THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN GOSSAIGAON SUB-DIVISION OF KOKRAJHAR DISTRICT 1

Dr. Ranjan Chakrabarty | Rose Mary Koch 1 2

Associate Professor, K. K. Handique Govt. Sanskrit College, Guwahati, Assam, India. Ph. D Research Scholar, Department of Education, Assam Don Bosco University, Guwahati, Assam, India.

ABSTRACT School education plays a very important role in students' life. It is regarded as the backbone of the society. Proper school education helps the pupils to become successful in their life. Success of the students comes only when true education is provided to them. But, Ethnic Conflict, one of the serious problems that had prevailed in the district had brought negative impact on the students. The present study tries to investigate the effect of ethnic conflict on the education of the class IX and X students in Gossaigaon sub-division of Kokrajhar district. Descriptive Survey method was used for the present study. A total of 40 high schools and a student sample of 500 students from class IX and X were selected randomly. The major finding of the study revealed that 75% of the respondents had faced negative effect of ethnic conflict in their studies. It also shows that majority of the respondents had to drop out from the school due to ethnic conflict. The investigator feels that, this present study will bring some positive impact in the society. The findings of the present study will bring light to the Government, Non-Governmental Organizations, other organizations, policy makers and educational planners to frame and improve the school education of children in this conflict affected region. KEY WORDS: Effect, Ethnic conflict, Education, High School, Students. 1. INTRODUCTION: Education is the all round development of the individual. It indicates a kind of developmental process. In the Vedic era, the concept of education was different from what it is today. In those days education was attainment of salvation of the human soul. The ancient Indian saints believed in spirituality. But with the change of time everything around men has changed. The previously simple and limited life of man is becoming more and more complex. To survive in this world man has to be educated. What he requires is a systematic and well thought out plan of education which should continue throughout the life in one form of the other (Agarwalla, 2011). School is a miniature form of society. A visit to some school gives impact of the society from where the children come to the school. The school is set up by the society for its own development. Just opening the school will not suffice. Making the school functions properly through its proper aims and objectives should be the ultimate aim of the organizers. The better the schools, the better would be the society. We need more and more schools. Good institutions with good standards will ultimately help in the uplift of the society. The children receiving education in these schools are the nation-builders-the future life of the nation (Pathak & Deka, 2013). The school is a special environment where a certain quality of life and certain types of activities and occupations are provided with the object of securing child's development along desirable lines (Dewey). School education plays a very important role in students' life. It is the foundation for the future of the students and also regarded as the backbone of the society. Proper school education helps the pupils to become successful in their life. Success of the students comes only when true education is provided to them. But, Ethnic Conflict, one of the serious problems that have prevailed in the district has brought negative impact on the students. Ahmed (2015), tries to highlight how armed conflict affects the students' performance in the school. The study reveals that teachers displacement and insufficient infrastructure facility during conflict, affect students performance in the school. Wangechi (2013), describes about emotional and psychological impact of armed ethnic conflict on the children and how armed ethnic conflict leads to burning and closing down of some schools. This study gives us the knowledge about the negative impact of ethnic conflict on the students. Parlow (2011), in his study reveals that students affected by conflict could not complete their primary schooling and insurgency had a negative impact on girls' education in primary schools. Singha in his article, examines educational development status during conflict in Manipur. He discusses about how conflict affects the students' education and makes them to migrate to some other places for their studies. 2. NEED OF THE STUDY: Today, ethnic conflict has become one of the biggest problems in the world especially in Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD), Assam. During any conflict, the most affected sections of people are the school going children. Looking into their problems and bringing solution is the responsibility of any human being. If we want to bring development in our society, good education should be provided to the children first. Many studies on ethnic conflict have been conducted in India and abroad but no such study has been conducted on the present study. Taking account of all these aspects, the investigator felt the need to undertake this present study. It is hoped that the study will promote awareness among

people regarding the consequences of ethnic conflict on the school going children and try to find out solutions. The findings of the present study will bring light to the Government, Non-Governmental Organizations, other organizations, policy makers and educational planners to frame and improve the school education of children in this conflict affected region. 3. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: To investigate the effect of ethnic conflict on the education of class IX and X students in Gossaigaon sub-division of Kokrajhar district. 4. OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF THE TERMS: Effect: It refers to the negative result of ethnic conflict on the education of the students. Ethnic conflict: Ethnic conflict is a dispute about important political, economic, cultural, or territorial issues between two or more ethnic communities. In this present study, it refers to the conflict that occurred between Bengali speaking Muslim and Bodo people, in the year 2012 in Kokrajhar district, Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD), Assam. Education: It refers to school education of the students. High school: It refers to standard IX and X of school education affiliated to Board of Secondary Education Assam, (SEBA). Students: It refers to students studying in standard IX and X of high schools in Gossaigaon sub-division. 5. METHODOLOGY: The investigator adopted the Descriptive survey method for the present study. 5.1 Population of the study: The population consisted of the Provincialised, Venture recognized and Private high schools and students in Gossaigaon sub-division of Kokrajhar district. 5.2 Sample of the study: A total of 40 high schools and 500 students were randomly selected from different high schools in Gossaigaon sub-division of Kokrajhar district. 5.3 Tool used for data collection: A self-made questionnaire on Effect of Ethnic Conflict on Education (2016) was used for data collection. 5.4 Analysis of data: The data obtained were analysed qualitatively with the help of questionnaire by using percentage technique. Descriptive statistics like tables and pie-chart were also used. 6. RESULT AND DISCUSSION: Based on objective of the study, the analysis and interpretation of data are analyzed as follows:

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International Education & Research Journal [IERJ]

Research Paper

E-ISSN No : 2454-9916 | Volume : 4 | Issue : 10 | Oct 2018

Table no. 6.1: Shows the responses regarding going to school during ethnic conflict Response

No. of respondents

Yes

8.8%

456

91.2%

Figure no.6.2: Showing dropout rate from the school

Percentage

Do not know

Total

500

100%

Source: Field survey (2016) From the above table, it is seen that 91.2% respondents were not able to go to school during conflict and only 8.8% respondents were able to go to school at the time of conflict. The reasons for not being able to go to school were due to lack of transportation, displacement and fear of attack on the way. Table no.6.2: Shows the responses regarding schools remaining closed during conflict Response

No. of respondents

Percentage

Yes

500

100%

No Do not know

Total

500

100%

Source: Field survey (2016) From the above figure no.2, it is revealed that majority of the students dropped out from the school during conflict. Most of them had to drop out from the school for 2 years. Dropping out from the school was a great lose for them. The reasons for dropping out from the school were due to displacement, lack of communication, fear of attack on the way and some parents did not allow them to join the school during and after the incident.

Source: Field survey (2016)

Table no.6.4: Responses regarding completion of the syllabus Responses Yes No Do not know Total

The above table shows that, 100% respondents said that their schools were closed down during conflict. Most of the schools remained closed for three months. Some schools for one and two months. The teaching-learning process could not be done at any cost. Students have suffered a lot due to closure of schools. Figure no.6.1: Showing responses regarding effect of ethnic conflict in studies

136 364 500

Percentage 27.2% 72.8% 100%

Source: Field survey (2016) It is observed that 72.8% respondents said that their course syllabus were not completed during the incident and only 27.2% respondents syllabus were completed on time. The reasons for not completing the syllabus were due to closure of schools, irregularity of teachers and students in the school and drop out of the subject teachers. Ethnic conflict has affected both the schools and students very much. Students cannot do well in the examination if the syllabus is not completed on time.

Source: Field survey (2016) It is observed that majority of the respondents (75%) said that ethnic conflict has seriously affected their studies.10% respondents said that it has not affected their studies and 15% respondents have chosen the option Do not know. It was found that most of the students were not able to concentrate in their studies after the incident. Any conflict in the society affects students directly in their studies. Therefore, people should realize the negative effect of such conflict on the education of the students. Table no.6.3: Performance of the students in the examination

REFERENCES: 1.

Aggarwalla, Dr. S. ( 2011). Foundation of educational theories and principles. Aditya book distributor, Guwahati-1

Ahmed, (2015). Influence of Armed Conflict on Pupil’s Performance in Kenya Certificate of Primary Education in Mandera North Sub-County, Kenya. Retrieved on 2 February 2016 from http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/.../Ahmed_influence...

Deka, A., & Pathak, G. ( 2013). School organization and educational management. Surya Prakash, Guwahati, Assam

Response

No. of respondents

Percentage

Yes

500

100%

Parlow, (2011). Education and Armed Conflict: the Kashmir Insurgency in the nineties. Retrieved on 5 February 2015 from http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/38010/

Do not know

Total

500

100%

Singha, K. (2013). Conflict, State and Education in India: A study in Manipur. American Journal of educational research, 2013, Vol. 1, No. 6, pp.181-193. Retrieved on 5 February 2015 from http://pubs.sciepub.com/education/1/6/3

Wangechi, N. G. (2013). Effects of Armed Ethnic Conflict on Education of Children and the implication for peace Education, A case study of Nakuru county, Kenya. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Kenyatta, Kenya. Retrieved on 18 May 2015 from http://ir library.ku.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/123456789/9076/ngundo...

Source: Field survey (2016) The above table reveals that 100% respondents said that ethnic conflict has affected them in examination. Their performances were very bad during and after the conflict comparing to the previous result. It was found that most of the respondents could not perform well in examination due to lack of study time, irregularity of classes, lack of study materials and absence of teachers during and after the incident in the schools. This has hampered the students very much.

7. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, it can be said that there is a negative impact of ethnic conflict on the education of the students in Gossaigaon sub-division of Kokrajhar district. Any type of conflict in the society should be wiped away in order to help the students study well, be good citizens of the country as well as for their bright and prosperous future. They are the nation builders of tomorrow. Government should try its best to overcome this problem from the society and protect the school going children from such conflicts. During and after the conflict students should be given special provision for schooling. Teachers, parents and the school management committee should take initiative for protecting the students at the time of conflict. People should also understand the ill effects of ethnic conflict on the students as well as in the society and thereby bring solutions. It is hoped that the findings of the study will bring out some qualitative changes in the field of education and the society. It is also hoped that this study will help more researchers to carry out similar work in the country.

International Education & Research Journal [IERJ]