Education & Child Rights
The Problem
Education Challenges
Children in Assam’s tea garden regions face multiple barriers that hinder their access to quality education. These include:
- Inadequate budget allocation to the government and tea garden schools
- Structural neglect of the public school system in remote areas
- Minimal investment in addressing socio-economic and political factors that shape educational access
- Deep-rooted gender disparities are reflected in higher dropout rates among girls
These systemic issues affect both the availability and quality of education, limiting future opportunities for many children, especially girls in marginalised communities.
Child Protection Challenges
Children growing up in these regions also face multiple forms of vulnerability that affect their development and education. Key concerns include:
- Exposure to physical, emotional, and sexual abuse
- Prevalence of child marriage, especially among girls, curtailing their education and agency
- Children being pushed into unsafe, exploitative labour
- Incidents of child trafficking, with children being taken across borders and denied safety and opportunity
These issues are compounded by weak enforcement of child protection laws and limited access to support systems.
PBET’s joint study with the Centre for Budget and Policy Studies offers deeper insights into the extent and complexity of these risks.
Our Solutions
Education holds the power to transform lives, spark purpose, and build just societies. At PBET, we work to ensure that every girl in Assam’s tea garden communities has the right to learn, lead, and thrive.
Rooted in equity and inclusion, our approach challenges deep-seated social barriers and opens doors to learning where it’s been hardest to reach.
Every child matters. Every future counts.
Our Impact
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Children, Youth and Community Members Reached
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Education Promoters Engaged Across Communities
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Active Students’ Clubs Nurtured and Supported
Our Key Milestones
Nurturing Changemakers from the Start
The student internship programme began in 2010 to offer real-world exposure in gender, education, and community development. Since then, 86 students from across India have worked alongside our field teams, learning from grassroots experiences and contributing meaningfully to our mission.
Creating Spaces Where Learning Begins
To ensure every child has a fair chance at education, PBET has invested in both awareness and infrastructure:
- In collaboration with the Assam Mahila Samata Society and Sarva Siksha Mission, we trained Mothers’ Groups in Jorhat and Sivasagar on the Right to Education Act (2009), building a strong foundation for community accountability.
Shishu Kunja, our community learning centre in Gootonga Tea Estate, has been a safe, nurturing space since 2011, welcoming children back into learning through accessible and child-friendly environments.
Educating Girls, Enabling Futures
Since 2011, PBET has supported education sponsorships for girls from vulnerable households, helping them continue their schooling and realise their aspirations. In 2019, the programme grew to reach tea garden communities across Jorhat, Tinsukia, Cachar, and Lakhimpur, widening our reach and deepening our commitment to gender equity.
From the Field to the Frontline
Our sports for leadership initiative, launched in 2018, uses football, frisbee, handball, and taekwondo to teach life skills and build confidence among girls. Today, four women’s football teams with 74 players proudly represent their communities in local tournaments, rewriting narratives of possibility and strength.