The enabling role of education in the lives of young people with disabilities in India: achieved and desired outcomes

Abstract

In India, the last few years have seen an increase in the school enrolment rates of children with disabilities; however, there are continuing concerns about the outcomes of these efforts, especially in terms of employment. This paper presents the findings of a qualitative enquiry into how young people (aged 15–30 years) with various impairments (namely, hearing, seeing and mobility) understand the role played by education in their lives. The research, carried out in urban and rural Madhya Pradesh, India, contrasts the poor outcomes for these young people in terms of employment with young people’s own sense of the value of schooling in enhancing their social skills and opportunities, and their cultural capital, particularly in terms of how they are able to confront stigmatising attitudes. Whereas the ‘significant others’ (primarily, parents) regard schooling as a failure if it does not lead to jobs, the young people themselves focus on education’s enabling roles. The paper concludes with policy proposals with respect to the nature and content of schooling and improvements in how government benefits are accessed by these young people.

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