Implications of migration on health and education: returned migrants and school teachers perspective in India: A qualitative study

TL;DR

This study explores how migration affects the health and education of families in Indian tribal communities, highlighting challenges faced by those who migrate and those left behind.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the health and educational impacts of labor migration on tribal households in India through qualitative interviews and focus groups.

Findings

Migration leads to poor housing, sanitation, and healthcare access for migrants.

Left-behind children face low school enrollment and poor academic performance.

Gender dynamics and early marriage contribute to educational dropouts in tribal communities.

Abstract

•Migrants often experience an improvement in socioeconomic status through remittances.•Challenges at migration destinations include inadequate housing, sanitation facilities, and limited healthcare access.•Grandparents and guardians are not able to adequately supervise the education and health practice of left-behind children.•Low educational development in tribal communities due to frequent dropouts by children of school age for migration.•Left behind take part in household chores and economic activities that affect their school enrolment and attendance.

Migrants often experience an improvement in socioeconomic status through remittances.

Challenges at migration destinations include inadequate housing, sanitation facilities, and limited healthcare access.

Grandparents and guardians are not able to adequately supervise the education and health practice of left-behind children.

Low educational development in tribal communities due to frequent dropouts by children of school age for migration.

Left behind take part in household chores and economic activities that affect their school enrolment and attendance.

Poor tribal communities migrate from rural to urban areas to tackle their financial hardships. However, limited empirical literature collectively delves into the implications of health and educational attainments of household members of migrant households, while examining the intricate dynamics of labour migration among tribal Indian communities in India.

This study aims to examine the effects of labour migration on household health and education for accompanied and left-behind children.

Twenty-two semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions (6–8 participants) were conducted in four tribal communities in India from August to November 2022 comprising 14 migrant households that recently returned from migration, three left behind adolescents of school age, three primary school head teachers and two Panchayat heads (community head). Data were analysed through an inductive thematic approach.

Participants identified a lack of adequate housing and sanitation conditions, with intense and long labour hours as conditions at migration destinations that affect their health. Lack of maternal and child healthcare is staggering at the place of work. In particular, our findings revealed that temporary labour migrants do not enrol their children in schools; however, the case was different from permanent and long-term migrants who enrol their children in private schools. At their place of origin, school teachers reported frequent school dropouts, low enrolment, attendance and poor academic achievements among children of migrating households. There is prominent gender dynamics in academic performances, and its determinants. Early age marriage and joining labour force dropping-out of school is common.

The results highlight the negative effects of migration as a livelihood strategy on rural communities, particularly in the health and education of household members, asking for immediate government interventions.

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