In a notable step toward inclusive education, the Kerala government has launched the ‘Jyothi’ scheme to mainstream the children of migrant workers into its formal education system. With the launch date of May 7, 2015, the intervention aims to mitigate and address the educational inequities experienced by migrant families by providing their children educational and welfare services.

Objectives and Implementation:

The main objective of the ‘Jyothi’ scheme is to enroll migrant children in the age group of 3-6 years in anganwadis and 6 years and above in public schools. Given the issues of being a migrant with frequent moves and not having documentation, a door-to-door campaign has been implemented in May 2025. The local self-governments together with Kudumbashree workers, teachers, and parent-teacher associations will for the first time work together to find and to enroll migrant children between the ages of 3-6 years in anganwadis and 6 years and above in public schools.

Supportive Measures:

‘Jyothi’ goes beyond enrollment and provides a well-rounded program for children. Regular health check-ups, medical camps, and sessions to create awareness on hygiene and healthy living are all part of the program. In addition, the program also provides for cultural inclusion and bridging of languages, where the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) is also mandated to develop tailor-made curricula for the needs of migrant children.

Addressing Challenges:

Kerala hosts a migrant worker population of over 3.5 million workers many of whom are resettling with their families. While the right to education act entitles children to attend local schools irrespective of the lack of retrospective documentation, there are still practical barriers. For direct barriers such as not having a birth certificate, and for indirect barriers such as being unable to provide school supplies (most notably due to money), the ‘Jyothi’ scheme aims to alleviate these barriers with beneficial support and essential resources for migrant families.

The ‘Jyothi’ scheme reflects the commitment of Kerala to equitable education and social inclusion. Through targeting barriers encountered by migrant children, the state is trying to give every child an opportunity to access quality education and had an opportunity to flourish in the community.