Migrant Orphans Falling Behind at School

Children whose parents leave them behind with relatives to go abroad and join the army of migrant workers from Kyrgyzstan are performing poorly at school, teachers say.

Migrant Orphans Falling Behind at School

Children whose parents leave them behind with relatives to go abroad and join the army of migrant workers from Kyrgyzstan are performing poorly at school, teachers say.

Tuesday, 31 March, 2009
IWPR

IWPR

Institute for War & Peace Reporting

Reporter Ayzada Marat-Kyzy went to one school in the Karakulja disctrict of southern Kyrgyzstan where nearly every child has some relative – a parent or an elder sibling – away working in Russia or Kazakstan.



The school head says the parents of one-fifth of all the pupils are away, and these children struggle to keep up with the rest of the class. Other teachers say grandparents are unable to provide the level of care that is needed, for instance to ensure homework gets done.



One woman looking after seven small grandchildren said she had her work cut out to feed them, dress them and get them to school.

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