FACILITATORS OF EDUCATIONAL PARTICIPATION AMONG SCHEDULED CASTE ADOLESCENTS: ROLE OF FAMILY, SCHOOL, AND GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: While barriers to educational access among Scheduled Caste (SC) adolescents are well-documented, limited research systematically examines protective factors and facilitators enabling educational continuation and success. Understanding what enables educational participation is essential for designing strengthening interventions. This study identifies and characterizes key facilitators across family, school, and government intervention domains.
Objectives: (1) To identify and characterize facilitators of educational participation among SC adolescents; (2) To examine protective factors at family, school, and institutional levels; (3) To assess differential effectiveness of government schemes in supporting educational access; (4) To understand mechanisms through which facilitators promote educational participation and wellbeing.
Methods: A qualitative case study design involving purposive selection of 40 SC families with continuously enrolled adolescents and 25 families with successfully re-enrolled adolescents (previously out-of-school). Qualitative data collection included in-depth interviews with adolescents (n=35), parents (n=40), teachers (n=12), and government scheme coordinators (n=6). Thematic analysis identified protective factors and facilitating mechanisms. Participatory research methods ensured community voice in interpretation.
Results: Key family-level facilitators included: parental education and literacy (particularly maternal education), family support and aspiration-building (identified in 92.5% of continuously enrolled households), and access to economic resources including government assistance (identified in 88% of successful cases). School-level facilitators included: teacher expectations and encouragement (88% of successful students), safe school environment (82%), peer support networks (79%), and perceived relevance of curriculum (71%). Government interventions were effective when: combined with complementary family support (OR=4.2; 95% CI: 2.1-8.4); implemented with adequate awareness (OR=3.8; 95% CI: 1.9-7.6); and accompanied by teacher sensitization (OR=4.6; 95% CI: 2.3-9.2). Qualitative analysis revealed that facilitators work through multiple pathways: reducing practical barriers (financial support), building aspirations and motivation (teacher encouragement, peer support), and creating sense of belonging and safety.
Conclusions: Educational participation among SC adolescents is enabled by protective factors across multiple ecological levels. Government interventions are most effective when strengthening family support and school environments, not operating in isolation. Community engagement, teacher sensitization, and multi-level coordination are essential. The study provides evidence-based recommendations for strengthening facilitators and optimizing intervention design.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
References
Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55(1), 5-14. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5
Benson, P. L., Scales, P. C., Hamilton, S. F., & Sesma, A. (2006). Positive youth development: Theory, research, and applications. Journal of Adolescent Health, 39(1), 98-104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2005.12.008
Sen, A. (1999). Development as Freedom. Oxford University Press.
Henderson, N., & Milstein, M. M. (2003). Resiliency in Schools: Making it Happen for Students and Educators. Corwin Press.
Lareau, A. (2011). Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life (2nd ed.). University of California Press.