Child Labour, Education Policy, and Lived Experiences in Rajshahi's Slums: A Qualitative Case Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/sajssh.2026.7508Keywords:
Child labour, Education policy, Slum communities, Educational access, policy implementation-gap, Capability Approach, Urban povertyAbstract
The study examines the relationship between child labour and education policy in the slum areas of Rajshahi City, Bangladesh. The research used a qualitative case study. Bangladesh has multiple frameworks and national commitments to eliminate child labour, such as the National Education Policy (2010). Despite this, many slum children remain excluded from necessary educational access. Through conducting semi-structured interviews with 25 households and a focus group discussion, the research explores how families view education policies and survive the competing demands between school and survival. The study's findings show a significant gap between education policy promises and lived realities. Despite primary education being formally free of cost, other hidden barriers, like economic insecurity, social stigma, and an unfavourable academic institutional environment, block slum children’s educational participation. Through the lens of Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach and the Policy-Implementation Gap Framework, the study shows that slum children are deprived not only of resources but also of the liberty to choose education over labour. The paper argues that “Education for All” will remain ineffective for marginalised urban communities unless policy-making addresses their economic vulnerability and institutional exclusion.
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