Effect of Parental Seasonal Labor Migration on Children’s Care and Educational Performance in Rural Nepal

Abstract

This article focuses on the effect of parental migration on the care and educational performance of left-behind children of migrant families. This ethnographic study was conducted among the Kham people in Kankri, Rukum East district of the western mid-hill region of rural Nepal. Information was collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and living in the community in their setting. Income from parental labor migration provided families with food, clothing, access to basic health services, and investment in their children’s education. Left-behind children lacked parental care with proper guidance and emotional support, so they started taking alcohol, Charash (marijuana resin), and showing violent behavior. Children from migrant households have school absences and poorer educational performance as they are required to help with household work and lack guided learning at home. Children lose interest in studying, and those who miss upper-class admission because of seasonal migration drop out of school and join the migration. Parents select private or government schools for their children depending on remittance, quality of education, network availability, and future opportunities. Parents who had hardships during their migration are determined to educate their children in school, but they do not provide equal educational opportunities for boys and girls. Seasonal migrant workers anticipate that their children will engage in seasonal work during school breaks so that they can contribute to their schooling costs.