Analysis Of Behind The Beautiful Forevers

Behind the Beautiful Forevers is a book, by Katherine Boo, that describes an ordinary life of slum-dwellers in Mumbai. India is primarily known as a country currently experiencing a significant economic growth. At the same time the inhabitants of slums daily struggle for their mere survival. One of the main reasons for that is a failure of both governmental and international social programs to reach their objectives. Boo frequently highlights this issue in her book providing numerous examples. Firstly, free municipal education hardly ever is efficient. According to the author, almost 60% of the public school teachers do not have even an undergraduate degree (Boo 85). Mirchi and other similar schoolchildren are not likely to acquire necessary education that could have potentially helped them and their families to escape poverty. Moreover, they risk learning nothing at all since at public school they mostly “play, take recess, play again, then have lunch” (Boo 85). This is not surprising given the fact that the teachers, such as Asha, often ignore their responsibilities and do not go to school (Boo 33). Similarly, educational policies of non-governmental agencies do not always benefit students in need. Oftentimes an institution receives money, starts working, and begins teaching children. However, as soon as the photos are taken and necessary inspections are passed both funds and a person responsible for them disappear (Boo 171). In contrast to public schools, private ones