Here Dalits denied basic education

Chennai: Lack of basic facilities in Adi Dravidar schools is leading to high dropout rates, according to a survey in northern districts.

According to the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department’s budget document (2014-2015), the State has 798 primary schools, with a student strength of 62,110. In the 81 high schools, the strength is only 19,465. What is worse, one third of the students drop out between classes V and X.

Activists say poor infrastructure, lack of teachers and desire for English education lead to exodus of students. An Adi Dravidar school teacher from Nagapattinam district said since the schools are in remote areas, teachers prefer neighbourhood schools. Even those who have cleared the TET exams have not yet been appointed, leading to more problems.

Non-governmental organisation Samakalvi Iyakkam that surveyed 36 of the 435 schools in six northern districts found the conditions in the schools terrible. In middle and high schools, girls discontinued due to lack toilets and water facility, the survey has revealed.

“The funds released by the Centre have remained unused and the facilities for Adi Dravidar schools are poor. Why not put the funds to good use, instead of diverting them to other projects,” asks its general secretary Chella. Selvakumar.

While the Central government had released Rs. 14,757 lakh under the special component plan, the State government had used only Rs. 8,838 lakh. The number of beneficiaries under the plan had fallen from 1,54,040 in 2005-2006 to 19,525 as on February 06, 2014.

Call to appoint supervisors. The NGO wanted the government to appoint more teachers for the single-teacher schools, which had over 100 students. “Schools with 115 students in the primary section have only one teacher. Many middle and high schools do not have teachers for science, social sciences and mathematics. The solution for schools with low student strength is not merger, but improving enrolment, says A. Ambrose, State coordinator. He pointed out that the dropouts are engaged as child labourers.

The activists demand that the government appoint a supervisor for every 10 schools and allocate funds from the local development funds of MPs and MLAs for improvement of the Adi Dravidar schools.

Source: The Hindu