Chennai- In Tamil Nadu there are single-teacher schools in many tribal settlements but the situation of these schools are poor mainly due to the lethargic attitude of the teachers.
The single-teacher schools in Tamil Nadu were formulated as part of the central government policy of ‘Ekal Vidyalaya’ and is supported by the government of India through the concerned state governments.
While teachers are not paid a princely sum as salary and they have to trek to distant places to reach the tribal settlements, there are cases in which teachers are doing yeoman services. However of late many teachers are not properly visiting the schools and not providing proper noon meals to the students of the tribal colonies.
In the tribal settlement of Krishnagiri district, there are complaints against the concerned teacher that he does not visit the school regularly and instead appears once a week. The Irular tribes who inhabit here have complained to the District education officer, Krishnagiri district against the callous attitude of the teacher and that mid day meals have not been served in the school and if at all it is served, the quality was very poor.
On receiving a complaint, the health department and education department officials conducted a surprise inspection at the school premises and found that the teacher was not present. The inspection team also found that the mid day meals served at the Panchayat Union School at Bettamugilalam in Krishnagiri district was of poor quality and not edible. Egg was also not served substantiating the complaint raised by the Irular community.
In the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu also, the Kattunaikar community has complained against the ill functioning of a tribal school in their settlement. Similar to the complaint at Krishnagiri district, in a single teacher school, an inspection team found poor quality and inedible midday meals and the teacher was absent for the past five days.
An education department official of Nilgiris district told IANS, “The single teacher school where we went inside was found serving poor quality food and egg was not served at all. In fact the meal was served by a local person and teacher was nowhere to be seen. Children and community members told us that the teacher pays a visit to the school once in four or five days and does not teach anything.”
While the central government and state governments have commenced the single teacher schools in good intention, it is to be seen whether the schools are in fact delivering what was intended.
Tamil Nadu School Education Minister, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi told IANS, “I will have to check with the facts regarding this and will speak to our department heads and get a clear picture on what is happening and then will take appropriate action if the teachers are found to be irresponsible as reported.”
Social workers among the tribal communities said that in almost all the districts of Tamil Nadu, situation is similar in tribal hamlets.
M. Kannan, a tribal leader from Coimbatore told IANS, “The situation is similar in several single teacher schools in tribal areas and unless the government conducts proper monitoring and checking, nothing is going to change. We have been petitioning several times to authorities and the inspections conducted were part of the regular complaints we were filing against this injustice conducted in the name of development of tribal schools. At least this has turned into an eye-opener.”
–IANS
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