SRI LANKA (ADILABAD DT.): Until Tuesday, the 30 Scheduled Castes Budiga Jangam families of Sri Lanka locality close to Jannaram mandal headquarters village lived in isolation. They were integrated into the mainstream when a primary school was opened specially for their out-of-school children, numbering 35, under the alternate school scheme as part of Badi-Baata programme.

"The SC Budiga Jangam caste has one of the lowest incidences of enrolment among socially backward communities in Andhra Pradesh. Children are taking to rag picking because of growing obsoleteness of their traditional means of livelihood through Burra Katha performances,'' explained S. Vishwanath Rao, Additional Project Coordinator, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Adilabad, on the need to bring the children into the educational fold.

The families under question had migrated to their present location from Surdapur in Khanapur mandal about 30 kms away. Some of their children had gone to school at some point of time in their lives and their dropping out of school was linked to income generation activities like rag- picking.

"We told them about stringent laws related to child labour. We convinced them that their children would not only be given free education but adequate food also if they attend school regularly. These children will now form a homogenous group at school which will be advantageous to them'', said Mr. Vishwanath Rao.

Elders see reason

Gannam Gangaram, the headman of the community has seen reason. He says, "Ippadollaku chaduve gavala. Udyogam radu Burra Katha to (this generation needs education. Burra Katha does not land them with jobs)''.

The children have grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Sai Kumar and Aisparya evidently enjoy reciting some of the rhymes taught to them by teachers during the preparatory period prior to the inauguration.

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