The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : ‘Literacy rate among Bondas low’

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 26, 2007
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‘Literacy rate among Bondas low’

Staff Reporter

Only two of 14 schools are functioning

The population of Bondas is estimated to be 6,008
Children were engaged in works at an early age

BHUBANESWAR: The tall claims of the State government about various initiatives for the welfare of tribals seem to remain just on paper.

A detailed study on the education status of Bondas, one of the primitive tribal groups of the State, undertaken by the Asha Kiran Society funded by the ActionAid, a donor agency, revealed that only two out of the 14 schools being run by the government for the benefit of the tribe were functioning.

“The schools are not functioning due to lack of infrastructure and teachers. The other problems are connectivity, language barrier and lack of community participation,” Alexander, a researcher with Asha Kiran, said here on Monday.

The organisation presented photographs of dilapidated condition of school buildings. While some of them were still under construction, others had grass bushes inside the school. Mudilipada Residential School and Kanayashram, a residential school for girls, on Bonda hill were functioning.

The population of Bondas was estimated to be 6,008. They live in 32 villages in Malkangiri districts. Out of the total of 1,584 households, 1,455 families live below the poverty line.

On the education front, the total literacy was put at 10.33 per cent, with a male literacy of 17.15 per cent and female literacy of just 4.77 per cent.

Language barrier

Mr. Alexander said that the main reason behind such a low literacy was language barrier. “Many teachers do not know Bonda language. As a result, they have not been able to motivate community leaders to allow their children to get education.”

Stating that Bonda children were engaged in works at an early age, he said monetary incentives should be provided to parents of the children so that they could easily attend schools.

“The mid-day meal programme may be regularised in each Bonda village through the Nayak (Bonda’s traditional leader), who in turn should select community members. Educated Bonda youths should be appointed as Sikshya Sahayaks.”

Similarly, another research on the Mankidia tribe, another primitive group, presented a dismal picture. Of the population of just 779 residing in Mayurbhanj district, none is literate. Though 170 children were attending the morning school in Mankidia village, the literacy rate did not improve, said researcher Kamalakanta Lenka. Location of schools at a far off place and lack of awareness among parents were the reasons for the dismal show here.

He suggested that residential facility should be provided to teachers on the school premises or in its vicinity.

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