Odisha has reported high number of deaths of children in residential tribal schools in the country.
In a span of five years from 2010-11 to 2014-15, as many as 133 students in residential schools have died, says a government report.
Only Maharashtra, where 1077 children died in residential schools between the year 2000-01 and 2015-16, has more frightening record as far as death of tribal students is concerned. Although no specific reason has been attributed to deaths, it is alarming to find such high number of deaths.
Neighbouring States like Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand have not reported any death in residential schools.
“Exactly for this reason, we have knocked doors of Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) seeking its intervention to bring qualitative change the lives of tribal and Dalit children staying in government-run residential schools,” said Biswapriya Kanungo, a human rights activist.
Between 2013 and 2015, girls in the age group of 12 to 16, who were pursuing studies in tribal residential schools, became pregnant while 12 girls in residential schools were raped, faced sexual advance and other harassments.
