Primary-level education in the Agency areas of Adilabad, Kumram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial and Nirmal districts is in turmoil what with a large number of primary schools run by the Integrated Tribal Development Agency, Utnoor, not reopening this academic year.
The authorities say that the schools could not be reopened as there is a lack of sufficient number of children to be enrolled in classes I and II in these schools and shortage of contract resource teachers (CRT) in some others.
Teachers unions like the Democratic Teachers Federation however, accuse the government of ignoring education at the basic level which could have disastrous effect on the future of tribal children. “Had the government been serious about the issue, it would have recruited CRTs,” pointed out DTF State Council member S. Kondaiah.
Unviable schools
The ITDA runs 905 primary schools in the four districts and 44 of which have not reopened. According to in charge Project Officer of the ITDA R.V. Karnan some of these schools have become unviable due to lack of students.
The number of CRTs to be recruited has been cut down to 1,100 from the 1,300 which also had an effect on primary education. “The process for recruitment will be undertaken soon,” Mr. Karnan assured.
“In order to make schools with less number of eligible children viable we are planning to club them with concerned anganwadi centres. A report is also being prepared on schools which have been rendered the unviable,” ITDA Project Officer added.
Remote habitations
The DTF however, maintains that all schools have sufficient number of children and they can be run. “Take for example the schools in remote Pataguda, Mulkalmand, Pangidi and Tallapetguda, in Tiryani mandal which have more than 10 students on rolls but have not reopened,” Mr. Kondaiah pointed out.
The main problem to hit education at primary level in ITDA schools is the lack of monitoring according to DTF. It all started with the scrapping of Complex Resource Person who used to monitor all primary schools attached to a given school.
“We want the CRP system be restored so that the incumbents can monitor the functioning of schools,” the DTF leader demanded. The CRTs do not have to bother about such things, he pointed out.
