A year after the Government Tribal Residential School at Kongadai in Bargur hills was upgraded into high school, teachers are yet to be posted for Standard 9 students.
To cater to the needs of tribal students in Periyur, Agnipavi, Sengulam, Kovil Natham and Sundaipodu hamlets in the hills, the Department of Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare started a primary school at Kongadai in 1993 that was later upgraded into middle school in 1998.
Apart from this, the School Education Department runs four primary schools while three special schools of National Child Labour Project (NCLP) were also run by an NGO, Service Unit for Development Activities in Rural (SUDAR) in the area.
After completing Standard 8 in the tribal school, students have to go to the Government Higher Secondary School at Bargur to continue their Standard 9. Since, the school is located about 29 km. from Kongadai, a few attend the school and stay in the hostels while most of them turn to be school drop outs.
With the demand for upgrading the school grew up, the State government had last year announced that the school would be upgraded. Hence, 50 students were admitted to Standard 9 in the current academic year. However, teachers are yet to be appointed.
S.C. Natraj, Director, Sudar, said that though the announcement for upgradation was made in September 2017, teachers were yet to be posted. Without teachers, the life of the students is affected who face many challenges in coming to the school, he added.
When contacted, officials at the Department of Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare said that proposals have already been submitted to the State government and the government order for posting teachers is expected soon.
