The limited number of community study centres of the Tribal Department and study rooms of the district panchayat in tribal hamlets in Wayanad district have played a crucial role in the education of tribal children during the pandemic.
But such facilities were far from the reach of tribal children in many a remote hamlet like Kadamabakkad. The hamlet of the Kattunayakkan tribe, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) inside the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS), is located nearly 6 km away from the nearest town of Kallur.
However, residents of the hamlet are a happy lot, as they too have been able to avail such a facility thanks to timely intervention by a group of forest officials.
As many as 60 members, including 24 students of Standard 1 to 10, of 26 families are living in the forest enclosure. Though the authorities had provided a television set and dish antenna for studies of the children, they could not use it owing to the absence of a study room, said S. Ranjith Kumar, Assistant Wildlife Warden, WWS. “When residents of the hamlet raised their fair demand before the Eco Development committee [EDC], we decided to erect a makeshift shed for the purpose,” he added.
Meanwhile, Junior Chamber International, Kozhikode Chapter, expressed willingness to construct a building for the purpose, and it materialised through the Kadambakkad EDC as per the Forest Rights Act.
“When the building was opened a few days ago, we provided furniture worth ₹75 lakh to the study centre,” Mr. Ranjith Kumar said.
“The services of section forest officers and beat forest officers are being provided to the children as facilitators to help them in their studies,” Warden S. Narendra Babu said.
As many as six children passed the SSLC examination last year, Mr. Babu said, adding that the services would continue, and coaching for PSC tests will begin this week. A library too will be set up, he informed.
