Advancements in communication may have made the world a global village. But for the tribespeople living deep inside the State’s forests, the world has not changed much.
Nineteen-year-old tribal student Subeesh G., who lives in the Nilambur forests, learned about his success in the SSLC examination 20 hours after Education Minister C. Ravindranath announced them on Tuesday afternoon.
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Officials of the Samagra Siksha Kerala (SSK) had to undertake an arduous trek to reach the Plakkachola colony of the Paniya tribes, four km above Adyanpara at Chaliyar grama panchayat in the Nilambur forest, on Wednesday to inform Subeesh about his victory in the exams.
Subeesh was one of the 12 “out-of-school” tribal students in the State who wrote the SSLC examinations with the support of the SSK this year.
Extreme situations had made them drop out of schools the and SSK brought them back into studies by accommodating them at special care centres at Nilambur, Marayur, Adimali, Aralam farm, Kottoor, and Nilackal.
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“I wept when our repeated attempts to inform Subeesh about his results failed on Tuesday afternoon. Our men could finally reach him after 20 hours and congratulate him on his victory,” said SSK State programme officer S.S. Sindhu.
She said the SSK had paid special attention to bring back the tribal students who had dropped out of schools.
Drop out twice
Subeesh dropped out of school twice and began helping his father collect honey from the wild.
He remained elusive for four years until the SSK reached out to him during a tribal survey a couple of years ago.
Subeesh has two mobile phone connections. But he does not have connectivity at his hamlet in the hilly forest.
“We were not sure if he would be at home when our men climbed the hill with the good news for him,” said Ms. Sindhu.
Eight more pass
Apart from Subeesh, six tribal youths from an SSK hostel at Marayur and two each at Kottoor and Nilackal passed the SSLC examination.