Devi Singh Paharia, a senior member of the Adivasi Adhikar Manch and part of the Paharia tribe—one of the three Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Jharkhand’s Dumka district—highlights the grim state of education among tribal children. “Our children are rarely sent to school,” Paharia laments, attributing this to widespread illiteracy among parents and dire economic conditions.
Despite efforts like the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) program, which aims to provide quality education for Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in remote areas, the initiative has failed to make a significant impact. Paharia notes that while a handful of children from his community have graduated from EMRS, most take up jobs in the Army rather than pursuing higher education. “Finding engineers or doctors among us is rare,” he adds.
Subhash Hembram, a fellow activist from the Santhal tribe, corroborates these challenges. He reveals that 90% of Paharias opt for daily wage labor due to landlessness and poverty, with many migrating to cities for survival. Hembram stresses that merely establishing schools is insufficient. “Paharia children struggle to clear entrance exams for EMRS, leaving many seats vacant,” he explains.
The Union Minister of State, Durga Das Uikey, acknowledged these issues in Parliament, citing infrastructural shortcomings, teacher shortages, and economic pressures as key factors driving high dropout rates among PVTG children.
For true progress, a holistic approach addressing education, livelihood, and systemic barriers is critical to empowering these communities.
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