Awareness and Utilisation of Educational Development Schemes by Tribesfolk of Wayanad, Kerala (Abstract)

C. Krishnan*

For the past several decades, the governments at the Centre and the States have been following a policy of protective discrimination to serve effectively the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of society including the Scheduled Tribes. Several programmes were launched to motivate and to assist the target populations.

The present study has made an effort to examine in some depth the educational situation of the tribesfolk in Kerala and the levels of awareness and utilisation on their part of the different educational development schemes specifically meant for them.

The specific objectives of the study were (i) to identify and review the various tribal educational development schemes, (ii) to analyse the levels of awareness on the part of the heads of households of the different tribal communities about the schemes, and (iii) to examine the levels of utilisation of the schemes by different tribal communities. The study was conducted in the Panamaram panchayat in the Mananthavadi taluk of Wayanad district in which five major tribal communities of the State live. These communities are Adiyan, Kattunaykan, Kurichian, Kuruman, and Paniyan.

The educational status of tribesfolk has improved considerably during the past few years. Tribal literacy levels have also increased substantially, both for males and females.

However, non-enrolment and dropouts from schools, constitute major problems. It was a shocking situation that the total tribal students who enrolled in standard I in 1987-’88, only 35.5 per cent reached standard X by 1996-’97 as against 58.5 per cent for Scheduled Castes and 71.3 per cent for all communities taken together. It is noticed that gender disparity in enrolment still exists, even though its intensity is low.

The major factor accounting for low educational achievements and low aspirations on the part of the tribesfolk is their poor social and economic condition. They live in unhealthy environment, do low-paid physical labour, and own very little hand. Inter-community differences in socio-economic conditions and educational status are wide among the tribesfolk. Illiteracy is the highest among Paniyans and Kattunaykans and the lowest among Kurichians and Kurumans, the relatively better off communities among the tribesfolk.

Of the several tribal educational development schemes, the tribesfolk are, in general, familiar only with a few such as lumpsum grants, stipends, hostel facilities, and kindergartens. Only Kurichians and Kurumans have a much higher level of awareness about the educational schemes.

Schemes such as lumpsum grant, monthly stipend, incentives grants to students and parents, are among the more commonly available facilities. Inter-tribal difference was observed in the utilisation patterns and levels as well. The usual pattern of inter-tribal difference, with Kurichians and Kurumans at the top and Adiyans, Paniyans, and Kattunaykans at the bottom was observed. However, the tribesfolk had now a very positive attitude towards education of their children including girl children and were prepared to educate them. They preferred to educate children in common schools, in Malayalam medium and hoped that their children would become government employees.

Yet, dropout rates of tribal students are high. Economic pressures prevent them from continuing their education. Children join the labour force early in life. The opportunity cost of education is therefore quite high.

Tribal children take up paid work early in life, more for satisfying personal wants rather than supporting their households. They spend their incomes on garments, footwear, etc in order to emulate the modern society to which they come into frequent contact. Non-enrolment in school is more due to poverty and parental apathy than to deliberate choice by the child itself. Usual inter-community differences are observed in the case of enrolment and continuation of studies as will.

The following conclusions emerge from the present study. 

(i) There is an urgent need to improve the levels of awareness and utilisation of the various educational development schemes among the tribesfolk.

(ii) A long-lasting solution to the educational backwardness of tribesfolk cannot be found without substantial improvement to their economic status.

(iii) Since there are wide inter-tribal variations in socio-economic status among tribesfolk, a

blanket policy for development of tribesfolk may not be effective.

(iv)  The labour participation by the children of school-going age could perhaps be discouraged to some extent by making school education more attractive, by giving them higher economic incentives, by making education more entertaining and relevant and by giving the households a more active role in the conduct of school affairs.

 *  C. Krishnan is Lecturer in Economics, Mar Thoma College, Chungathara, Malappuram.