MES Educational Center for Tribes

MES Educational Center for Tribes

For the Improvement in Education of Tribes in Attappady

Goal

To improve the educational status of tribal students in Attappady

The Context

This Programme has started as the continuation of the DREAMES-1 and 11(MES-Drive for the Empowerment of Tribes in Attappady and drive for the improvement of the health status of tribals in Attappady). Access to educational institutions is a major factor for the educational backwardness of the tribal communities in Attappady. Since they largely live in remotely situated hamlets, they cannot have any easy access to schools, colleges etc. In Attappady the dropout rate is four times higher than the state percentage. The percentage of scheduled tribe students at MES Kalladi College is very less. College conducted a survey to study about the educational background of the students in Attappady. It is realized that the Dropout rate is very high at Secondary level. In Attappady there are more employment opportunities and these positions are not yet filled due to the lack of qualified students. On the context of lack of educational improvement in Attappady, extension cell of the college in association with M.E.S Medical college has taken initiatives to start an educational institution in Attappady. To reduce the dropout rate of tribal children in Attappady, efforts were taken by the MES Management committee.

The Practice

  • Education centre in Attappady is working strongly for the improvement in education of tribals.
  • Various activities so far organized under this project are:
  •  Comprehensive survey conducted to analyse the educational background of the tribals in Attappady. Post Graduate students from various departments were involved in this project.
  • Course structure includes B.A (History) and B.Com
  • Visited tribal hamlets to assess the educational situation.
  • Provided motivation classes to the students
  • Strengthened the working of Tribal resource centre
  • Completely free education for the students.

Evidence of Success

There are a number of external factors that hinder tribal education. The schools in the tribal areas do lack the basic necessities. There is shortage of teachers. The remuneration of teachers of alternate schools is meagre. By the use of this programme many tribals become the beneficiaries of educational institution. More than thirty tribal students were joined in this institution. Tribals become more interested in studies and they showed a symptom of positive changes by this endeavour. Students achieved better results in internal test comparing with other centre. Students showed more interest in studies for the nearby hamlets, MES Educational centre was a big comfort as they have reduced their distance to reach school. The centre was the symptom of more relief to the tribals not only in matter of education, but also in all other matters related to the socio-economic empowerment.

Problems Encountered and Resources Required

We are running this educational programme with many issues such as inaccessibility to the settlements and interior nature of tribal hamlets, language barrier, cultural barriers, lack of tribal sensitive functionaries, lack of continuing effortsand negligence of tribal parents towards education.