Upset with school affairs, Bondas refuse to return

KORAPUT: Even after four days of deserting the sevashram (residential school for the SC and ST students), not a single of the 302 students belonging to the Bonda tribe returned to the school at Mudulipada in Malkangiri district on Saturday.
They left the school on Wednesday alleging massive maladministration by the headmaster, Bholanath Majhi. "Quality education has taken a beating. Classes are not being taken properly.When we complained about it to the headmaster, he asked us either to keep quiet or leave the school. So, we all left," alleged Nakul Kirsani, a student. The Bondas are categorized under Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group.
According to one student, except English and mathematics no other subject is being taught in the school.
"If we complain about it then we are subjected to corporal punishment," complained another student. The school is on the Bonda hill under Khairput block. The school run by the SC and ST development department has classes from I to VII.
Though district officials visited the school on Saturday to inquire into the matter, they failed to persuade students to return. "We are inquiring into the matter and have recommended the government for disciplinary action against the headmaster," said sub-collector (Malkangiri) Nruparaj Sahu.
"By visiting villages our teachers are trying to convince students to return. We hope normalcy will be restored soon," he added. Spread over an area of 137 sq km, the Bonda hill consists of 32 villages with a population of over 6,000. Children of all 32 villages depend on the Mudulipada sevashram for their academic activities. Only 8% of the Bondas are literate.