The Government Tribal Lower Primary School, at the State’s second largest tribal settlement at Attathode, is a testimony to the neglect of the government’s mission to bring forest-dwellers to the mainstream.
The school, with 50 students, that started functioning on June 1, 2015, faced immediate closure when the State failed to provide basic infrastructure and food for the kids.
However, committed efforts of the staff and the school development committee and the intervention of Raju Abraham, MLA, S.Harikishore, District Collector, and the Tribal Welfare Department saved the institution.
Ramakrishnan, a Malampandaram tribe, sent his two children to the school last year. He is happy that the school authorities have arranged a van to ferry children to and fro from the school to the tribal hamlets at Pampa, Nilackal, Chelikkuzhay, and surrounding areas.
The tribespeople give credit to Headmaster D.Ashokan and teachers, Rakesh Thampi and Arun, for the smooth running of the school in the past one year.
The majority of students belonged to the nomadic Malampandaram families in the forest areas of Laha, Nilackal, and Chalakkayam.
The Collector also made arrangements for feeding the children thrice a day, besides arranging monthly payment of the van driver under the Gothra Saarathi scheme, says Mr. Ashokan.
Things took a new turn at the beginning of this school year with the Director of Public Instruction transferring the Headmaster from Attathode to Government Upper Primary School at Adoor and posting a 53-year-old woman teacher there a few days ago.
However, the new Headmistress rejected the promotion and opted out from assuming charge at the tribal school. At present, a junior teacher has been given the additional charge of headmaster.
