Raisuan: Even though the government spends crores of rupees to ensure free primary education to children through multiple schemes, scores of girl children in tribal dominated Bansapal and Raisuan areas of Keonjhar have been deprived of education due to apathy of the administration.
Free text books, free dresses, bicycles and provision of stipend have failed to encourage poor tribals to send their kids to schools.
According to a survey of a voluntary organization, about 60 per cent of girls aged between 9 and 12 years are out of the coverage of formal education in Raisuan area. Most of the kids are either engaged in farming, household chores or tending cattle.
Such scenes are a regular sight here while awareness campaigns for education has failed to make any impact on parents.
Social activist Sanjay Sahu said there are ashram schools in the district for tribal kids to get free education with free accommodation, but their parents are not aware of the facilities.
Another major factor is poverty, due to which many parents do not like to send their wards to schools and rather engage them in various activities to supplement the family income, he added.
Many girl students like Arati Pradhan, Sakuntala Dehury Shankari village under Bnsapal block said they have never gone to school.
Local intellectual Banamali Ghose said many students drop their studies and go to forests to collect firewood and leaves for their livelihood while women education has turned out to be a farce in remote rural pockets.
BEO Jagabandhu Sahu said steps are being taken to bring drop-outs to schools. Kasturba Vidyalays are there for them, he added.
