Keonjhar: Education has remained out of reach for scores of children belonging to the primitive Juanga tribe in certain pockets of this district due to lack of schools and Anganwadi centres in their close proximity, even as Sarva Sikhya Abhiyan (SSA) has gone awry.
Social activists and intellectuals observed that the top claims of the education department on effective implementation of the Right to Education have proved hollow as far as Juanga children living in hill-locked Uparakadua hamlet under Harichandanpur block are concerned.
The keenness of tribal kids for education is evident from the fact that Juanga kids came a long way from their remote village to the collectorate here to press for a school in their locality a couple of days ago.
They had earlier drawn the administration’s attention towards the problem. A report was published in leading Oriya daily Dharitri on this.
As the administration did nothing in this regard, the Juanga children along with their guardians travelled 70/80 km to take up the issue again.
According to reports, over 50 children in the tribal hamlet are deprived of education.
Locals say their children fritter away their formative years without getting education.
A year ago, when the people had demanded a school at the village, district project coordinator of SSA had probed the matter and recommended a proposal for a school to the block education officer, it was learnt.
“But nothing was done after that. The children were kept deprived of their right to education,” said Dhiren Rout, president of Pragatishila Nagarika Manch, a local outfit.
A mini Anganwadi centre is at the village inhabited by 50 Juanga families. But there is no provision of school for them to continue upper primary education. The nearest school is 3 km away from the village. Locals say it is risky for the kids to walk such a long distance to reach the nearest school.
”We want to study. But in the absence of school, we roam around in the forest all day,” Mina Juanga and Chandan Munda, two kids of the hamlet, said.
“Despite their repeated demands, a school could not be set up in village.
We came along with our children at the grievances hearing cell of the collector to take up the issue with the administration,” Rabindra Juanga, a guardian, said.
Another guardian, Sushila Juanga, lamented that they have to suffer due to lack of basic facilities.
Local outfits flayed the apathy of the education department over the issue and warned of agitation.
Additional district magistrate Sangram Keshari Swain said steps are being taken to open a school in the tribal hamlet. PNN
