No safe route: 11 girl students drop out over wild animal fears

Bantala: Eleven tribal girls from Krushnachakragarh village under Manikjodi panchayat in Angul block have reportedly dropped out of school, citing fear of wild animals on their way to the classes. The nearest high school is located six kilometres away, and the only connecting road that passes through a dense forest is known for frequent elephant and bear movements. According to local sources, Krushnachakragarh is a remote tribal village surrounded by hills and forests. The rough terrain and the constant threat of wild animals have forced eight students from Class VIII and three from Class IX to discontinue their education. The girls who dropped out are Subhadra Pradhan, Supriya Pradhan, Sarathi Pradhan, Sanchita Behera, Aparajita Behera, Beena Behera, Nina Behera, Ila Behera, Richa Behera, Ranu Pradhan, Shriya Behera, and Mira Pradhan. All the girls belong to tribal families dependent on agriculture and daily labour for their livelihood. “The path to school goes through thick forest. We are scared to go alone as elephants and bears often roam nearby. Since there is no safe transport or hostel facilities, we had no choice but to stop going to school,” said one of the girls.

Also Read: Olive Ridley surveillance hit

Previously, a few students from the village managed to complete up to Class X by staying with relatives in nearby villages.

However, with no support from the government for transport or residential facilities, the remaining girls were forced to abandon their studies midway. District Education Officer Niranjan Sahu said that a campaign to identify out-of-school children has been ongoing for the past three months. “Cluster Resource Centre Coordinators have been tasked with locating such students. We will verify if the names from Krushnachakragarh are on the list and take necessary steps to address the issue,” he said. Residents have urged the administration to ensure safe transport or establish a hostel near the school so that their children can continue their education without fear.