Problems of tribal education in india

For the development of society there is a need of equitable and balanced progress of all sections of community esp. weaker , deprived and discriminated ST's to the forefront of educational revolution. Education imparts knowledge, knowledge of self identity and human environment.


Profile of tribal literacy-


Since independence there is an increase in tribal education but not as per national average.It is 47% where as national average is 65% .Tribal male accounts 59% (75 % national),Tribal female 35% (53% national).
There is a wide variation of tribal education at state.Mizoram tops with 89% followed by Lakshadeep, Manipur, Nagaland , Andaman & Nicobar,Himachal Pradesh. The most poor performing states are Bihar (28%),UP (35%) and Orissa (37%) {Courtesy :Census of India 2001}


Problems associated with tribal education :


1. Poverty - Almost all the tribes whether food gatherers, hunters, shifting cultivators or settled cultivators lack adequate food to maintain the family for the whole year so they find it difficult to afford their children to go to school. They see their children as economic assets in the family.Boys work in the field and girls help their mother in household work. Further system of education and economic benefit accrued from it is of 15 - 20 years of education from school and colleges so parents have neither patience nor foresight to wait for such a long time.


2. Apathy of parents - Tribal's are more concerned with the present than future. It is practical, vocational aspect of education along with immediate economic returns appeal to parents. Besides this scattered population with low density and far location of school has resulted into indifference of parents to send their children's.


3. Apathy of childrens - In many state tribal education is taught from the same syllabus which are for the non-tribals. A tribal child who lives in far flunked area untouched  by civilisation hardly gets interest in history,geography,polity, economical development of country do not understand what they are taught as they have nothing to do with their tribal history and surroundings.


4. Superstition and prejudice - There is widespread feeling in tribals that education makes their children defiant and alienates them from  their own society.


5. Problems of suitable teacher - Non tribal teachers treat themselves civilized and tribals as uncivilized, so there is little appreciation of tribal values and ways of life.Even tribal teachers of one community looks at students and parents of another community hesitantly.


6. Problem of language-Language provide social , psychological and emotional expression of an individual in a society but in the absence of knowledge of tribal dialect both student and teachers face problem of communication.Tribal students are often humiliated for speaking in their mother tongue. Although there is a need of introduction of tribal dialect in the curriculum yet there is paucity of books in tribal dialects.


7. Inadequate facilities in educational institutions - The school basically have thatched roofs, dilapidated walls and floors. In residental schools there is no place for children to sleep as a consequence classroom turns into dormatory and vice versa.


8. Wastage and stagnation - Wastage is the withdrawal or dropping of a student before completion of the academic course.Stagnation is when a student takes more than one year to pass a class. School timing ie clash of school hours with working hours is the main reason for wastage and stagnation.


Conclusion -


Education is the most effective instrument for ensuring equality of opportunity  but tribal people are lagging far behind the non tribal due to above reasons.