AMBOORI (THIRUVANANTHAPURAM): When Ashwini, 6, of Multi-Grade Learning Centre at Kunnathumala in Amboori sang the soulful folk song, “Ini Varunnoru Thalamurakku Ivide Vaasam Saadhyamo”, tears welled up in the eyes of her teacher KR Usha Kumari. Ashwini’s four classmates who couldn’t recall the lyrics at first brushed up their memory quickly and joined her as she started the second line.
What Ashwini and her friends Karthika, Keerthika, Divya, Abhimon and Anoop didn’t know is that the school would stop functioning by the end of this month and their teacher will be pushed into the job of a sweeper. It was hard for them when the school had remained closed for months last year due to Covid. MGLC at Kunnathumala is among the 344 single-teacher schools in the state which the government will close down on March 31. The five students of Kunnathumala tribal settlement study at the school, which has classes 1 to 4.
The parents are happy to send their kids there as it gives them an opportunity to study in the neighbourhood. Also, they are served breakfast and lunch by the school. Usha Kumari, who has been the teacher of MGLC at Kunnathumala for the past 23 years, has equipped scores of tribal students to read and write.
Government offers job of sweepers to 344 teachers
Every year, most students who complete fourth grade join the Kottur tribal UPS though some of them stop studies altogether. “Rain or shine, I have been travelling 14 km daily from my home at Amboori to reach the school. I have to row a country boat and then climb a steep hill to reach there,” said Usha Kumari, who has won many awards for her yeoman service to uplift children from tribal communities.
The 53-year-old said she is yet to tell students and parents about the decision to close down the school as it will be too heartbreaking for the local community. Confirming the decision, higher education principal secretary A P M Mohammed Hanish said proper alternative arrangements will be made to enroll all students in the neighbouring schools.
Dalit rights activist Dhanya Raman told TNIE that the decision to close down MGLCs was taken last year but deferred for a year due to pressure from various quarters. “The government’s plan is to ensure admission of all tribal students in nearby model residential schools. The day scholars will be picked and dropped as per the gothra saradhi project with the help of the local panchayat”, said Dhanya.
The government has now offered the 344 teachers the job of sweepers in the general education department, under Part-Time Contingent Menial or Full Time Menial grade.
“It was on compassionate grounds that the government decided to provide them the role of sweepers. Their salary arrears will be disbursed soon,” said Hanish. “Majority of us are graduates or TTC diploma holders. We are not belittling the role of a sweeper, but I think we deserve better, having toiled all these decades. I have not received my salary for the last five months,” said Usha Kumari.