KALPETTA: While the increasing human-wildlife conflicts in Wayanad district have garnered much attention, their impact on students, especially those in schools located on forest fringes, is largely going unnoticed.
In a disturbing turn of events, the looming fear of wild animal attacks has made it difficult for many students to travel to schools, with many even forced to skip their final examinations.
Bearing testimony to the lurking danger, a bison was spotted on the premises of the Erimakolli Upper Primary School, near Chembra Peak, sending shock waves among students, teachers and parents. The animal was found grazing near the school ground around noon on Monday when classes were under way.
The presence of the bison on the school premises led to a prompt evacuation of students and staff.
There have been incidents of elephants, leopards and other wild animals straying into the premises of educational institutions in various parts of the district.
Students often encounter wild animals while on their way to schools, sparking concern among parents who in turn refrain from sending their children to schools.
According to representatives of teachers’ associations, regular attendance had dropped in a few LP and UP schools in the district, while 40-50% of students in these schools were found to be skipping final examinations.
“The escalating fear of wildlife attacks has impacted the ongoing final examinations,” said Sebastian John, a teacher of a government LP school in Pulpally, where a wild elephant trampled a man and a man-eater tiger killed a farmer in recent times.
Many students are reportedly choosing to stay home rather than taking the dangerous journey to school, he said.
Call for enhanced patrolling near school routes to curb ‘wild’ attacks
“In the school where I teach, many students, especially those from the tribal community, are not attending classes. This will lead to poor academic performances. In the case of many students, they will drop out of their classes permanently,” he said.
The situation has raised questions about the overall preparedness of educational institutions and the effectiveness of existing safety measures in the face of growing wildlife threats. Local residents, parents and wildlife experts have urged the government and authorities concerned to take swift action to mitigate the wildlife threat in Wayanad.
Suggestions put forward include increased patrolling near school routes, the deployment of wildlife experts to assess and manage the situation, and creating awareness among students on safety measures to be followed in case of an encounter with wild animals.
The education department has directed school authorities to check the total number of students skipping examinations, especially SSLC and higher secondary exams. A quick awareness or guidance needs to be given to students and their parents in case they decide to not send their wards to schools, said officials.
