COIMBATORE:The gap in literacy among various groups and Scheduled Tribes (25.75 percent)is the highest in Tamil Nadu.
The Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment, appointed by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs recently, has indicated the total literacy rate in the state is 80.09 per cent and the ST rate 53.34 per cent.
The report states that though the overall literacy gap has come down from 19.77 per cent in 1961 to 14.03 per cent in 2011, a scrutiny of state-wise literacy data revealed that in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal which have sizeable ST population in remote areas, the literacy gap is still high as 18-26 per cent.
Tamil Nadu ST literacy rate is below the national average of 59 per cent, which is less that the overall literacy rate of the country (73 per cent).
The committee points out that there are not enough tribal (Ashram) schools to impart elementary education to tribal students.
National convener of 'Strengthening SCs and STs' Prasad Srivella says education was made a right, but without making it affordable, the goal cannot be achieved.
Poverty is high in these regions, so providing access is not only limited to creating schools but also making the family affordable by ensuring survival as they can send their sons or daughters to schools rather than work, he adds.
A tribal activist says contrary to the popular perception, states with tribal majority, including Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland, have better overall literacy rate compared to states with non-tribal majority.
To improve the tribal literacy rate, fundamental thing is to ensure their livelihood and Tamil Nadu has never attempted it by not providing tenable rights over land or forest, he adds.
The committee says further that the major reason for the higher dropout ratio in tribal schools is that in most states the medium of instruction is English or Hindi and most students do not understand the textbooks so there is an urgent need to develop textbooks in the mother tongue at the beginning.
So, the committee recommends that ST children should be taught in their own language at the beginning of primary education with provision to switch over to regional languages and English or Hindi in due course.
Educationist Prince Gajendra Babu says that with more than 50 per cent members from the National Commission for Tribal Affairs absent, the condition of tribal schools will continue to remain pathetic with no proper hostels, school buildings and basic amenities.
With no scope for their culture in their syllabus, student will obviously lose enthusiasm and unless the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department gets revamped by proper utilisation of the allocated funds, improving ST literacy rate is far beyond reach, he adds.