PUDUKKOTTAI: More than 50 families in Rangammal Chathiram Colony near SIPCOT in Pudukkottai have been struggling to get community certificate for the past two decades.
Owing to the lack of certificate, several parents refrain from sending their children to schools after Class 9 and youth are finding it difficult to get jobs, despite having a degree. Most of these people belong to Hindu-Adhiyan community, which falls under Scheduled Tribes (ST).
Chief Education Officer S Sathiyamoorthy visited the village on Thursday and promised to get certificates to the residents. He enrolled five children to the government school in Vadaseripatti and encouraged the parents to allow their children to pursue higher studies. “It is worrying that many children are missing out on education due to lack of certificates. I will look into their documents, speak to the Collector and ensure that they get higher education,” he said.
Citing no government benefit or scholarship at schools or workplace owing to lack of community certificate, parents send their wards for odd jobs, including menial labour. Kaliyan, a resident, said, “My ancestors lived in Tiruvannamalai and eked out a living with ‘boom boom maadu’ (fortune telling). As they did not have any land there, they moved to Pudukkottai over two decades ago. The then Collector, Suganthi, gave us pattas and it's been 18 years since we are living here. My children have completed engineering, but not got a job as it requires community certificate.” He added, “Similar is the case with my school-going kid. What is the use of such education?”
He said he had approached all officials concerned several times and even visited Chennai seeking certificates, but in vain.
Talking about the difficulty of convincing parents, Rani, the headmistress of the government high school in Vadaseripatti, said, “The government primary school is in the colony itself and the high school is at Vadaseripatti. But, parents do not send their children to school after Class 9. I have been working here for three years and seeing many bright students. Along with a few teachers, I visit houses of parents every week, and distribute books to encourage them. But, not many respond positively.”