TIRUCHY: In a tribal village in the Pachamalai Hills, children huddle under the shade of a large tree, trying to focus on their lessons even when the cold air wafts or the sun beats down on them. When it rains, they take refuge in a nearby church, and sometimes the school is shut down not because of any holiday, but due to the vagaries of the weather as the students don't have a roof over their heads.
For two years, over 20 students of the Government Tribal Residential Primary School in Ramanathapuram village, under the Vannadu Panchayat in Pachamalai Hills, have been forced to study under trees due to the absence of a school building. The school, established in 1964, serves children from over 100 tribal families. However, in 2022, the school building was deemed unsafe and was razed a year ago.
Since then the students have had no choice but to study outdoors as no new structure has been built. They sit on benches or on 'korai' mats. Proper teaching is hampered in the absence of a classroom at this school. Headmaster R Selvam doubles up in the same role in another school in Valayur village.
The lone teacher, Parthiban, meanwhile has to attend to the students. "Our children have no proper school and no roof over their heads. When it rains, they are forced to skip school. Is this fair? The government must act before we lose a generation to illiteracy," said Suganthi, a concerned parent from the village.
"Children would easily fall sick because of the climate. There has been no action despite repeated complaints to the tribal welfare department. I don't know how they allow students to sit under a tree for over two years. The school remains neglected as officials rarely visit the remote hilly region. We fear that our children's future is being compromised due to government inaction," said another parent.
Sources in the school said, "Though food is served for all students thrice a day, the situation worsens during monsoons. With heavy rains making it impossible to conduct classes outside, students are sent home for days, sometimes weeks."
The project to construct a school building remains stalled though plans were laid out and a temporary place for the accommodation of students was identified, said sources in the Vannadu Panchayat. When contacted, D Rengaraj, the District Tribal Welfare Planning Officer who was posted to the district only a few days ago, assured a prompt visit to the school and address the issue.
