ARUNACHAL PRADESH : Migration from villages near the China border to urban areas for employment and education is a concern for the Centre, as these communities—the eyes and ears in frontier regions—are considered the first line of defence. Arunachal Pradesh has managed to tackle this problem, at least in one village in Shi Yomi, by improving the quality of education.
Its extreme remoteness affected education in sparsely populated Papikrung—the closest Indian village to the Line of Actual Control. The lack of healthcare and other basic services, coupled with the absence of motorable roads and electricity, made education even more challenging.
The Papikrung Government Residential School, which has classes up to Grade V, was designed to accommodate 100 students, but enrolment remained low. Teacher absenteeism was common. A conducive learning environment was absent. Some parents migrated to towns downhill for better education for their children.
Recognising the role of education in curbing migration, local BJP legislator PD Sona, then Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker and now Education Minister, invited Sunbird Trust in 2022 to revive the school. With its experience of building schools in conflict-affected areas of the Northeast, the non-religious nonprofit aligned with its mission: Building Peace Through Education.
The government signed an agreement with Sunbird Trust to build the school’s capacity. By July that year, Sunbird staff had arrived, prioritising daily classes and academic routines while working alongside teachers.
As administration stabilised, two dedicated Sunbird staff members remained on the ground and teacher attendance improved, restoring families’ confidence. They began sending their out-of-school children back to school, reconnecting the lapsed learners with education, while local officials provided textbooks and teaching materials.
Families which had relocated their children to towns for education brought them back and enrolled them in the school. The Indian Army chipped in by building hostels and retaining walls and installing solar power. The progress showed in the results. Two Class V students were among the district’s top five performers, while six secured admission to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, considered a gold standard for secondary education.
Tade Dabi, Dy Director of School Education, Shi Yomi, lauded Sunbird, attributing the turnaround to the NGO’s dedicated efforts. According to him, villagers who earlier migrated to urban areas are returning to rural Papikrung. “Papikrung proves education anchors frontier demographics. Revived schooling has stemmed outmigration, rebuilt confidence, and is fostering a thriving ecosystem,” says Sona. Sunbird, which manages finances, supplies, hostels, and paperwork, took no financial remuneration from the government.
“It’s a five-way partnership of state government, Sunbird Trust, donors, Indian Army, and locals. Success has sparked a Teacher Training Academy in Mechuka and capacity-building in five more schools, ably supported by CSR from Axis Bank,” says Col Christopher Rego (retd), founder and executive trustee of Sunbird Trust.