Adilabad: Festivals, especially Diwali, proved to be a bane for Adivasi children’s education in the district.
It was found in a survey that Adivasi students are poor in their studies. Majority of Adivasis students studying in Tribal Ashram schools are not returning to hostels after coming home to celebrate their festivals. Adivasis celebrate Diwali for one month.
There are incidents where students had not returned to their hostels after coming home for Pulla Amavasya. However, it is true that active participation of children in their festivals will certainly help in preserving their unique traditions, customs and carry forward to the coming generations.
Educational experts say it is high time for Adivasis to concentrate more on their studies at school and college level while participating in their festivities once in a while without disrupting their studies as education is the only instrument which can change their lives and give them a better life.
Kanaka Yadavrao, district president of Adivasi JAC, said students’ attendance has fallen to 20 per cent in some Tribal Ashram schools during festival seasons in tribal areas at Asifabad, Utnoor, Narnoor, Sirpur (U), Kerameri, Indravelli and some other places in the district.
He found that students who gone to their homes to celebrate Polala which fell on September 13 had not returned to hostels even after celebrating Dasara and Diwali festivals. It is almost two- and-a- half months as most of the Adivasi children interested in participating Gussadis.
Wardens and teachers of Tribal Ashram schools have started visiting Adivasi gudems to take back students to hostels and convincing their parents to send to hostels just after Diwali festival but very few students turned up to hostels. Parents are also not sending their children to schools and hostels during the festival season.
Adivasi leaders expressed serious concern over poor attendance.
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