Anakapalle's Tribal Children Walk Miles For Education
Lack of schools and teachers forces students from remote Losingi villages to trek long distances; parents demand urgent government action or vow to launch padayatra on July 1.
By : Aruna
Update: 2025-06-26 18:43 GMT
Visakhapatnam: Children from remote tribal villages in the Anakapalle district continue to face challenging journeys to access basic education and early childhood care. In Pedda Garuvu village, part of the Arla Panchayat in Rolugunta mandal, students walk nearly 10 kilometres daily to reach the MPP School in B.B. Patnam. From nearby Kothalosingi and Patalosingi villages, children trek about six kilometres to attend the same school.
The situation is even more difficult for 20 children from the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), who must travel approximately 15 kilometres to reach the Anganwadi centre in Rajannapet. Despite harsh weather conditions, their determination remains strong as they undertake these long journeys every day.
Currently, seven students from Pedda Garuvu and thirteen from Kothalosingi and Patalosingi are enrolled in B.B. Patnam school, but their educational situation is precarious. Although a teacher was posted there last year and an alternative school was briefly established, it closed within a month. Now, there is no special school in Losingi village, and the lack of proper facilities and a permanent teaching staff raises significant concerns within the tribal communities.
In response to the lack of educational facilities, local leaders and parents are urging the government to establish a formal school in Losingi and assign a full-time teacher from B.B. Patnam. They have appealed to Anakapalle district collector Vijaya Krishnan for prompt intervention.
If their demands are not met, the villagers plan to launch a padayatra on July 1. Girijana Sangham leaders Killo Narasaiah and Kondatamalu Kamesh emphasised the urgency of the situation, stating, “We walk 15 kilometres to access Anganwadi services. We need a mini Anganwadi in our village and a dedicated teacher for our children’s future.”