Odisha is home to 62 tribal groups, including 13 primitive tribal groups. As per the 2011 census 22.8 per cent of the total population comprises of Scheduled Tribes. However, the existing facilities are not designed adequately to cater to their special socio-cultural needs in State.
This was revealed here at a learning conclave on ‘Innovation in education for tribal children’ organsied by Oxfam India and Sikshasandhan.
It was revealed in the conclave that though tribals have their own culture and languages which are different from the recognised State and national languages but in the absence of a medium of instruction in their local language, the dropout rate amongst the tribal children is very high in comparison to the children from non-tribal backgrounds.
The conclave further revealed that in Odisha, 62.9 per cent children from the tribal communities leave school before completing grade eight in comparison to a national average of 48.8 per cent. Further studies reflects that by class five, 50 per cent of ST children are out of school and 80 per cent leave by Class X. This indicates that in each one hundred tribal children admitted in class one, only twenty of them are going to Class X level. There are many economic and social reasons to this.
Attending the conclave eminent linguist Dr DP Pattanayak laid emphasis on mother tongue based education.
“Diversity is our strength, therefore, diversity has to be recognised and efforts should be made to teach tribal children in mother tongues,” Pattanayak added.