Inclusive Role of Residential Schools in the Development of Education among Sholaga Tribe of Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Education for tribal communities has become one of the prime focuses in the planning and is considered as an integral part of socio-economic development of schedule tribe (ST). Since independence, the state has taken efforts in every planning session to incorporate the tribal welfare as one of their main agenda. However it is unfortunate to say that the level of tribal education until today remains marginal. This paper will focus on the impact created by the presence of a government tribal residential (GTR) school, set up within the tribal area of Sholaga of Geddasal, Erode district of Tamil Nadu. It will also emphasise the interventions incurred on the literacy level of the tribe. In the recent years, there has been some improvisation in the mechanism of stake holders in providing the education for the tribal communities. One of the major initiatives among them is the implementation of a tribal residential school to ensure the increase in the literacy rate of tribal children. The bottom line of the residential schools is the provision of the accommodative facilities for students coming from far-off villages and a system of free meals. More eventually, the villages near-by this school benefit the most in-terms of availing the formal education. But apparently, there are flaws that need affirmative action to be taken in involving the participation of tribes themselves in their overall development.