MODEL PLAN FOR EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT IN TRIBAL AREAS OF KHAMMAM DISTRICT

Abstract

In pursuance of national policy on tribal development during the Fifth Five Year Plan, perspective plans for optimum utilization of resource endowment over a span of 10 to 15 years time in the identified tribal concentrated areas of the State have been prepared. As a part of this exercise a perspective plan for integrated development of tribal and tribal areas of Khammam district was prepared. This plan envisages optimal utilization of varied resources of the integrated tribal development agency area to the maximum benefit of the tribal area. A review of educational programmes in the project area is a prerequisite for identification of bottlenecks in the programme implementation. The study of educational topography of the project area highlights the sharp variation in literacy percentage among the various units of the project area. For instance the literacy rate is comparatively high in Kothagudem, Aswaraopeta and Yellandu Panchayat Samithi villages located on road side with preponderance of non-tribal population while there are villages with zero literacy in the low literacy pockets situated in the isolated and hilly forest areas of Kunavaram, V R Puram, Bhadrachalam, Venkatapuram, Boorgampad and Sudimalle Panchayat Samithis. Out of the total inhabited villages in the project area, 127 villages 16.24 percent are with zero literacy rate and 94 villages 12.02 percent are in less than 2 percent literacy rate range. Most of the identified backward pockets inhabited by primitive community like Konda Reddis are concentrated in the Kunavaram, V.R Puram and Boorgampad Panchayat Samithis. The study also mentioned village wise literacy levels and school infrastructure facilities. The major tribal groups inhabiting the project area are Koyas, Sugalis and Konda Reddis. The incidence of tribal problems Absenteeism, Stagnation and Wastage is one the high side and these problems are inter-related as absenteeism leads to the stagnation and ultimately culminates in wastage. The integrated educational plan would therefore call for reorientation of curricular and personnel policy, reorganization of various institutions, supervision and administration and provision of various support programmes to educational institutions in the project. Government of India in Ministry of Home Affairs in their policy document have suggested i.e mentioned in the report. The study noticed that persistence of low literacy pockets in the project area despite decades of educational programmes goes to prove that medium of instruction and curriculum in these schools have failed to attract the tribal children and their parents.