Tribal students take to English in a big way S. Harpal Singh
ADILABAD: A group of poor girl students hailing from the primitive Gond tribe in Adilabad district is determined to learn English language even if it means paying a private tuition fee of Rs. 100 per month, which they can ill afford. If anything, the students' dedication for realising their objective is a pointer towards the direction where the thrust in tribal education should lie under present circumstances.
It is certainly an occasion for pity if tribal students even from higher classes find it difficult to introduce themselves properly despite their exposure. “I am lost when required to fill a scholarship form in English,” points out Korenga Anjana, a second-year degree student as she talks of her difficulties arising due to lack of proficiency in the language.
Hard task
“Learning computer operation has become a hard task because I do not know the operative language. I am afraid this drawback is going to cost me dearly when I face job interviews in future,” observes Pendur Anusaya, a first-year B.Com (Computers) student, voicing the general apprehension among students of her kind.
The group of learners consists of 11 Intermediate and Degree students who are inmates of the Giri Pragati tribal girls hostel on Tantholi road. By sheer coincidence, the girls met Atram Tulasiram, also a Gond and now staying at Kala Ashram next door, who agreed to teach them basic English.
“Not many students from our tribe can boast of possessing even rudimentary knowledge of English. Tribal schools do not have subject teachers in English which is the root cause of the problem,” explains the tutor, who happened to learn English grammar while he was employed with a computer firm in Hyderabad until some time ago.
Mesram Manohar, the District Educational Officer (DEO), Agency, says the government has sanctioned 74 posts of School Assistants (English) for tribal schools. However, these posts meant for upper primary and high schools may not do justice to the 30,000 tribal students at primary level who start learning the language third standard onwards.
To address the problem that starts at the lowest level of education in tribal schools, the government can subject primary teachers to orientation in English language and teaching.
It is certainly an occasion for pity if tribal students even from higher classes find it difficult to introduce themselves properly despite their exposure. “I am lost when required to fill a scholarship form in English,” points out Korenga Anjana, a second-year degree student as she talks of her difficulties arising due to lack of proficiency in the language.
Hard task
“Learning computer operation has become a hard task because I do not know the operative language. I am afraid this drawback is going to cost me dearly when I face job interviews in future,” observes Pendur Anusaya, a first-year B.Com (Computers) student, voicing the general apprehension among students of her kind.
The group of learners consists of 11 Intermediate and Degree students who are inmates of the Giri Pragati tribal girls hostel on Tantholi road. By sheer coincidence, the girls met Atram Tulasiram, also a Gond and now staying at Kala Ashram next door, who agreed to teach them basic English.
“Not many students from our tribe can boast of possessing even rudimentary knowledge of English. Tribal schools do not have subject teachers in English which is the root cause of the problem,” explains the tutor, who happened to learn English grammar while he was employed with a computer firm in Hyderabad until some time ago.
Mesram Manohar, the District Educational Officer (DEO), Agency, says the government has sanctioned 74 posts of School Assistants (English) for tribal schools. However, these posts meant for upper primary and high schools may not do justice to the 30,000 tribal students at primary level who start learning the language third standard onwards.
To address the problem that starts at the lowest level of education in tribal schools, the government can subject primary teachers to orientation in English language and teaching.
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