Patna: A government school in Jharkhand has asked 80 tribal girls not to attend classes citing lack of space in the classrooms.
The girls were admitted to state-run Kasturba Gandhi School in Gumla district. They were recently admitted to Grade 6 and 7, but were told to stay at home until the school administration is able to solve the space crisis.
Reports said of the 80 girls told not to attend classes, at least 12 hail from the primitive tribes facing extinction. The incident has come as a major setback to the poor tribal villagers who normally eke out their living by working as labourers or domestic helps.
“I have been sitting at home for the past three months. My family had enrolled me in this residential school hoping I would get good education, but I was told to go home for lack of sitting space in the classrooms,” Munita Korwain told the media on Tuesday.
She said she came from a poor family and if immediate steps were not taken in this regard, they would have no option but migrate to other states in search of livelihood.
Rajendra Korwa, an official working for the welfare of the tribal community, alleged the school authorities had been playing with the fate of tribal children. “I met the school warden requesting her to take care of poor tribal children, but she said she can’t allow them to come to school as they don’t have enough classrooms,” Korwa added.
School warden Kammla Kumari said she was really battling with space problems and hence had asked the children to go home. She said she had intimated the education department authorities about their problem and something would come out very soon.
