Problems of tribal education (A Study in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh)

Abstract

Education is need for the development of a society through individual development. There is need for equality for and balance progress of all the sections of human communities and for this perspective it is imperative to bring the weaker, deprived and discriminated sections such as ‘scheduled tribes’ in India. To the forefront of education revolution and mainstream of knowledge, and knowledge of self-identity and human environment will infuse a sense of confidence, courage and ability among the weaker sections of the society to know and overcome the problems associated with exploitation and deprivation, and to avail the socio-economic and political opportunities expanded to them.In India 85 million people are recognized as Scheduled Tribes. The majority of scheduled tribe communities are living by attachment of hill and forest zones they are away to civilized society. Scheduled tribal people are not utilizing the educational opportunities because various factors are influencing to maintain the gap from education and drop outs rate is high from tribal communities.In India tribal communities have their own specific characteristics. They live in compact areas, which are generally hilly and have undulating terrain. Demographically speaking, there are some 250 scheduled tribes with several sub-communities speaking 100 above languages. Most of these tribes constitute separate socio-cultural groups having distinct, traditions, marriage, kinship and property inheritance system and they live largely in agriculture and pre agriculture level of technology. Although the central and state governments are making efforts to develop literacy rate in and to stop drop outs from educational institutions. But, still schedule tribes have vast gap in society, in literacy and drop outs when compare other community people. Finally they need education to demolish the socio-economic inequalities in India.The present paper is based on the primary data collected from the Bollapally mandal of Guntur district, where a majority of the tribes (Lambadies) are located. The literacy levels among them are very low as well as the dropout rate is more. This present paper aims at to explore the reasons for the above as well to suggest the appropriate measures to tackle the issue. A structured schedule was used for the study, a part from the case study and closed groups interactions methods were used.