Survey of Tribal Schools Infrastructure and Facilities
The first-ever survey conducted in residential schools for tribal children across five states reveals significant infrastructural deficiencies and lack of basic amenities in several schools.
Survey Overview
- The survey was commissioned by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs through the National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET).
- Aimed to identify gaps in infrastructure, safety and security, basic and recreational facilities, and the availability of teaching and non-teaching staff.
- Conducted across 300 out of over 10,000 ashram schools for tribal students in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Odisha.
- Schools were assessed on six broad parameters and rated on a scale from 0 to 2.
- Odisha and Chhattisgarh schools performed better compared to Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra in terms of basic facilities.
Findings in Specific States
Madhya Pradesh
- Survey conducted in Chhindwara district.
- 58.6% of schools had a shortage of benches and chairs.
- 43% lacked clean drinking water.
- A third of the schools had no boundary wall for security.
- Absence of computer labs or ICT-enabled classrooms in all surveyed schools.
- 90% did not have a library.
- 25% did not conduct health checkups on children.
Maharashtra
- Survey conducted in the tribal-dominated Palghar district.
- 57.1% of schools had a shortage of furniture.
- 20% of school buildings were in poor physical condition with visible cracks and leakages.
- Over 40 children shared one toilet in one-third of the schools.
Andhra Pradesh
- Surveyed 60 residential schools in Alluri Sitharamaraju district.
- Nearly 25% of schools faced a shortage of furniture and clean drinking water.
Common Issues Across States
- Lack of indoor and outdoor sports facilities.
- Absence of emergency medical facilities like first-aid boxes.
- No computer labs and ICT-enabled classrooms.
Ministry's Response and Future Plans
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs provides funds to states for ashram school infrastructure and is planning to allocate funds under the new Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan. An online dashboard is being developed for monitoring, allowing states to understand and address gaps, with facilities for uploading photos to aid in filling these gaps.