Across the river, into the forests, a journey to reach their students
Teachers of Agali faculty carry textbooks, stationery to the kids of distant tribal hamlets in Attappady
The kids of distant tribal hamlets in Attappady may need remembered the quote “if the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain” when their academics reached their homes with bundles of books and sweets.
For the academics of Government Higher Secondary School at Agali, who reached out to their students dwelling in distant jungles of Attappady with textbooks and notebooks final week, the 4 days spent in the hamlets gave moments of reckoning.
Reaching the primitive Kurumba hamlets at Thudukki, Galasi, Thadikkundu, Kinattukara, Murugala, Kurukkathikkallu, Palur, Gottiyarkandi, Mele Bhuthayar and Pazhayur in the distant hills of Attappady was by no means simple for the academics, led by Student Police Cadet (SPC) group police officer Joseph Antony.
10 km on foot
Carrying bundles of books and stationery on their heads and shoulders, the academics walked by way of the hilly jungles for about 10 km, after protecting 25 km by jeep from Agali to Anavai. They crossed the River Bhavani risking their lives. “Their walk through the leech-infested forest in the rain gave them one of the toughest experiences of their life,” stated T. Satyan, nodal officer of the faculty’s Electoral Literacy Club.
The academics took the books to the students as they’ve remained in their houses since March 2020. Reaching the students over the phone too was laborious as their hamlets have been far inside the forests. “There was no choice before us as our students were from far-flung corners of Attappady hills,” stated Mr. Antony. His colleagues Mohammed Faizal, Manikyan, Jemshad, and Dominic Arogyaraj accompanied him.
The kids have been excited to see their academics after greater than a 12 months. When the academics supplied them sweets, their pleasure knew no bounds. The academics have been touched by the dwelling circumstances of their students in the hamlets that lacked correct roads, energy and cellular connectivity.
Solar energy
Many of them have been relying on solar energy for tv and on-line research. Solar tools change into nearly powerless in the monsoon. Lack of cellular towers in the areas makes them journey a lengthy distance to get sign.
The academics stayed in the hamlets for 4 days, and skilled the lifetime of their kids in the jungle. “Life in those hamlets is hard by all means,” Satyan informed The Puucho.
Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) Officer Suresh Kumar, Scheduled Tribes promoters, tribal chieftains, faculty headmistress K. Vasanthi, and the members of the parent-teacher affiliation and the faculty administration committee supplied their help to the academics.
Because of the lockdown, dad and mom of the tribal kids have been with out work and stayed at dwelling. The remoteness of the hamlets usually pressured the students to keep in tribal hostels for their research, main to numerous sorts of psychological stress for them. The kids had returned to their hamlets after their hostels closed down in the wake of COVID-19.