SFI Besieges ITDP Office as Tribal Children’s Studies Disrupted Due to Lack of Mentor Teachers

Nilambur: The SFI district committee staged a protest by laying siege to the Nilambur ITDP office over the disruption of tribal students’ education following the failure to appoint new mentor teachers. Students from the Nilambur IGMMR School and Njettikkulam AUP School, where children from tribal communities stay and study, have stopped attending classes due to the absence of mentor teachers.

As many as 163 students at IGMMR School and 19 students at Njettikkulam AUP School have stopped their studies. SFI leaders demanded the immediate appointment of teachers to bring the students back to school.

The education of tribal students has been thrown into crisis after the UDF government dismissed 17 tribal mentor teachers appointed by the previous LDF government to prevent dropout among tribal students and ensure learning support.

Mentor teachers were appointed to make education easier for the students in their own language and to provide them with the necessary academic support. The protesters demanded urgent government intervention to ensure free and universal education for tribal children as well.

SFI office-bearers said they would lead stronger protests in the coming days against government measures that disrupt the education of children.