The Underlying Problems of Inclusive Education of Tribals

It is my opinion that there is a civilizational difference between adivasis and the rest of us Indians. When we talk of ‘inclusion’ many other communities come to mind – SC, Muslims, Christians, and so on. But in the case of adivasis, there is a world of difference. And if we do not understand that, and what excludes them, we cannot include them either. I do not want to get into the differences between adivasis and others as that is not the purpose of this article. Rather, I want to highlight what is excluding adivasi children from accessing education. I am trying to put all this as simply as possible so that this article can be translated into any language of the adivasis and they can decide whether I am right or not. I do not feel I have the right to speak on their behalf. I take this liberty only because I have had close contact with them over the last three decades. But I still leave it open.

We cannot but look at the kinds of exclusion taking place before we begin to look at areas and possibilities of inclusion. So let me begin with the most obvious of these – social exclusion.

Unlike other communities who have had to suffer exclusion, the adivasi community has a quiet dignity about them. They have never been assimilated into the social hierarchy of Hindu society and so have never suffered indignities as many others have. In spite of the fact that they are economically poor, they do not feel that they are in any way inferior to the rest of the society.

The first instance where they are made to feel different and inferior is when they enter school. Non-tribal children have so many misgivings about them and the way they live, that they gang up and harass adivasi children, eventually leading to their leaving the school altogether as they seem to get little or no support from teachers. So much so, those who have managed to finish school, say that they have survived mostly because they have never admitted publicly that they are adivasis.

If we really want the tribal child to feel even a little included in the process of learning, then somewhere we need to bring in content of learning which has something of their lives.

In one instance, a girl in college had to admit to being an ST when the HoD asked about scholarships in public. Her classmates were shocked to know that she was a tribal but did not tease her although relationships changed. But it was the lecturer who was present who started to harass her on every possible occasion.

In fact, she says, that it became so unbearable that one day she screamed at the top of her voice, bringing the whole department into her class. She then complained to the HOD about the harassment.

In another instance, right on day one, when one of the girls in the college was found to be a tribal and showed her dance, the management appreciated it and from then on it was smooth going. Therefore, the outlook of the institution really sets the culture of the institution with regard to social inclusion and other aspects as well.

However, we realize now that this is also not necessarily enough. Teasing subtly or otherwise seems to happen for various reasons. Since the parents of the children belonging to the ST communities are usually the labour force working in the lands of the locality, non-tribal children have little respect for them.

This is an area that needs to be addressed. Just like we have gender sensitization programs, we also need to have programs that sensitize both children and teachers about adivasis and the richness of their cultures. We need to go to teacher education colleges and ensure that they have a course on adivasi culture.

Now we come to the tricky part which is in many ways out of our control, as it is the system itself which has set out to exclude these people. Let us take the first of these which really hits hard at the 6-year old adivasi child entering school for the first time. Unlike many other language groups in India, the tribal child finds it difficult to transition from her mother tongue to the state language. In many instances the two are quite different – Gondi and Marathi for example. Given the fact that tribal communities live fairly secluded lives, their children are not exposed to any other language sufficiently to be able to use it in a classroom.

Unlike other communities who have had to suffer exclusion, the adivasi community has a quiet dignity about them.

There is little assistance provided to these children to make the transition. Teachers have little patience with these children and continue to give instructions in the school language making them feel alien to the school altogether and very uncomfortable, and compelling them to leave the school. Language is taken rather lightly by teachers, given the fact that they have very little understanding of the learning process. Language is essential for anyone to think. If we do not have words or concepts that can ascribe meaning to things, we cannot think.

In the case of tribal children, they are situated in an alien space, where the language that they use is so different. So they cannot make meaning out of the texts and what the teachers are trying to make them understand.

The context is so very different that the children do not have words for them. How can such a child feel included in the learning process at all? Can teachers, especially at the primary level, be made to have some understanding of tribal languages and be made able to communicate effectively to the child and make her feel that she is wanted in that space?

For the young child, the confined space of the classrooms, the manner is which the teacher holds forth, the strict discipline, often the use of the cane, the reprimands, are all deterrents to an inclusive approach. Somehow teachers need to be orientated to the lives and values that tribal societies hold dear.

For instance, adults in tribal communities never insist on their children doing something. They never scold them or instruct them with lectures. All these are alien to tribal cultures, where children are given equal place in all aspects of their lives, unlike in non-tribal cultures where children are separated from adults, as we see in schools.

The next alienating aspect of schools is that of the content of textbooks. If we really want the tribal child to feel even a little included in the process of learning, then somewhere we need to bring in content of learning which has something of their lives. The content of the textbooks is often very deprecating of their lives and leaves them with a feeling that they are not wanted.

These are matters that are brought into play by authorities that are in charge of education. Unless there is a serious attempt at redeeming the situation through an inclusive process, more and more children are going to be left out of the learning process. Added to this is the administrative establishment. I am not aware of how this happens in other states; but if you look at Tamil Nadu, you find that the tribal schools are all under the Tribal Welfare Department. This department has no idea of education and does not take any interest in the children whether they study or not. I suppose they are not equipped either.

Being a separate department, the education department does not enter any of these schools. So the child is left high and dry. The teachers have no accountability, as no one really supervises their impact on the children.

In the case of tribal children, they are situated in an alien space, where the language that they use is so different. So they cannot make meaning out of the texts and what the teachers are trying to make them understand.

The Tribal Welfare Department is separated from the SC ST Department only at the Directorate level and not at the Secretary level. For the last decade and more the Director of Tribal Welfare has always been from the Forest department; we all know how inimical the Forest Department has been to the cause of tribals in India.

Therefore, we have a long way to go to influence the state to provide inclusive education, as almost everything that has to do with it is alienating the tribal child from entering the learning process.