4 months ago
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For astir 3 decades, 55-year-old Vijayalakshmi has been the sole pedagogue astatine a Multi-Grade Learning Centre (MGLC) successful Edamalakkudy, the archetypal tribal panchayat successful Kerala. Operating nether the Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP), the centre provides a important lifeline of superior acquisition to children successful the distant Edaliparakkudy settlement.
The MGLC caters to students from Classes I to IV. Despite 29 years of uninterrupted service, Ms. Vijayalakshmi’s employment remains uncertain and poorly compensated. “I joined the schoolhouse successful 1997. For each these years, I person been the lone teacher here, yet my existent wage is conscionable ₹7,000 a month,” she said.
“There are nary work benefits. Every March, my declaration is terminated by the ITDP, lone to beryllium renewed again successful June.”
Ms. Vijayalakshmi has submitted respective memorandums to the authorities seeking ceremonial designation of her long-standing service, but her appeals person truthful acold gone unanswered.
At present, 21 children are enrolled astatine the centre. “If I permission this job, the acquisition of these tribal children volition travel to a halt,” she said. “The wage is not capable to conscionable basal surviving expenses. I past mostly connected the nutrient supplied by the ITDP for the children and unrecorded successful a tiny hut adjacent the school.”
A nonmigratory of Kathippara, adjacent Adimaly, Ms. Vijayalakshmi is capable to sojourn her hubby and children lone occasionally, arsenic the travel itself is prohibitively expensive. “It costs astir an full month’s wage to prosecute a multi-utility conveyance (MUV) to question from Munnar to Edamalakkudy,” she explained.
The section tribal assemblage has rallied successful enactment of Ms. Vijayalakshmi, demanding imperishable employment presumption and a just wage. Recently, M. Palraj, president of the Muthuvan Adivasi Samudhaya Sangam, submitted a ceremonial ailment to the Director of General Education. The section responded that since the schoolhouse functions nether the ITDP, it does not support records of her service.
“She has been providing invaluable enactment to the tribal assemblage and its children. We request that the authorities admit her dedicated service,” said a subordinate of the tribal community.
Renowned writer Subash Chandran, who has written extensively astir Edamalakkudy, has besides taken up the substance with the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). In response, the Tribal Development Officer stated that a elaborate connection has been submitted to the Director of the Tribal Department to see her case.
“For the past 3 months, the connection has been stalled by bureaucratic delays, with nary further enactment taken,” Mr. Chandran said. “This lone teacher has educated hundreds of children successful this panchayat. Without Ms. Vijayalakshmi’s service, these students would beryllium near without adjacent a basal superior education.”
