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'Education for Total Liberation: Social Development of Tribals(Adivasis)through Education'

“Education is to develop the mind and social usefulness through clear communication of information and ideas.”

An Essay on Role of Education in the Overall Development of Adivasis (the aborigine tribes of Wayanad)

By

Joby Joseph

The population of Wayanad(a district in Kerala which has more than 50% of population comprised of tribals) can be segregated mainly into two. The one is Adivasis- the aborigine people- who scripted history in the bosom of river Kabani. The other is migrants having the history of just more than a century, who owns and enjoys the majority of the landscapes in wayanad. The former has been suppressed by the latter from the very beginning of the history of migration. Here, this essay focuses on the problems encountered by the tribes of wayanad in general.

The tribal travails have been a seasoned and seasonal fashion for the politicians, NGOs, media, activists and the so called sympathisers of the society. The problem, though identified, remains unsolved from the core level. The ‘strife’ has been continuing for more than past 60 years. The end result that the tribes here still marginalised, exploited, disenfranchised and alienated in ones own home-land.

This situation is worth contrasted with Kerala’s socio economic indices:

Here is an excerpt from Manorama Year Book 2003: Kerala represents only 1.18% of India but 3.43% of the total population. The state has developed commercial agriculture more than food crops. Consequently the state is in short of food grains, especially rice which is the staple food of the people of Kerala.

It continues; Kerala has a unique cropping pattern. It accounts for92% of India’s rubber, 70% of coconut, 60% if tapioca and almost 100% of lemongrass oil. Kerala is the single largest producer of a number of other crops like banana and ginger besides tea and coffee in abundance. Coir and cashew are two large industries in the state. Handloom and bamboo based industries are well developed, Kerala accounts for about 1/3 of India’s marine exports.

Kerala was declared the first baby- friendly state in the world in 2002. Kerala has a literacy rate of 90.92% in aggregate and 94.20% of male literacy rate and 87.86% female literacy rate. Kerala-model Development is well acclaimed.

http://www.kerala.gov.in/dept_planning/er/chapter20.pdf

Despite Kerala’s achievements in its socio-economic sector the Adivasis are in a worse state both economically and socially.One of the major plight for their present plight is nothing but ignorance. They are denied of their rights since they are unaware of it-unaware both of their rights and the provision of justice by the state agencies. Even in this condition it is often trumpeted that there are concerted as well as sincere attempts to revive them. All these attempts have not gone beyond rhetoric.

There a clear-cut solution? A question that may arise in general mindset is that ‘is it possible to find a clear-cut solution for a problem which survives for a long time where the stronger ones depriving the rights of weaker ones of the society. Taking this ground reality in to account, I would argue that it is possible only by making education as a liberation-device.

Paulo Friere in his pedagogy of the oppressed puts it terming “solidarity with the oppressed” as an “act of love”. He speaks in his work, to the role-players of oppressors historically and eventually; “Rationalising their guilt through paternalistic treatment of the oppressed, all the while holding them in a position of dependence, will not do. The oppressor is in solidarity with the oppressed when he stops regarding the oppressed as an abstract category and sees them as persons who have been unjustly dealt with- when he stops making pious, sentimental and individualistic gestures and risks an act of love.”

Solution ‘Knowledge is power. None can enslave a learned man’

Richard Shaull in his foreword to Friere’s pedagogy of the oppressed writes:

“Learning to read and write come to a new awareness of selfhood and begin to look critically at the social situation in which they find themselves, often take the initiative in acting to transform the society that had denied them this opportunity of participation.”

As a remedy for the above mentioned problem education can be put forward as a primary solution that will surely impart a long-term effect instead of the materialistic help which make the middle-men prosper at the expense of the marginalised. Like the privileged-class, the parents of the children born to the tribal families too desire to get their young ones educated. But society’s attitude towards them acts as a pull back factor. The majority of the existing upper-class looks at them with an eye of disdain. Even teachers treat them ‘second classes’ in the class rooms. The same teachers are on high gear while scolding the racism across the globe and caste system in India. As a result the disenfranchised are hesitated to get in to their classrooms and are in a hurry to rush back to home. In the class rooms he/she feels alienated.

Role of teachers

Paulo Friere in his abundance of insightful ideas exhorts the teachers ‘stop considering them abstract and treat them like one among you.’ Friere continues: ‘You are not just the historic ‘giver’ (teacher) but you are a ‘taker’ (learner) as well. Here teachers are advised to transform their mindsets. A slight change in the attitude can make a huge difference in effect.

Role of the society

Above all every individual in the society has a relevant role to play in the advancement of the people who are made marginalised for years. The people who had the privilege of education should come forward to support the rights of those unprivileged. We have actual experience in the history that the constant efforts with patience and by the real act of love being borne fruits. As Noam Chomsky puts it “the struggle for more freedom and justice is always an uphill task.”

17/09/2004