NHRC notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh over the reported lack of school in a tribal hamlet in Alluri Sitharama Raju district

New Delhi, 2nd June, 2023

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that despite requests the authorities have not been able to set up any school in the Jajulabandha tribal hamlet in Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) district of Andhra Pradesh. Reportedly, as the children could not take a walk through six kilometers of rough terrain in the forest to attend school, they prefer to work along with their parents.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious concern relating to the right to education of the children. Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh calling for a detailed report within four weeks. The Commission would like to know about the steps taken/proposed to be taken to address the issue raised in the news report as well as other parts of the State where similar difficulty is being faced by the people.

According to the media report, carried on 31st May, 2023, there are 60 children aged between 1-10 years in the tribal hamlet. An NGO has reportedly spent about 1.2 lakh on the construction of a makeshift school and has also provided books and blackboards. And now, a teacher is the need of the hour in the interest of the children.

Reportedly, the children and their parents staged a novel demonstration with folded hands on 30th May, 2023 to impress upon the authorities to at least allocate a government teacher for the time being if not set up a school in their village.

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