NHRC intervention ensures school facilities for the poor children of tribals at Jajulabandha village in the Alluri Sitharama Raju district of Andhra Pradesh

Press Release

National Human Rights Commission

New Delhi, 07th February, 2024

NHRC intervention ensures school facilities for the poor children of tribals at Jajulabandha village in the Alluri Sitharama Raju district of Andhra Pradesh

District administration sets up a temporary shed with water and mid-day meal facilities besides deputing a teacher as an interim measure

Begins process for construction of a new primary school building

The Commission asks the Commissioner, School Education to provide free books, waive fee as a welfare measure

The intervention by the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has resulted in the poor children of particularly vulnerable tribal groups getting school facilities and their right to education is ensured at Jajulabandha village in the Alluri Sitharama Raju district of Andhra Pradesh. The Commission had taken suo motu cognizance of a media report about the lack of school for the tribal children in the village and had issued a notice to the state government.

In response to the notice, the district administration conducted an enquiry and found the allegations in the media report true. It has informed the Commission that as an immediate interim measure, a temporary shed has been provided for a school in the village and a teacher has been deputed from nearby MPP School on an adjustment basis. Arrangements have also been made for the mid-day meal and drinking water.

While making these interim measures, the district administration has also requested the Commissioner of School Education, Andhra Pradesh to sanction the construction of a new primary school or accord permission to open a Non-Residential Special Training Centre (NRSTC) at Jajulabandha village to provide education to the poor tribal children.

The Commission has asked the Commissioner of School Education, Andhra Pradesh to provide free school books, waive school fees, etc. to the students of the village as a welfare measure by the state.

It may be recalled that on 1st June, 2023, the NHRC, India had taken suo motu cognizance of a media report dated 31st May, 2023 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. It was reported that as the children could not take a walk through six kilometres of rough terrain in the forest to attend school, they preferred to work along with their parents.

Reportedly, on 30th May, 2023, the children and their parents staged a novel demonstration with folded hands 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 as an NGO had reportedly set up a makeshift school with asbestos sheet and provided books and blackboards.

Expressing serious concern, the Commission had issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh calling for a detailed report including the steps taken/proposed to be taken to address the issue raised in the news report.

Thereafter, the district administration conducted an enquiry and found the contents of the news report true. The enquiry revealed that the village had a total number of 42 school-age children. Out of them, 10 were attending MPP School, Kummarlabandha, far away from the village. They have to walk through a dense forest having animals and without any proper path involving crossing a small stream in the rainy season. 18 other children were studying in different schools even as 14 children of 5+ age are to be enrolled in the school this year.

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