Poor internet keeps education out of reach for Adivasi students

Ashramshalas are boarding schools in tribal sub-plan areas that are focused on providing quality education to students who come from Scheduled Tribe (ST) backgrounds. I work with ashramshalas in the hilly and remote terrains of Maharashtra’s Palghar district. To equip Adivasi students with capacities that will help them access quality livelihoods, higher education, and work opportunities after completing school, the ashramshalas had interactive electronic whiteboards (smart boards) and computers installed as teaching aids. 

Of the five ashramshalas I worked in, three had computer labs with approximately 30 computer systems and 13 smart boards. However, due to lack of internet connectivity, these devices remained unused, and students only studied through textbooks. Most textbooks are in Marathi, and some are in English, languages that are not native to the students. Since these books are their only source of learning, students lose interest. 

If not for the network issues, the smart boards could have been useful for the students and teachers, who wish to teach the students using new systems as they are more interactive and better for learning. As the students’ native languages are either Warli or Konkani, they find it difficult to learn new languages, such as Hindi, English, and Marathi, and new subjects as they aren’t able to visually engage with the curriculum. 

I noticed that many students in Palghar have little awareness of the world beyond their district, which leads to difficulties in accessing post-school work opportunities. Smart boards could have been used to show images, videos, and more to improve their knowledge of places in other parts of Maharashtra, India, and even the world. 

There are additional burdens on the teachers. Completing government documentation, much of which must be done online, is one of them. Often, higher authorities demand these documents during school hours, forcing teachers to travel 4–5 kilometres just to access the internet and upload them. This disrupts students’ education as teachers are unable to give undivided attention to the class.

Conversations with students revealed that they can only speak to their families once every two to three months. The wardens have phones, but since these areas often have no network, students can’t call their relatives. This can be emotionally difficult for them. Unable to talk to their parents for long periods, many students end up staying back when they visit home during vacations and don’t return to school, leading to dropouts. And when teachers need to communicate school-related information to the parents, they are unable to do so due to network issues.

Pukhraj Salvi is a Gandhi Fellow and works on issues of access to education and libraries.

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Know more: Read this article about how Google is hindering Adivasi people from accessing their forest rights.

Do more: Connect with the author at pukhrajsalvi9950@gmail.com to learn more about and support his work.