College students conduct field study in Bargur hills to prevent tribal students dropouts

The Tribal Welfare Centre of Vellalar College for Women, in association with Service Unit for Development Activities in Rural (SUDAR), a social welfare organisation, conducted a field study at Kongadai and Agnipavi tribal settlements in the Bargur hills to identify reasons for school dropouts and explore ways to help students resume their education.

Led by SUDAR director S.C. Nataraj, the team interacted with Class X students at a government higher secondary school and their families to understand the social and economic challenges affecting their education and identify measures to bring dropouts back to school. Last year, efforts by the college’s centre helped 16 tribal students who had discontinued their schooling rejoin their respective schools. The latest initiative aimed to extend similar support to more students.

A. Vanitha, coordinator of the centre, organised the field study recently. Thirty student members of the centre participated, along with Giri Prasad, a faculty member of the college’s Department of Social Work, and students from the department. The team identified 25 children who were not attending school. It was decided to take them on a two-day educational tour for the second time to help them understand the importance of education.