Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 10: The State Government must step-in to initiate new Educational schemes for Scheduled Tribes – Gujjars and Bakerwals- keeping in view their difficult lifestyle and migratory way of life -a Tribal study group has said this in a programme organised by Tribal Research and Tribal Foundation here today.
They said that only education can change the fate of Gujjars and Bakerwals as both the tribal groups are facing extremely low literacy rates in comparison to other tribes of Jammu and Kashmir and suggested affordable and inclusive education programme for tribal groups.
Dr Javaid Rahi Secretary of Tribal Foundation in his presidential address said that this is a matter of grave concern that the Government census data 2011 says that 7 out of every 10 Gujjars and Bakerwals of State are illiterate and added that this is quite alarming rather distressing.
The scholars further stated said that extreme poverty, rough and tough living, early marriage system and nomadic costumes are casting dark shadows over the future of lakhs of nomadic Gujjar and Bakerwal children residing in the most backward, hilly and border areas of Jammu and Kashmir and compel them for child labour mostly within their family.
The speakers suggested that ‘forced schools” should be opened to educate the nomadic Gujjars and Bakerwal children as most of the parents are not ready to send their kids to School owing to migratory way of life and low tribal economy.
They said that the Government should started same type of compulsory free Education for the children of Ajjhari (Shepherded Gujjars), Manjhi (Cattle rearer Gujjars) as the parents are deliberately denying education to their children and using them as human resource in their day to day work.
Ch Abdul Ghani Chouhan, Dilawar Chowdhary, Dr Shafiq Kassana, Ameer Din, Khadam Chashti and others also spoke on the occasion.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel