You are posted as a District Education Officer (DEO) in a Maoist affected district. You have been specifically given the responsibility to work on the literacy mission. After reading the education reports and doing field visits, you find that the number of out of school children has increased drastically and the motivation among students and teachers is also low. While certain basic infrastructure is already in place, the major hurdle in attracting students to these schools include the attitude of inhabitants towards education and the security risks involved in sending children to schools. Given the situation, answer the following questions: (a) Analyse the reasons behind such an attitude. (b) As a DEO, what are the steps that you would take in order to increase the school attendance and change the prevalent attitude of inhabitants towards education?

• Ethical Issues / dilemmas involved (i) Spatial inequalities in the country. (ii) Grievances with state machinery. (iii) Education vs security of life. (iv) Importance of education vs lethargic attitude towards it (v) Failure of the government to provide development and security in the region.

(a) Reasons behind such an attitude

(i) Failure of state to provide stability in the region Maoist affected areas lack developmental activities and people do not reap the benefits of development.

(ii) Identity crisis and alienation from main stream. In such tribal regions there is a growing disenchantment among locals regarding failure of state to consider them as equals.

(iii) Indoctrination by Maoist ideology Local people from the childhood are indoctrinated with hate towards state institution and encouraged to fight for the cause of Maoist. This results in a negative attitude towards the education.

(iv) Importance of education Many feel that education is not at all necessary as the children will have to continue their family enterprises.

(v) Security in the way Violence, land mines, bomb blast in and around these areas create a fear of life among the people.

(vi) Pathetic condition of infrastructure In school and societal norms like child marriage, child labour keep the children out of these.

(b) As a DEO I have to take steps at multiple levels to ensure school attendance and prevalent attitude

(i) Infrastructure → Ensuring black boards, chair table in class room → Separate toilets for girls in school

(ii) Security → Deployment of forces on the way to school → This could instill security among the people.

(iii) Attitude → Gram sabha meeting will be called regularly. → Benefits of education through employment, SHG's, skill development will be imparted → NGO's like PRATHAM, CRY, NANHI KALI working in this domain could be taken help.

(iv) Schemes → Linkage of schemes like scholarships, Midday meal with the school → Creating awareness about the benefits of schemes like Sukanya Samruddhi, tribal education among people.