SCHOOL AND HOSTEL ENVIRONMENT FOR SCHEDULED TRIBE STUDENTS: AN EVALUATIVE STUDY

Abstract

The investigator tried to explore school and hostel environment for ST students in selected schools of Odisha.The findings of the study are: school and hostel environment is better for ST students in JNV school in comparison to EMRS and SC& ST schools in Odisha. School and hostel environment is better for ST students in EMRS in comparison to SC& ST schools in Odisha. School environment is clean in EMRS and JNV as compared to SC&ST school for ST students. Hostel environment is clean in JNV whereas it is not up to the mark in EMRs and SC&ST schools for ST students. School hostels are safe in EMRS, JNV and ST& SC schools for ST students. Free textbooks have been supplied to ST students in all the three schools. Children are helped to solve academic problems in EMRS. Children’s results are shared with parents in EMRS. Quality of meals is reasonably good in EMRS and JNV schools. Children are involved in cultural activities in EMRS and JNV. Opportunities are provided for games and sports activities in EMRS and JNV schools. Children’s health problems are duly attended in all the three schools. Non-discriminatory treatment to students is given in all the three schools. Children’s grievances are properly received by school staff in EMRS and JNV.Teachers behave well with ST children in all the three schools. Children are associated with school planning in JNV only. Community contributes to school development in JNV only. There are certain areas, where improvements are needed to improve school and hostel environment for ST students in schools of Odisha such as: preparation of lessonplan/note, sharing of learning objectives with tribal students, strategies and techniques to motivate tribal students, developing inductive thinking or enquiry skills among tribal students, using activity methods while teaching, correction of tribal students’ homework, timely distribution of project assignment, course completion, collaborative working in the school, use of SMART classes, use of TLM , group learning activities, hundred percent distribution of textbooks to students, career counselling programme in the school and vocational training to tribal students. It can be appreciated if the components of school and hostel environment for tribal children are deconstructed by the policy makers and practitioners within a framework or a set of revised parameters.