Bamboo schools boost education in Chhattisgarh’s Maoist hotbed

KANKER: The structure isn’t concrete, but the middle-aged tribal is only delighted. Sitting in front of the bamboo-made school, Krishna Kumar Gond watches kids play

Published on: Oct 7, 2016, 07:07:52 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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KANKER: The structure isn’t concrete, but the middle-aged tribal is only delighted. Sitting in front of the bamboo-made school, Krishna Kumar Gond watches kids play in the fields of their Tarandul village.

“I hope things are going to change…because of this bamboo school,” says the 45-year-old man. “It will change the fortune of this village.”

Tarandul, which is 70km from Kanker of southwest Chhattisgarh, is a Maoist-affected village atop a hill. Even so, five districts of tribal-dominated Bastar division that includes Kanker are witnessing a potential revolution in education, thanks to a 2013 initiative that facilitates schools to come up as bamboo structures.

Why no pucca buildings? For, Maoists have “disallowed” using concrete in the construction of buildings, which they suspect would double up as camps for security forces. In any case, many villages of the rugged area are too remote to bring brick and mortar.

The only educational institution in Tarandul had ‘primary’ status till 2014, when it was upgraded to a high school. Today, the state has identified 65 panchayats in Bastar zone that have decided to build bamboo-structure schools.

The drive, under the Centre’s Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), has found warm response. It has emboldened villagers to send their children to school.

“From 2009 to 2012, the public works department issued about a dozen tenders to build concrete building structures, but none came forward because of the Maoist menace. The insurgents destroyed 200 structures in Bastar division over the past few years,” recalls Ajay Mahapatra, additional project officer of the RMSA.

“Then, in 2013, the Abhiyan gave its nod to the concept of bamboo schools.”

The 2009-launched RSMA works for the development of secondary education in public schools across India. “The Maoists have sort of accepted the bamboo school idea,” says Upendra Rai, a scribe in Kanker. “They know security forces cannot use this kind of a structure against them.”

Cost-wise, it makes little difference. “Government records show concrete schools are built at `49.75 lakh, while the bamboo-made one costs `48.07 lakh. The structure has to be fire-proof and chemically treated against termites,” reveals Mahapatra. “It takes only 15-20 days to complete a structure with all the basic amenities, including toilets, four rooms and a kitchen.”

Adds superintendent of police (Kanker) ML Kotwani: “The raw materials are easy to transport.”

Currently, the region has 43 bamboo schools where classes are on.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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