Kerala’s Leader of Opposition, Pinarayi Vijayan, criticized the UDF government’s decision to dismiss tribal mentor teachers, calling it a grave injustice. He demanded the immediate reinstatement of these teachers, highlighting the negative impact on tribal students’ education. The mentor teacher program, initiated by the LDF government, aimed to prevent school dropouts among tribal children and offer them academic support.
As a result of the state government’s choice not to extend their services for the current academic year, 308 mentor teachers in Wayanad, Palakkad, and Malappuram districts have lost their jobs. These teachers, appointed under the Gothra Bandhu scheme, were providing academic support to students from Classes 1 to 4 with a monthly remuneration of Rs 21,900. They were selected based on qualifications like TTC and B.Ed.
Vijayan mentioned that the termination orders were issued by Integrated Tribal Development Projects (ITDP) Project Officers as per the Director of the Scheduled Tribe Department’s instructions. Due to this decision, the teachers were unable to resume their duties when schools reopened. He emphasized that the appointment of tribal mentor teachers was a significant step taken by the first LDF government in 2016, making Kerala the first state to introduce such dedicated educational support for tribal students.
Vijayan highlighted that the mentor teachers played a crucial role in improving learning outcomes and reducing dropout rates by enabling communication in the students’ native language. Additionally, this initiative not only created job opportunities but also enhanced the social and economic conditions of tribal families. Many of the affected teachers, who belong to vulnerable tribal communities, had been actively involved in supporting school activities and encouraging tribal children to return to classrooms.
