Kalpetta: The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) has suo motu registered a case over the plight of 127 tribal girl students who have been forced to reside in three classrooms with only one toilet at the Government Ashram High School in Thirunelly here for more than three months.

The students have been living in these classrooms after the construction of a new school complex at Makkimala came to a halt. The newly constructed building remains in a dilapidated condition as the authorities have failed to resume the work.

The rights panel initiated the case based on media reports highlighting the miserable condition of the children and the authorities’ negligence in completing the building. The project began in 2014 under the then UDF government at a cost of several crores. However, the LDF government, which came to power in 2016, abandoned the project, leaving the construction incomplete.

In a press statement, the SHRC said it has directed Wayanad District Collector DR Meghasree and the Mananthavady Taluk Tribal Development Officer to submit a report within 10 days.

The abandoned school complex at Makkimala was initially intended to accommodate the Thirunelli Ashram School. Earlier, there had been strong protests against shifting tribal children from Thirunelly to schools in other districts. Despite this, the Tribal Department proceeded with the construction of new buildings for the Tribal Residential School at Aralam in Kannur to accommodate the children — a move that drew widespread criticism from human rights activists and political leaders.

Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had also expressed concern, stating that transferring the students to a different environment in another district could increase the dropout rate, as many children might discontinue their studies.

Recent media reports exposing the plight of the children confined to overcrowded classrooms with only one toilet for three months triggered widespread protests. Both the Congress and the BJP staged demonstrations in front of the school, accusing the Scheduled Tribe Welfare Department of negligence.

Tribal families express concerns 
The family of tribal children in Wayanad is sceptical about the decision to move their school from Thirunelli to Aralam, citing concerns about its impact on students. Ammini, a relative of a student from the Paniya community, believes that the shift will primarily benefit a few bright students while leaving many others feeling insecure and disconnected from their familiar surroundings.

“We, the tribes, have a strong bond with our village. Being moved away from our homes will make many of us want to return, but if the school is far and in an unfamiliar place, we won’t come back,” Ammini explained. She added that while the relocation might suit a few intelligent students, the majority may feel lost and eventually drop out. “I once tried to admit my sister’s daughter to a better school in Thonichal (Wayanad), but she felt insecure and returned home. It’s not easy for the tribes to adjust to life away from their familiar habitat,” she said.

Tribal activists have also opposed the move, demanding that children be allowed to remain in their native region to ensure higher retention rates and emotional comfort. Manikkuttan Paniyan, an MBA graduate from the Paniya community, pointed out the irony of the situation. “The Tribal Department spent ₹16 crore building a new school complex at Makkimala near Mananthavadi in 2014. Now, nearly a decade later, the school is being moved to a neighbouring district, with even more funds being spent,” he said. Referring to the Minister for Scheduled Tribal Development, O R Kelu, also a local tribal leader, Manikkuttan added, “This shift will only increase the dropout rate, as children who return home will not go back to school.”

Meanwhile, the Mananthavadi Tribal Development Officer (TDO) stated that the remaining students would be transferred to the new school building at Aralam Farm within a few days. Earlier, 36 students had been relocated to another residential school. The electrification work at the new complex is progressing rapidly, with ₹21 lakh allocated for the project in July, following a fitness report of the existing hostel building.

The TDO also clarified that for the safety of the female students, there would be six toilets available during the day, but only one at night due to security concerns.