Girls leave ashram shala citing lack of female staff

More than a hundred girls living in government ashram shalas in Sironcha town of Gadchiroli district have left citing absence of any female warden in the school. Lack of woman employees have made them feel insecure.

The girls said that they had repeatedly informed the concerned departments in the school of their worries but no action has been taken. Hence, except for leaving the school, they have no other choice.

A newly-built government ashram shala was started for girls from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Adivasi girls from across the district live and study here. The school was started six years ago. Since then, no woman warden or any other woman employee has been appointed. This led to a sense of insecurity among the girls studying here.

The children said that they repeatedly informed the government about this. The issue was raised to a team which arrived as part of a yearly survey of ashram schools. In a letter written by the girls on July 17 to the Ministry of Tribal Development and the Education Department, they declared that "if a woman warden and other female employees are not hired by July 20, then we will leave the school's hostel."

"Our girls are growing. It is important to have a woman warden to know their condition and problems. For such a case, the girls wrote a letter to the government. Since they did not even answer, now we are going to take them home," said a parent. 

Zee Media Newsroom