Despite the tall claims made by the Tripura state government about progress in school education, the hilly interiors of the state continue to suffer from a pitiable education system. The Twipathar Senior Basic School, Mandwi, affiliated with the Tripura Board of Secondary Education (TBSE) under the Ashigarh ADC village, is a classic example of the sorry state of school education in the region.

The school, which is designated as a Cluster Resource Centre (CRC) and has 16 junior and senior basic schools under its jurisdiction, is supposed to remain open from 8:00 AM to 1:40 PM. However, it operates only until 12:00 PM. The senior basic school has only three students, while the junior basic school has only one student. There are only four teachers, including two locals and two outsiders.

The headmaster in charge of the junior basic and senior basic schools, Ajendra Debbarma, has expressed his helplessness in the entire matter, saying that despite best efforts, students and their guardians in the area have no interest in school education and cannot be motivated. Sadly, the situation is similar in most of the interior areas, where the lack of interest in education among students and guardians is prevalent.

It is a matter of concern that despite the government’s focus on improving school education, the ground reality is far from satisfactory. The state government should take urgent steps to address the root cause of this issue and work towards creating a conducive environment for education in indigenous areas.