The tribal girls' hostel at Edamalakkudy in Idukki is in a dilapidated state.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The deplorable condition of the pre-matric hostel in Munnar is casting a shadow on the education of nearly 60 tribal girls belonging to the Muthuvan community from remote settlements across Idukki.According to tribal community members, the students—studying in Classes V to X—hail from remote areas, including Edamalakkudy, Vattavada, Mankulam, Chinnakkanal, and Adimaly.Adivasi Muthuvan Samudaya Sangam president M. Palraj said that due to the poor condition of the hostel, parents were refusing to send their children there. Some students had already begun collecting their transfer certificates (TC) from Munnar to move to other schools.No security“The hostel looks like a cattle shed, and there is neither security nor proper facilities. The authorities failed to conduct renovation works during the vacation period,” said Mr. Palraj. “Any person or wild animal can enter the hostel easily; there is no security for the tribal girls. We demand that the hostel be shut down if the Tribal Welfare department can't renovate it,” he said.Tribal department officials confirmed that the building was old and was not capable of safely accommodating students. They also verified that 20 students had already collected their TCs and moved to other hostels.With students leaving in large numbers, the local school authorities are facing the threat of division fall.New hostel at AdimalyAdimaly Tribal Development Officer (TDO) Madhusoodanan said the department had recommended that interested students might join the tribal hostel at Erumpupalam, near Adimaly. “The Adimaly hostel is a new three-storey building with all modern facilities. It is capable of accommodating over 200 girls, and currently, the enrolment is only 125. However, the Tribal department cannot force any student to move from Munnar to Adimaly,” the official said.“The pre-matric hostel at Munnar functions from an old building with a capacity to accommodate nearly 55 children. The hostel has presently been cleaned, and available facilities have been arranged. An administrative sanction of ₹40 lakh has already been granted for the renovation of the hostel, and the work is expected to begin soon,” Mr. Madhusoodanan said.At EdamalakkudyMeanwhile, the dismal state of the girls’ hostel at Edamalakkudy—the State’s first tribal panchayat—is also clouding the academic future of young tribal girls. According to sources, though 12 students initially secured admission, most parents have refused to send their children there due to lack of amenities. “Many girl students arrive from remote settlements within the panchayat, and a better hostel facility is a must for them to continue their education. The hostel lacks basic facilities. The bathroom doors do not even have locks. Parents will not send their children to such a place. The poor condition of these hostels is a primary reason for the increasing dropout rate among girls in the district’s tribal areas,” said a source. Published - June 03, 2026 07:47 pm IST
