MySuru: Teachers and Officials from the Public Instruction Department (DPI) and Gundlupet Administration Taluk, Border Taluk in Chamarajanagar Regency, faced new headaches, because the coffee harvest season had begun in Kerala.
A total of 71 students from five Taluk villages have not attended classes, because their parents migrated to coffee plantations in Kerala with their children, after getting a job there, where they could get a daily wage.
According to S C Shivamurthy, Block Education (BEO), Gundlupet, this problem occurs every year, even though the education department works hard to convince parents not to allow their children to disrupt their education.
“This year 71 students from Bhimanabeedu, Kothanur, Annur, Bhimanapura, and Kodahalli have gone to coffee plantations in Kerala with their parents.
This total of 70 of these students came from the four villages mentioned above, while a student came from Bhimanabeedu,” he said .
“Previously, 200-250 students went to Kerala with their parents every year.
After sustainable efforts, we can drop this number now.
Last year, because Covid-19, they did not go to Kerala,” he said.
“Two years ago, I have visited several coffee plantations in Kerala, to restore the students.
In this coffee area, parents can get Rs 700 to Rs 800 per day.
They are paid on Saturday.
Because this amount is beneficial for them, The family went to Kerala to work.
We tried to convince them not to bring their children, by providing their hostel facilities, or made them accepted in schools where their relatives stayed, but some parents still took their children together with Kerala, “he said.
“In general, the majority of the family returned by Shivaratri, while some returned by Ugadi.
This is seasonal migration,” he added.
According to the authorities, many agents work for coffee to find workers.
The Association of Taluk Mahesh’s teacher associations said that poor families migrated more seeking jobs, because of employment opportunities in the number.
“The Gundlupet economy is based on rain-based agriculture activities.
After the rainy season, job opportunities come down.
So, families migrate to find work,” he said.
Shrikant Raje Urs, Executive Officer, Gundlupet Taluk Panchayat, said that consciousness was being made among people, to take advantage of work under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme of Mahatma Gandhi (MNGREGS), instead of going to Kerala.