

DACA
ANTHEM
( RUN BY: MADURAI JESUIT DOWNTRODDEN PEOPLE WELFARE TRUST )
Service Since 1994
Reg.No. 126/BK4/1994

EVENING STUDY CENTRES (ESC)

India is fourth among the top 10 nations with the highest number of drop-outs in primary level1. Furthermore, the rate of school drop-outs among the children of underprivileged communities such as Dalits and Tribals is alarming. The reasons behind this heartache reality are poverty caused by obnoxious practice of untouchability and lack of competency skills. For Dalits, earning a livelihood and feeding the members of family becomes a primary matter of concern, the education stands a little or very often no chance of pursuance. Moreover the education today in India is perceived as a high-priced luxury which cannot be easily aspired by Dalits. The money-making educational system throughout India drastically pulls down the self esteem of Dalits and pushes them out of schools and even life.
The practice of child labour, resistance to sending girls to school and parents’ ignorance about education remain as other genuine concerns among Dalits of South Tamilnadu2. If this current trend continues, millions of Dalit children will probably never set foot in a classroom; rather the painful reality in their lives, families and community would continue to exist for ever.
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Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which one can use to change the world”3. Only when Dalit children get educated well, they can have a better future and contribute their significant bit to the process of their families and community as well. They could also become academically fit to participate in the race posed before them by the present educational system.
Understanding the importance of primary education in the growth of Dalits, Dr. Ambekar Cultural Academy (DACA) with the motto of ‘knowledge is power’ is steadfastly resolved to impart quality education to the underprivileged Dalit children of south Tamil Nadu. To achieve this task, DACA at the time of its existence established nearly 250 Evening Study Centers in 6 southern districts of South Tamilnadu and conducted them for 10 years. Among those children who studied in our centers, most of them are now doing higher education in different institutions. Some are working as office assistants, receptionist, accountant, etc in some of the private companies. A few have gone for professional studies like engineers, lawyers, etc. Today even though there is a great demand for many centers in different villages of rural areas, we have reduced the number of centers due to financial problem and lack of committed and socially motivated animators.
At present DACA is running 100 Study Centers in 100 different villages of 4 Southern Districts of Tamil Nadu namely Madurai (3710 sq.km), Ramanathapuram (4014 sq.km), Tirunelveli (6693 sq.km) and Virudhunagar (4241 sq.km). These centers offer an opportunity for rural Dalit children to have a place to sit and study and do their home-works in their respective villages. Each center is taken care of by an animator. Currently 3,135 children from economically poor families are being educated through these centers. The age group of the children is between 6 to 17. Most of them do their studies in government schools which are not only situated away from their villages but also lack good tutors and enough infrastructures. A good number of children have to walk every day nearly 5 to 7 kms to reach schools. Each center will have minimum of 25 children.