Confined hills, military rule, fear of eviction, threat from settlers- can these be considered as congenial atmosphere for children to get education? Jyotirindro Bodhipriyo Larma alias Shantu Larma, chairman of CHT Regional Council, posed the question while in the chair of a daylong workshop on 'Primary education in adivasi mother tongue: Expectations, constraints and the way forward'.

ActionAid Bangladesh and Research and Development Collectives (RDC) jointly organised the programme at Biam auditorium.

The workshop ventilated that at present the rate of illiteracy and drop out is the highest in the hilly region, and poverty, inability to follow the medium of instruction, lack of awareness and absence of indigenous teachers and educational institutions are the main loopholes in expanding education.

Moreover, as Prof Muhammad Samad of the Institute of Social Welfare and Research at Dhaka University, observed that the curriculum does not reflect the history, culture, folk-tales and struggles of indigenous people and eventually the children failed to incorporate them.

"They read Surya Sen, Khudi Ram, Maulana Bhasani and Sheikh Mujib, but were left ignorant of their own heroes," he said, adding that they have the right to know their rich culture and they must be acquainted with MN Larma and other leaders from time immemorial.

At the workshop, three keynote papers titled 'Education and language needs of indigenous people', 'Performance of mother tongue and Bangla users' and 'Feasibility study of bi-lingual education for indigenous community' were presented.

The speakers gave top priority to appointment of indigenous teachers in schools, preparing books in indigenous languages and bi-lingual textbooks.

Citing a research, Mesbah Kamal of Dhaka University (DU) and general secretary of RDC, said children did well in schools where mother tongue was used as medium of instruction comparing to others in Bangla medium schools.

The discussants voiced concern over the children who have to be occupied in Jhum cultivation for nearly eight months each year.

They emphasised on initiating boarding schools, as did the government of India in Tripura.

DU Vice-chancellor SMA Faiz said disparity between the peoples must be eliminated and this is the reason for progress in Australia where aborigines have been successfully merged with other peoples.

Abdul Malek, professor of the Institute of Education and Research, HKS Arefin, professor of Anthropology and chairman of RDC, Sourav Shikdar, associate professor of Linguistics, Sanaullah, news editor of Prothom Alo, Fazle Hossain Badsha, chief advisor to Adivasi Parishad, Sanjeeb Drong, noted litterateur, adivasi teachers and representatives from different adivasi forums also spoke on the occasion.