Education is the only panacea for problems being faced by Dalits

MADURAI: Education had been a distant dream for many a Dalit child whose everyday life is a struggle and the government should make it compulsory under the law that every child gets good education, said Lourdunathan, professor, Government Arts College, Melur.
Addressing a ‘training and consultative’ meeting for Dalit teachers here at the De Nobili centre by Network for Dalit Empowerment, Tamil Nadu on Sunday, he said that necessary information about higher education must be made easily available for Dalit students.
Speaking on the topic ‘Education and Dalit Women,’ Diana Christie, lecturer, Lady Doak College said that measures should be taken to make sure that Dalit women, who were the most marginalised, get education till the university level without dropping out. Stating that education was the only panacea for the problems being faced by the Dalits, she said that getting better education and employment would not alienate Dalit students from the rest of the society as it would help them cope with changing conditions in these times of globalisation.
About 150 teachers from southern districts attended the meeting, which was chaired by M. Edward Arockiadass, organiser, Network for Dalit Empowerment, Tamil Nadu.
The resolutions passed included free education to all students till Tenth Standard for which the State government should provide assistance and an amendment brought in the Constitution and opportunities created in such a way that Dalits themselves conducted special category schemes for their upliftment.v