R Malliga, a tribal student from a village, has topped Velliyankadu Government Higher Secondary School after scoring a fantastic 539 marks in her Class XII board examination. It is an emotive news report from Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore district. 

Her success is an inspiration to willpower, dedicated teachers, and the miracle of education in transforming human life.

Malliga’s Achievement

Topper of Velliyankadu Govt Higher Secondary School: Malliga garnered 539 out of 600 marks, and a whopping 98 marks in Computer Applications. 

First from Bhagavathi Amman Kovil: She is the first student of this tribal village to have passed Class XII board exams, clearing a new benchmark and motivating others in her village. 

Family Background:

She is raised by a farm laborer who works long hours in the fields for a daily remuneration to sustain the family.

Her mother is ill and remains at home, and this has added to the woes of the family.

Her older siblings were pushed out of school due to poverty, and this makes Malliga’s achievement even more remarkable.

Malliga’s Gratitude: She credits all her success to her teachers’ continuous encouragement and support and says that she never thought that she would become the topper of the school. She also thanks for the encouragement given by her friends and community elders.

Future Plans: Malliga wants to do higher studies and have a good job but is not sure about which course to apply for. She says she requires career guidance and sponsorships, hoping NGOs and government-sponsored initiatives will sponsor her dream.

Other Outstanding Tribal Students in the School:

Deivika S: Another tribal student of Velliyankadu Govt Higher Secondary School, Deivika obtained 522 marks in Science stream, with 96 marks in Biology.

Background: Similar to Malliga, their parents are day laborers and work hard to earn their living.

Career Goal: She appeared for NEET exams and intends to do a BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) course to become a medical professional with the aim of working for the welfare of her people.

School’s Commitment and Success:

100% success rate: The school’s remarkable Class XII board exam success rate over the last 13 years is a reflection of the calibre of its instructors.

Tribal Student Enrolment: 136 of the 920 students are tribal people living in settlements, demonstrating the school’s commitment to both welcoming tribal students and assisting under-represented communities.

tribal Students’ Performance: All 15 tribal students in this year’s exam cleared with ease, a clear indicator of steady improvement in academic performance at such groups.

Challenges and Support Systems:

Schooling Challenges among Tribal Students:

Enrolment and retention of tribal students in schools continue to be difficult because of economic backwardness, social biases, and geographical inaccessibility on some occasions.

It becomes difficult for most of the tribal families to offer essential education facilities such as textbooks, uniforms, and stationery, and emotional counseling important for the development of academics.

Teachers’ Role:

   Teachers take extra classes even during holidays to assist the students who need special guidance.

   Incentive and counselling programmes are implemented to motivate tribal children to remain in school and aspire big.

The duty of care by teachers goes beyond education with regular care and emotional support to such children.

Financial Need : 

   Most tribal students have limited resources to pursue further education after secondary school, leading to several talented youths dropping out of their dreams.

The headmaster of the school underscored the pressing necessity of scholarships, mentorship, and financial assistance to support these talented minds to pursue further education and forge a brighter future.

Why This Matters:

Education as a Way Out: Malliga and her group show how education can be a potent tool in breaking the cycle of poverty and providing access to opportunities that would otherwise have been impossible to dream.

Role Models for Tribal Children:Their success stories make other tribal children dream big and never lose hope in their destiny.

Role of Government and Community: School, teachers, community, and hopefully the government and NGOs’ support soon will play the key role in continuing with this progress and in not leaving any child behind.