Educational Status of the Satar Community (A Case Study of Anarmuni VDC, Jhapa, Nepal)

Abstract

Satar are the minority groups who live in eastern part of Nepal. Their access on education is poor. Illiterate do not get jobs, chances and other opportunities. Their health and social condition is very poor. And most of the illiterate come from ethnic minorities like Satar, Kami etc. In this way, society is producing unemployed, unskilled and unsocialized manpower. And, they in turn are threat to our society. Illiterate and unemployed people are involved in inhuman violence. So here the research problem is to find out the educational status of Satar community. The specific objectives are to find out the educational status of Satars, to know the enrollment condition and analyze the constraints for education to the Satar community. This research is based on the descriptive and explorative research design. Both primary and secondary sources of data collection has used on study. Among the 70 households of satars in study area 20 household are selected. During the data collection household survey, key informant interviews and focus group discussion has used as the techniques. The Satar community still lives in isolation from other communities. They still preferred habitat near the jungle for hunting and construction materials of house. They frequently change the place of living. They are cultural rich, simple and gentle but economically poor. Most of them do not have their own land. They basically depend upon wage labour at tea farming. Child marriage is prevalent within the community and fertility as well as mortality rate is high. The Satar is an ultra poor caste. Educational status is too much discouraging. Literate people are only literate; they can sign their name only. There are rare or no Satar parents who can both read and write their attitude and trend toward education is changed a little. Children's status is somewhat encouraging at primary and secondary level. But girls are very back. There were only 3 girls at secondary level. No girls were at higher level, only two boys were reading at class 12. The environment of the school and the society is not properly positive for them. This is hampering their interest of education. The Satar community is educationally vulnerable. Illiteracy is about 60 percent of the community. There are extremely few Satar people who can both read and write. Those who are literate can only read and write their name. Comparatively female's status was poor than male. Children's status is hopeful. Major socio-economic factors such as occupation, land-holding are not the crucial factors determining their educational status. But culture and tradition is a crucial socio-cultural factor. Enrolment of children at the primary level is very much encouraging. Maximum parents are sending their children to the school. They are also interested to job children at the school. Dropout situation is very high in the Satar community. It starts from the end of the primary classes. Girls have dropped the classes more than boys. There are no girls at high secondary level ad there is no one from the community at Bachelor level.