GUNTUR: In a bid to improve the literacy rate, the Andhra Pradesh government is gearing up to effectively implement the Centre-sponsored ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society) scheme.
The government has issued directives to district administrations to form mandal-level committees to identify volunteer instructors and to start classes from November 2 to March 15 in 2025 during the current financial year. A total of 200 hours of teaching will be provided to the beneficiaries.
The Palnadu district administration held a district-level committee convergence meeting to discuss the implementation of the scheme. District Revenue Officer Vinayakam said that the main objective of the scheme is to impart not only foundational literacy but also to cover critical life skills. These include financial literacy, digital literacy, commercial skills, healthcare awareness, childcare, and education. For family welfare, vocational skills development will be provided to create local jobs, along with basic education and holistic adult education courses.
The scheme will be implemented through volunteers in both online and offline modes. All resources will be provided through television, radio, cell phone-based free open-source apps, and portals.
The target for foundational literacy and numeracy for the financial years 2022-27 is five crore learners. The DRDA, ICDS, Education, Panchayat Raj, and Information and Public Relations departments have been directed to work in coordination to identify suitable rooms with televisions and other amenities for conducting classes successfully.
According to the 2011 Census, India faces a literacy challenge, with 25.76 crore non-literate individuals in the age group of 15 years and above, comprising 9.08 crore males and 16.68 crore females. To address the education gap and strive toward achieving literacy, the Centre launched ULLAS, which aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.