THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Literacy activities in the state, that were moving at a slow pace of late, are set for revival with the launch of ‘New India Literacy programme’, to be implemented in all 14 districts with assistance from the Union government. Theproject will be launched on Tuesday.
In the first phase of the five-year programme, being funded jointly by the Centre and state in a 60:40 ratio, a target has been set to provide basic literacy to around 85,000 people above the age of 15 years.
Special focus will be given to women, SC/ST people, backward classes, minorities, differently-abled and transgenders. Efforts will be made to step up literacy among construction labourers and people residing in slums or coastal areas.
“The project, to be completed by 2027, has set an ambitious target of 85,000 people based on the data from the 2011 Census. The target group will be much less in the state thanks to the success of various literacy campaigns launched over the past years,” said an official of the State Literacy Mission. However, the official admitted that some of the programmes had not progressed at the expected pace due to the pandemic and a strike by literacy workers at the grassroots level.
After imparting basic literacy, the beneficiaries will be enrolled in equivalency programmes offered by the Literacy Mission. In addition to literacy programmes tailor-made for various sections, the Literacy Mission conducts Class IV, Class VII, SSLC and higher secondary equivalency courses.
Besides imparting literacy, the State Literacy Mission also aims to bridge digital divide as the New India Literacy Programme will be offered with digital aid. Classes will be conducted in both online and offline modes. While the digital content for the programme has been developed by Kerala Infrastructure Technology for Education (KITE), the State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) will come up with handbooks for classroom instruction.
“Implementation will be through literacy volunteers as well as equivalency instructors and learners. A detailed survey has been conducted across the state and the data is being collated,” the official added.