CHENNAI: The Directorate of Non-Formal and Adult Education will implement the volunteer-based New India Literacy Programme for people who lack reading and writing skills in the state from September to February. While the annual target of the scheme is to reach 4.8 lakh people, it benefitted 5.28 lakh last academic year.
Ahead of its implementation, the directorate has asked district school education department officials to conduct a survey in July to identify those above 15 years of age eligible for the programme. Officials can check if the family members of government school students qualify for the programme. They can also take help from school management committee members and revenue registers kept for the MNREGA scheme and SHGs. Participants will receive two hours of instruction each day, totalling 200 hours of learning over a period of six months.
The officials have also been asked to encourage those who have completed Class 10 and are interested in teaching to join the initiative as volunteers. In addition to school students, teachers and retired government officials, Illam Thedi Kalvi and Nehru Yuva Kendra volunteers can be mobilised for the purpose. Training programmes for volunteers will be organised at block, district and state levels to provide them with the necessary skills to teach.
Details of both beneficiaries and volunteers should be submitted to the directorate by August 18. To assess the progress made by beneficiaries, a test will be conducted in February/March.