Thiruvananthapuram – The Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority rolled out a programme to provide fresh impetus to its literacy drive. Launched as part of the government’s 1,000-day celebrations, it target 2,000 colonies that are most backward in terms of education in local self-government institutions (LSGIs).
These will comprise Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes colonies and those in coastal areas, as directed by the LSGIs. At least 25 persons from each colony will be made literate, taking the total number of literate to 50,000. The mission will deploy 2,000 preraks to these colonies. Classes will be held in basic literacy and social literacy programmes such as constitutional literacy.
Students and social activists will be roped in for the campaign. Details of colony selected, the ward it is located in, and the LSGI under which the ward falls will be published by February 28. Classes will begin on April 1, and examination will be held on August 5 under the title Mikavutsavam. Certificates will be given away on International Literacy Day on September 8. Those clearing the literacy examination and school dropouts can continue their education as part of the programme.
Total literacy
The literacy mission’s Aksharalaksham programme for total literacy, Navachethana for Scheduled Caste colonies, Samagra for Scheduled Tribe colonies, and Aksharasagaram programme for coastal colonies are under way in the State. when the literacy continuing education centres were started in 1998, most of them came up in the urban areas. As a result, literacy programmes did not reach these marginalised sections.
Marginalised sections
As part of the State government’s focus on the marginalised sections, Navachethana, Samagra, and Aksharasagaram literacy programmes were launched. With services of preraks reaching nearby colonies, the target of total literacy would be achieved, she said. Minister for General Education C. Ravindranath inaugurated the programme at Alappuzha.