Kerala
State Literacy Mission
History
Adult and
Non-formal Education activities in Kerala started in an
organised manner with the setting up of Kerala Grandha Sala
Sangham (KGS) in 1945 with 47 rural libraries. Sri. P.N.Panicker,
the driving spirit behind the concept, succeeded in bringing
6000 libraries into this net work. These libraries functioned
as good community centres where useful discussions, seminars
and symposia were held for the common public.
In 1979
Govt. of India sanctioned 40 literacy Centres (20 in each
district) in two districts as per a Project submitted by
KGS. Grandhasala Sangham won the prestigious ‘Krupsakaya
Award’ from UNESCO in 1975 as an endorsement of its
good work.
Shri.P.N.Panicker,
who later founded KANFED acted as a catalyst in bringing
a number of voluntary agencies to the field of non-formal
and adult education.
Rural Functional
Literacy Programme (RFLP) was started just in five districts
during 1982-83 and was later extended to eleven districts.
National
Service Schemes in Kerala and Calicut Universities incorporated
Adult Education and Extension Education as part of their
work which helped the movement in a big way.
Kottayam
Campaign
Kottayam
town in Kerala was made fully literate within a period of
one hundred days through the People’s Education and Literacy
campaign, Kottayam (PELCK).
Ernakulam
Campaign
Ernakulam
was declared the first fully literate district in the whole
of India. This rare achievement in just a year’s time
(1989-90) by the admirable work done by the District Saksharatha
Samithy and Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishat.
Total
Literacy
Total Literacy
Programme to eradicate illiteracy for the whole of state was
inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India on 4th February
’90.
The unique
feature of the programme was the inclusion of linguistic minorities
in the state in the districts adjacent to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka
by divisions into tailor made packages.
Kerala was
finally declared a ‘totally literate state on 8th April
1991.
Education
for all and Forever
In Kerala, after achieving ‘total literacy’, it
was realised that nothing was available to sustain the interest
in the neo literates to keep their urge to learn alive. To
create an environment for this, the state government took
up the Continuing Education Project offered by National Literacy
Mission and Kerala State Literacy Mission organised.
Education
for all and for ever’ is the motto of Kerala State Literacy
Mission. The Mission imparts non-formal, life oriented education
to the neo literates. Hence no definite curriculum and learning
methodology can be adopted. The kind of education to be imparted
to each group is finalised after studying the local culture,
social peculiarities, life style and habits of the community
concerned. The new knowledge acquired is to help the neo-literates
for making positive contributions towards creating a better
life for himself and improving the social life accordingly.
Objectives
Retention
of literacy skills and provision of opportunities to the neo-litterates
to take their learning beyond basic literacy
Creating
scope for application of functional literacy for improvement
of living conditions and quality of life.
Dissemination of information on development programmes and
widening & improving participation of traditionally deprived
sections of the society.
Creation of awareness about national concerns such as national
integration, conservation and improvement of the environment,
women’s equality, observance of small family norms etc.
and sharing of common problems of the community.
Improvement
of economic conditions and general well being as well as improvement
of productivity by organizing short-duration programmes, orientation
courses for providing vocational skills and by taking up linkage
activities for establishing direct linkage between continuing
education and development activities.
Provision
of facilities for library and reading rooms for creating an
environment conductive for literacy efforts and a learning
society.
Ensuring
the sustainability of the Kerala Model.
'Beyond Letters’ is an ambitious project visualised
by KSLM. The slogan owes its genesis to an understanding of
the fact that though none can claim to have a thorough knowledge
of all things, at least a general awareness almost all branches
of knowledge including information technology has become part
and parcel of educational process.
‘Beyond letters’ is poised to give a new sense of
direction to the beneficiaries of the literacy campaign. Developmental
literacy, legal literacy, environmental literacy, consumer
literacy, health literacy, habitat literacy, agricultural
literacy cultural literacy, computer literacy, labor literacy,
economic literacy, medicinal literacy, heritage literacy etc.
are some of the areas covered under this.
Equivalency
Programme
Equivalency Programme has been designed by KSLM inorder to
help the neo literates to qualify themselves at par with those
who finish formal education. The programme helps the neo-literates
irrespective of their age to appear for levels 1,2 and 3 which
are equivalent to STD 4, 7 & 10 of the formal stream
Training
for this is imparted in all the 14 districts with the help
of local bodies. Trainers are given special orientation.
KSLM
issues certificates to those who successfully complete these
courses and these are deemed to be equivalent to the respective
levels in formal education.
Thudarvidyabhyasa
Kalajatha
Fourteen
colourful Cultural rallies were organised which travelled
throughout the state simultaneously to popularise the message
of Continuing Education among the less adventurous.
The Cultural rally christened Thudarvidyabhyasa Kalajatha’
comprised of art forms which announced the unlimited possibilities
of Continuing Education. This was well received by all sections
of society and all regions alike.
Continuing
Education Centres
The function of CEC include
·
Evening class
·
Library and reading room
·
Discussion group
·
Vocational Training Programme
·
Sports and adventurous activities
Training Centre
The continuing Education Project in Kerala is implemented
through Local Bodies and NGOs. A network of voluntary workers
and other activists are oriented towards the objectives of
Continuing Education Programme. Several organisations both
Governmental and Non-governmental are included in the project
for resource mobilisation and training.
Various level training were conducted for different groups
involved in Continuing Education with the support of SRC,SCERT,
DIET, Govt Departments, Universities, NGOs, Population Cell,
CDC etc.
A permanent
State Level Training Centre is established for this in Thiruvananthapuram.
Peoples Planning
In the allotment under the 9th plan, the local bodies have
been given the right to spend 35-40% for the Projects decided
by them. The panchayaths are often willing to spend a part
of this amount to conduct skill development courses jointly
with the CE centres.
Contact
Kerala
State Literacy Mission
Sasthamangalam
Thiruvananthapuram-10
Ph: 0471-314105,314106,314107
E-mail: literacy@md4.vsnl.net.in
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