ADULT EDUCATION
 

(National Literacy Mission)

8.1.0 Promotion of literacy has been identified as one of the six National Missions with a view to applying technology and scientific research for the benefit of the deprived sections of society and the areas which are critical to the country's development. The National Literacy Mission (NLM) aims at imparting functional literacy to. 80 million adult illiterates in the 15-35 age-group-30 million by 1990 and an additional 50 million by 1995. The Mission seeks to employ various strategies to achieve this objective. It is not a substitution for the ongoing programmes of adult education but seeks to make determined efforts to correct some of the deficiencies and constraints of the earlier programmes by providing new institutional structures and ensuring better utilisation of the existing infrastructure. A National Campaign for Mass Mobilisation of NLM was launched by the Prime Minister on 5th May, 1988 in New Delhi. Simultaneously, all States/UTs also launched similar campaigns at the State level. Twenty four States/UTs are reported to have organised such programmes.

Rural Functional Literacy Projects (RFLPs)

8.2.1 This is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under which funds are provided on cent percent basis in accordance with the approved financial pattern to all the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. The pattern of funding of RFLP has been reviewed and revised, and the new pattern has been effective w.e.f. 1.4.88. In the revised pattern, the span of supervision has been reduced and the training components have been greatly strengthened. The scheme aims at setting up projects, upto 300 centres covering one or two contiguous development blocks in each district and upto 100 centres in hilly areas in some States. During 1988-89, 513 projects covering almost all the districts of the country were continued. In all 39.40 lakh adult illiterates were enrolled under the RFLPs by the end of September, 1988 in 132291 adult education centres. Of this, women constituted 57.50% and members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities formed around 25-63% and 13.8% respectively.

8.2.2 In addition to adult education centres sanctioned under RFLP, State Governments/UT administrations have also opened 109218 adult education centres under the State Adult Education Projects (SAEPs) with 32.87 lakh learners by the end of September, 1988.

Voluntary Agencies (VAs)

8.3.1 Financial assistance is provided to voluntary agencies working in the field of adult education under which registered societies are eligible to receive grants for projects of functional literacy, post- literacy through Jana Shikshan Nilayams, resource development, publications, holding of seminars, etc. In pursuance of the Strategies envisaged in the National Literacy Mission, the scheme has been liberalised and streamlined by simplifying various procedures. The concept of area development approach has been incorporated in the revised scheme, which would enable voluntary agencies to take up functional literacy projects in a compact and contiguous area in a specified time frame.

8.3.2 During the current year upto November, 1988, about 200 voluntary agencies were assisted for running 11,415 Adult Education Centres (AECs) and 964 Jana Shikshan Nilayams (JSNs).

Students Involvement In Adult Education

8.4.1 With a view to promoting involvement of

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students and teachers from universities and colleges in literacy work in the age group 15-35, the University Grants Commission continued to provide financial assistance and support to 92 universities and colleges, for setting up of adult education centres through the Departments of Adult and Continuing Education attached to Universities.

8.4.2 Additionally, the Government launched a programme on 1st May, 1986 involving approximately 2 lakh NSS (National Service Scheme) and 1 lakh Non-NSS students in the universities and colleges for implementing the programme of functional literacy on a voluntary basis. Literacy kits were provided to the learners by the State Resource Centres free of cost. The entire programme is sought to be implemented in terms of voluntary efforts on the part of students. A target of 3.5.0 lakh NSS students, 1.50 lakh other students and 0.75 lakh NCC cadets to be involved under Mass Programme for Functional Literacy (MPFL) was set.

Strengthening of Administrative Structures (SAS) in States/UTs

8.5.0 For ensuring proper implementation of adult education programme in each State/UT financial assistance is provided to them for continuation/creation of necessary administrative structure both at the State and District levels, in accordance with financial pattern approved under the Scheme. The Scheme was revised during 1987 and additional staff both at the State and District levels was sanctioned to States/Union Territories for proper implementation, supervision, and monitoring of National Literacy Mission Programme. At present 26 States/UTs are receiving financial assistance under this Scheme. The central objective of the scheme is to create a cadre of intelligent, knowledgeable and competent persons who have the requisite perception and commitment to adult education.

Evaluation of Adult Education Programme

8.6.0 External evaluation of the adult education programme is an important input to ensure the quality of the programme. Sixteen reputed Institutes of Social Sciences Research have been identified to undertake evaluation and appraisal of the programme in 12 States of 'the country to be subsequently extended to other States. So far six evaluation agencies have been given financial assistance for this purpose.

Academic and Technical Support Through State Resource Centres

8.7.1 There are, in all 13 State Resource Centres which are being financed by the Department of Education and they provide necessary academic and technical support to the Adult Education Programme by way of production of materials for basic, postliteracy and continuing education, as also by way of imparting training. Additionally, 2 State Resource Centres are being run by the State Governments and 3 by University Grants Commission. Besides, 4 Research Cells were approved for Manipur and Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, out of which two at Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh have been formally set up. The State Resource Centres are autonomous bodies and are managed by their Boards of Management. A financing pattern with 80 percent grant by the Central Government, 15 per cent by the State Government and 5 per cent by voluntary agencies has been laid down in respect of 13 SRCs mentioned above. The SRCs have taken up the additional responsibility of preparation of kit materials and training of Master Trainers under the Mass Programme of Functional Literacy. They have also taken up the development of software to provide necessary media support to the Adult Education Programme.

8.7.2 The functioning of all SRCs has been reviewed by an expert and corrective measures are being taken. As a measure of further de- centralisation and also to strengthen the resource support at the grassroot level, sanctions for 110 District Resource Units have been issued.

Mass Programme for Functional Literacy (MPFL)

8.8.0 One of the strategies of the NLM is to launch a mass movement so as to make literacy a people's Mission and to harness all agencies for the Mission. Apart from the students of universities and colleges who have already been involved under the MPFL, a beginning has been made this year to broad-base this programme. Significant steps taken so far are:-

(i) A Conference of Central Employers and Trade Unions was held on 7.7.1988 to discuss and finalise the modalities of their involvement. The manner in which these organisations can assist the literacy programmes is being discussed by them with their Federations/Unions.

(ii) The Railway Board took up implementation of the programme for their employees and their family members through 425 Adult Education Centres to be opened at different places in 9 Railway zones. Funds for provision of

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literacy kits and organisation of training to Instructors were provided by the Department of Education and the rest have been provided by the Railways. Detailed action plans were formulated by zonal Railways.

(iii) 'Home Secretaries of all State Govts./ UTs and IG (Prisons) were requested to organise functional literacy programme and vocational training courses for prisons inmates (both under trials and life convicts) who may be adults (15 -35). The Union Home Secretary wrote to all Chief Secretaries in regard to this.

(iv) A Saksharata Abhiyan was launched by Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Ahmedabad in May-June, 1988 involving 2,60,000 student volunteers and covering 1,45,000 persons.

(v) In the Metropolitan city of Delhi a beginning was made for involving School students in the Mission. Seven thousand school students took pledge to eradicate illiteracy at Rajghat on 8th September, 1988 on the occasion of the International Literacy Day. A national level function was also organised at Indira Gandhi Stadium in which 10000 students took part. Since then 78 schools of Delhi have involved themselves in this programme.

Post Literacy and Continuing Education

8.9.0 As provided in the National Literacy Mission document, the Government decided in February, 1988 to establish Jana Shikshan Nilayams (JSNs) all over the country in a phased manner. This is an institutionalised set-up of post-literacy and continuing education on a permanent basis. The basic objective in providing this set-up is to ensure retention of literacy skills, provision of facilities to enable the learners to continue their learning beyond elementary. literacy, and to create scope for application of their learning for improvement of their living conditions. These JSNs will re-capture and harness the cultural energy and creativity in rural areas and will help in creation of a learning society. So far 10,065 JSNs have been' sanctioned to all States/UTs. These are ii the process of being set up. It is expected that an additional 4300 JSNs may be sanctioned in the current year.

Technology Demonstration

8.10.1 The process of Technology Demonstration seeks to apply the findings of scientific and technological research to improve the pace and quality of the literacy programme. Forty Districts have been identified for development, transfer and application of techno- pedagogic inputs. Twenty out of them are under-endowed and the remaining twenty are well-endowed in terms of the infrastructure available in these Districts.

8.10.2 The steps taken for developing and application of various techno-pedagogic inputs are as follows: -

* The Department of Non-conventional Energy Sources (DNES) has undertaken a pilot project of installing Solar Power Packs in unelectrified villages of 5 Districts. So far 93 SPPs have been installed in Aligarh, Bikaner and Osmanabad Districts.

* The Indian Petro-chemicals Corporation Limited (IPCL) has developed improved plastic blackboards. One thousand such prototype blackboards are being field- tested in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

* The Central Electronics Limited (CEL) has field tested its projection TV in Rajasthan and Karnataka with satisfactory results.

* A Panel for Technology Demonstration has been constituted to advise on the R & D for the Science and Technology inputs for NLM in general and Technology Demonstration process in particular.

National Literacy Mission Authority

8.11.0 A National Literacy Mission Authority (NLMA) has been set by a Resolution in June, 1988. NLMA is an independent and autonomous wing of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (Department of Education) vested with executive and financial powers in its sphere of work. It is the operating and implementing organisation at the national level for all the activities envisaged in NLM. The NLMA has a Council and the Executive Committee which have been constituted through a Notification issued in June, 1988. The Council and the Executive Committee have met on several occasions and have considered various important issues concerning the NLM. These are:

(i) A critical review of NLM.

(ii) Mass mobilisation involving school students of Secondary and higher Secondary Stages.

(iii) Setting up of National Institute of Adult Education.

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(iv) Delegation of financial and administrative powers to the NLMA.

(v) Technology Demonstration Process.

(vi) Imparting literacy through TV-VCP.

(vii) Organisation of Jathas or Literacy caravans.

Post Office Box No. 9999

8.12.0 A common post box number - 9999 has been allotted by the Department of Posts to the Central and State Govts./UTs. Any person who is an adult illiterate and who wants to avail of the facilities and services under NLM or any person who wants to contribute in any manner whatsoever towards the success of NLM could write to this Post Box and will get a positive response. This Post Box has already been operationalised at the National level and is being operationalised at the State and District level in due course.

Shramik Vidyapeeth (SVPs)

8.13.1 Thirty six SVPs now functioning in different industrial centres of the country represent the institutional framework for offering non- formal continuing education and polyvalent training Programmes to employed workers; self-employed persons, prospective workers and family members of industrial workers, with a view to opening up employment opportunities for the unemployed workers and raising earning capacity for the employed workers. The SVPs are the only institutions for these persons who, having low educational qualifications and low income, cannot secure admission to any industrial training institute or engineering institute. The first SVP was set up in 1967 in Bombay. Out of 36 SVPs now functioning, only one is being run by the Central Government in Delhi. Three SVPs are being run by Universities, twenty-three by autonomous bodies and remaining nine by State Governments.

8.13.2 The affairs of each SVP are managed by a Board of Management headed by one honorary Chairman. The Board consists of members representing the interest of workers and the employers, educational, social and development agencies and persons evincing interest in the education and training of workers as a special segment of adults. Each SVP has a nucleus of professional staff under the control of a Director who is assisted by two or three full-time programme officers. In conducting various courses, each SVP engages services of local qualified and experienced resource persons to import different skills or organise 'courses relevant to specific areas on part-time basis. These instructors are paid honorarium for each lecture they deliver.