ADULT EDUCATION
National Literacy Mission (NLM) 8.1.1. Lauched in May,1988, the National Literacy Mission (NW) has made an earnest and determined effort to identify and correct the environmental, infrastructural, pedagogic management and training related deficiencies and shortcomings of the National Adult Education Programme (NAEP). The Mission envisages imparting of functional literacy to 80 million illiterate adults (15-35 age group) 30 million by 1990 and an additional 50 million, by 1995.
structure 8.1.2. With a view to decentralise as also quicken the pace of decision making process, a National Literacy Mission Authority (NLMA) has been set up at the Central level with two wings, namely a Council and an Executive Committee. It 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 Council has met thrice and the Executive Committee almost every month since inception (15 meetings have been held so far) and several important decisions related to mass mobilisation, through involvement of school/college/university students and teachers,
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special projects for complete eradication of illiteracy in the States of Kerala, Goa and Union Territory of Pondicherry, involvement of Ex- servicemen, involvement of Voluntary Agencies (VAs), public sector undertakings, autonomous bodies, local bodies, and public servants in the Mission, environment building, Improved Pace and Content of Learning (IPCL through standardisation of teaching learning material, radio learning package etc. have been taken.
8.1.3. Similar bodies have been set up by 18 States/UTs many of them are meeting regularly and are taking decisions for accelerating the pace and progress of the Mission.
Review of the on-going Programmes 8.1.4. The pace and progress of implementation of the Mission in 12 States/UTs was reviewed during 1989-90 by the Director General of the Mission. These reviews which are in the nature of measures for constructive guidance and help were conducted in a totally open and participative manner and the State Governments/UTs have initiated several corrective measures to bring about a qualitative improvement in the programme.
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 an approved financial pattern to all the State Governments and UT administrations. The pattern of funding was reviewed and revised and the new pattern which has been effective with effect from 1.4.88 has been accepted by 23 State Governments/Union Territories.
8.2.2. During 1989-90, 513 projects covering almost all the districts of the country were continued. In all 39.72 lakh illiterate adults were enrolled in 1,33,034 Adult Education Centres by end of December, 1989. Of this, women constituted 57.06% and members of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities formed around 25.27% and 15.03% respectively.
8.2.3. Additionally, State Governments/UTs also opened by end of December, 1989, 1,21,519 lakh AECs under 853 State Adult Education Projects (SAEP) with 35.86 lakh learners.
8.2.4. The thrust under both RFLP and SAEP has shifted from mere enrolment to making the adults functionally literate within a prescribed timespan according to a set of predetermined norms for reading, writing and arithmetic laid down in the Mission document.
8.2.5. Motivation of the learner as well as the teacher is the key issue in the Mission. With a view to sustaining this motivation and creating the desired teaching-learning environment, it has been decided to adopt a new technique of Improved Pace and Content of Learning (IPCL) which provides for a reduced duration of learning (reduced from 500 hours to about 200 hours) without diluting the content and overall quality of learning. The new technique involves preparation of new literacy-numeracy primer in three parts (NML Primer Part I, Part II and Part III) corresponding to three different levels of literacy and numeracy and providing for an integration of learning units, exercises, drills, tests and evaluation. In the new primer,there will be no separate workbook, exercise book, test papers or evaluation sheets. The new primer will be based on the principle of progression and would provide an assessment of the progress in learning from time to time by the learner himself. This technique is based on the premise that motivation will be heightened the moment the learner perceives the progress attained in every stage of learning as also the benefit of learning.
8.2.6 Considering the magnitude of illiteracy and the large uncovered gap which obtains now, all State Governments/UTs have been advised to identify areas (could be a village, a cluster of villages, a Panchayat, a block or even a district) which should be made fully literate in a time bound manner instead of perpetuating continuance of a project in a particular areas for years without tangible results.
Voluntary Agencies (VAs) 8.3.1. In a societal mission which rests on social mobilisation, VAs have been assigned an important role. In order, however, to ensure that only such VAs as have a good track record of social service and as have the expertise in and commitment to adult education are selected, the Mission has identified diverse methods of selection such as through committees (with representation of VAs) at the State level, through intermediate/lead agencies and direct by the National literacy Mission Authority.
8.3.2. Computerisation of the Applications
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received from the VAs, keeping a close and constant watch on the processing of applications through computerised data, intimating the deficiencies to VAs in time and providing continuous constructive guidance, support and help to the VAs, convening meetings of the Central Grant-in-aid Committee at close and regular intervals are some of the specific measures taken during. 1989-90 to speed up the pace of disposal of applications and sanction and release of grant-in-aid to VAs. The latter have also been asked to adopt and implement area specific plans for complete eradication of illiteracy within the areas assigned to them and within a prescribed time span.
8.3.3. With a view to involving VAs which are capable of providing technical resource support to the programme (including both material production and training), a scheme of District Resource Units (DRUs) to be made operational through VAs has been formulated and circulated to all States/UTS.
8.3.4. As a result of these efforts, the number of VAs involved in the adult education programme during 1989-90 went upto 571 with 35,680 AECs and 2129 JSNs (to provide facilities for post-literacy and continuing education to the neo-literates of AECs run by them.)
8.3.5. There were several exciting and interesting developments which took place in the voluntary sector vis-a-vis the Mission. Organisation of a national convention on Literacy as a Movement of the People (LAMP) in the first week of July, 1989 at Bangalore to mobilise a large number of VAs for the Mission and later another convention in the last week of December, 1989 at Yellamanchalli (Vizag, district, A.P.) to facilitate operationalisation of India Literacy Project by Bhagabatulla Charitable Trust, holding of similar State level conventions in Orissa and 'Assam, formation of Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samithi, a consortium of scientists, technologists, educationists, VAs and literacy workers in Aug'89 and the decision taken in the first meeting held on 21.2.89 to launch a countrywide literacy jatha in October'90, organisation of a national conference by the All India Committee for Eradication of illiteracy among women at New Delhi in August, 1989 could be listed as some of these developments directed towards mass mobilisation and creation of a positive environment for literacy.
Students' involement In adult education 8.4.1. Students constitute the second important arm of the Mission, the first being the VAs. Numerically large and in one of the most formative stages of their career, they can, with proper orientation and guidance easily convert a traditional government programme into a mass movement. Starting with involvement of 2 lakh NSS and 1 lakh non-NSS students in universities and colleges in the adult education programme from May, 1986, the number of university/college/school students participating in the programme increased to about 6.5 lakh during 1989-90. About 30,000 students of Bombay University, 7000 students from the progressive schools of Delhi and about 1.60 lakh students of the secondary and senior secondary schools in the State of Rajasthan were actively involved in promotion of literacy during 1989- 90. Students from well-to-do families going out and working amongst , slumdwellers, students volunteering to learn the language spoken by the learner if the latter joined the literacy programme, voluntary organisations like Streemukti Sangathan of Bombay joining the students and motivating them in launching experiments like 'human chain' from Dharavi to BARC for complete eradication of illiteracy among the slum and pavement dwellers are some of the striking features of mass mobilisation for literacy through students.
8.4.2. During 1989-90, several momentous decisions were taken which have provided a prop to the students' mobilisation for literacy. Prominent among them are those based on the recommendations of the meeting of Central Advisory Board on Education held on 6th and 7th July, 1989, the decisions of the Council of NLMA in its third meeting held on 25.8.89, the recommendations of the Conference of Association of Indian Universities (AIU) held in Srinagar on 7th October, 1989, the decisions of the UGC in its meeting held on the same date at Srinagar, the recommendations made by the sub-group on Student mobilisation constituted by the Executive Committee of NLMA in its meetings held on 19th May, 4th September and 25th October, 1989 and the recommendations of the Council of Boards of School Education (COBSE) in its meeting held on 2nd December, 1989. Yet another significant development in this direction is that the State Govts. of Orissa and West Bengal have taken positive
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decisions to involve school students from Class IX onwards in the programme from the next financial year.
Mass Programme of Functional Literacy (NPFL) 8.5.1. The Mass Programme of Functional Literacy which was launched in May, 1986 with involvement of student volunteers in adult education programme has been enlarged under the Mission and extended practically to all sections of the society such as employers, trade unions, literate industrial and mining workers, members of disciplined forces, ex-servicemen, prison management and staff, banks, cooperatives, financing institutes etc. The developments which have taken place in this direction are enumerated below:
Employers and Trade Unions 8.5.2. In the Conference of Central Employers' and Trade Unions' organisations held on 11.4.89 to discuss the modalities of their involvement, it was decided to set up a tripartite committee to evolve its own method of involvement in the literacy programme; A tripartite committee consisting of the representatives of the NLMA, Ministry of Labour, Central Board of Workers' Education, Central Empolyers and Trade Union Organisations has since been constituted.
Railways 8.5.3. The Railway Board which took up implementation of the programme for its employees and their family members through 425 adult education centres in 9 railway zones have expanded their programmes by opening 175 additional adult education centres during 1989-90. While expenditure on literacy kits and training of instructors was met by the NLMA the remaining expenditure for running of these AECs was met by the Railways.
Army, Navy and Airforce and their welfare organisations 8.5.4 Army, Navy and Airforce and their wives' welfare Associations at various points have been contacted, orientation and training given to them and such associates are actively involved in literacy work at Cochin, Visakhapatnam, New Delhi, Lucknow etc.
The Naval Headquarters on the advice of the Ministry of Defence have issued instructions to all the 3 naval commands urging them to take up literacy work for the benefit of the families of service and civilian personnel and domestic servants.
Ex-servicemen 8.5.5 After extensive consultation with the Director-General, Rehabilitation, Ministry of Defence and the Secretaries of the Rajya Sainik Boards and Zilla Sainik Boards, a scheme for involvement of ex- servicemen in 50 CD blocks in the States of Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Tamilnadu was finalised and sanction for involvement of ex-servicemen in 45 blocks has since been issued. The unique feature of the scheme is that the honorarium to the Instructors would be paid on the basis of the number of persons actually made literate. in hill areas, border and inaccessible areas involving difficulties in communication and transport, conveyance facilities are being provided to the implementing as well as supervisory staff to make the programme meaningful.
Prison management & staff 8.5.6 Consequent on issue off instructions by the Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs to the Chief Secretaries and Home Secretaries of all State Govts./UTs to- take up functional literacy and vocational training programmes for the prison inmates, many State Governments have prepared action plans while many other have started implementing them. The State Governments of Tripura, Mizoram, Punjab, Sikkim, Rajasthan and Delhi Administration have informed that they are conducting functional literacy programmes in their respective jails.
8.5.7 A review of the programme conducted in Central jail, Hyderabad and Bhopal has revealed that such programmes have produced a salutary impact on the day-today life of the convicts, their psyche, articulation and participation in different activities inside the jail as also on producing a clean and congenial environment inside the jail. One of the most striking aspects which has contributed to the success of the scheme in Bhopal Central jail is
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that as and when. the life convicts acquire the requisite degree of reading and writing skills, they along with their teachers get 2 months' remission.
Banks 8.5.8 The Chairmen and Managing Directors of all nationalised banks have been addressed to identify literate employees of the banks and to engage them in imparting literacy to their illiterate customers. The response received from the State Bank of India, Syndicate Bank, Canara Bank, United Commercial Bank, Allahabad Bank and the Overseas Bank has been positive and encouraging. While many of them have issued instructions to their employees to act as volunteers, many such volunteers have already started imparting literacy.
Cooperatives 8.5.9 The National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) has a special education project under which it imparts cooperative education to its members. All States/UTs have been advised to get in touch with their respective State Cooperative Union of India (SCUI) so that literate members of the cooperative societies can impart literacy to illiterate ones as well as persuade and motivate them to attend adult literacy classes.
Other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) 8.5.10 The District Governors of Rotary Clubs, Presidents of Lions Clubs and JAYCEES all over the country have been requested to mobilise and involve their members as volunteers in literacy action, Many of them have already actively involved themselves while many others have evinced their keen interest to do so.
Government Servants 8.5.11 In the light of the decision taken by the Council of NLMA in its meeting held on 25.8.89 to involve public servants in Central and State Governments, attached and subordinate offices Central and State Public Sector Undertakings and urban and rural local bodies, the Department of Personnel and Public Enterprises; in the Central Government and all State Governments/UTs have been requested to draw up action plans to give effect to such involvement.
Special Projects ( Mass Campaigns )
In Gujarat 8.6.1 The mass campaign captioned 'SAKSHARTA ABHIYAN' launched by Gujarat Vidyapeeth on 1st May, 1988 continued to surge ahead in a bid to make 35 lakh illiterate adults My literate in 5 phases by 1991. This is a pioneering experiment in which practically all sections of the society, namely-employers, trade union, universities, colleges, schools, teachers, students, non-student youth, women organisations, milk co-operatives, NGOs like Rotary, lions and JAYCEES have involved themselves.
In Karnataka 8.6.2 The mass campaign for complete eradication of illiteracy which was taken up in respect of 20 Talukas (out of 175) in November, 1988 and which has yielded good results (40,000) 'literate volunteers have imparted literacy to about 4 lakh illiterate adults) is being continued further during 1989-90 with inclusion of about 50 additional talukas spread over in 4 to 5 adjoining districts.
In Rajasthan 8.6.3 A massive environment building through writing of literacy census and slogans on the walls of every household, carrying literacy jathas of teachers, students, youth, women on foot as well as bicycles and displaying posters for literacy in all educational institution all over followed by mass mobilisation efforts through involvement of teachers, students, home guards, prison management and staff, municipal employees, boys scouts, girl guides, retired government employees, employers and trade unions and last but not the least a spiritual leader of the stature of Acharya Tulsi and numerous Sramanis and Saddhis has imparted a new dimension to the mass literacy movement in an educationally backward State like Rajasthan.