APPENDIX G : MEMORANDUM ON ITEM 9 : PROGRAMME OF SOCIAL EDUCATION.
Item No.9(a) To consider adult literacy programme in the Third
Five Year Plan and the points which arise for consideration in
implementing it. (Ministry of Education)
The points which will arise for consideration on the basis of the adult literacy programme in the Third Five Year Plan and the main recommendations of the annual Conference on Community Development held at Hyderabad in July,1961, are as follows:-vide Annexures I and II)
(1) The Administrative Machinery and Supporting Services at State Level:- In order to ensure that the literacy programme runs in a coordinated manner throughout the State, appropriate machinery will be necessary at the State level. Its tasks would be:-
(a) To prepare a syllabus on the basis of the one recommended by the Ministry of Education with such modifications as are necessary to suit local conditions for first and second stages of literacy and to enforce it in all literacy classes conducted in the State.
(b) To prescribe a method of literacy and to prepare Primers, Readers and supplementary material on the basis of that method for first and second stage literacy classes in the State and to make them available to all literacy classes.
(c) To prepare guide-books for literacy teachers.
(d) To prepare material for the literacy campaigns, like appeals, handbooks for camp organisers, etc.
(e) To evolve a system of use of projected audio- visual aids and to maintain A State library of films, film strips, etc.
(f) To prepare non-projected aids like posters, flannel-graph materials, charts etc., for use in literacy classes.
(g) To publish a journal for neo-literates.
(h) To maintain an effective library system as a part of' the follow-up programme.
(i) To prepare, publish and supply follow-up literature for neo-literates.
(j) To prescribe registers, forms of returns, etc., for literacy workers.
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(k) To evolve a common system and standard of examina- tion in literacy and to prescribe certificates to be issued, and
(l) To maintain a supply line to reach the village level and to build up administrative links.
There will be many more functions which will have to be performed at the State level by the Departments of Education. If the work is to be properly done, it will be necessary to have a separate joint/ Deputy Director in-charge of Social Education. This was a scheme approved in the First and Second Five Year Plans but it is unfortunate that it has not been implemented if the programme for literacy is to be given a fair chance of success.
(2) The Administrative Machinery and Supporting Services at the District Level:- Even if a modest programme of literacy is put into operation in each block, it will mean a sizable volumes of work for one district. The number of blocks in a district, (when the whole country is covered), will be 15-20, depending on its size. There will then be the following programmes in a district in a year:
(i) Literacy courses of 4-5 months will be about 25 per block which means a district will have 375 to 500 literacy courses.
(ii) Literacy examinations based on a common standard will have to be conducted three times a year for. a total of about 1,000 persons in a block. This will mean that in one year, there will be about 15,000 to 20,000 persons for whom literacy examinations will have to be arranged in a district.
Some supporting services like training courses for literacy teachers will have to be directed and coordinated for the whole district with a view to securing a common policy for the State. Similarly, some follow-up activities will have to be directed from the district level. All this means that the volume of work will be big enough to justify a separate officer at the district level. A District Social Education Officer for each district should, therefore, always he provided, but it is unfortunate that only a few State Governments have appointed such officers. Recently a State Government has abolished the posts altogether, after having recruited the full complement of staff and getting the officers trained at the National Fundamental Education Centre.
The problem of removal of illiteracy is of immense magnitude in India, and as more resources become available it will have to be tackled systematically if the country is to. have a sound educational basis for future progress. Proper planning would require that the nucleus of the administrative machinery for the unavoidable expansion of literacy and social education programme is established well before time, so that the officers get trained and gain experience to shoulder the task when the time comes. If already serious effort to liquidate illiteracy
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is contemplated, it cannot be done without strengthening the administrative machinery. It is, therefore, necessary that all State Governments should have a separate District Social Education Officer for each district.
It can be argued here that the District Inspector of Schools will be able to look after social education and literacy programme, in addition to his work of primary, basic and secondary education. But the fact is that the volume of work in connection with primary and Basic education will increase to such an extent that it will keep the District Inspector fully engaged all the time. It is an unsound administrative principle to load an officer with too much work and it inevitably results in deterioration of standards.
(3) The administrative machinery at the Block level co- ordinating the work of Social Education Organiser and Assistant Inspector of Schools (Block Education Officer) :- The functions of the Social Education Organiser and the Block Education Officer are outlined in recommendation No. 10. in Annexture II to this Appendix. The manner in which coordination can be achieved in the States is for consideration at the Conference.
Action has also to be taken for placing the Social Education Organiser in the Education Department.
Appendix G (Contd.)
ANNEXURE I
Adult Literacy Programme in the Third Plan Ministrien
of Education and Community Development, & Cooperations
for the Annual Conference on Community Development held
at Hyderabad in July 1961.
The problem of adult literacy This problem has formed part of the programme for social education. In the past, efforts. relating to Adult literacy were of an isolated nature, although much pioneering work was undertaken. The social education programme was conceived, in the words of the First Plan as "a comprehensive programme of community uplift through community action". It comprises of literacy, education for a better life, training in citizenship, development of community organisations and guidance in improving economic efficiency. The emphasis on these diversified aspects is derived from the fact that under democratic conditions the success of planned development depends to alarge extent on the spread of social education and a progressive outlook and the growth of a sense of shared citizenship. The educational aims of agriculture, community development, health and other welfare pro- grammes are in their very nature difficult to realise. Over the past decade, in several directions there has been a measure of progress, as in the development of community centres, reading rooms in. villages, organised activities on the part of youth and women and the revitalisation of village
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Panchayats and the cooperative movement. Concern has, however, been felt in regard to the progress of adult literacy. Between 1951 and 1961 literacy increased only from about 17 to about 24 per cent, the increase among men being from 25 to 34 per cent and among women from 8 to 31 per cent. The illiterate population of the country is estimated at 330 million, of these the population in the age-group 14-40 years is reckoned at about 200 million. This is the population towards which the drive for literacy has to be specially focussed.
The introduction of the Panchayati Raj at the district, block and village levels and the important role assigned to democratic bodies and the cooperative movement render it imperative that in as short a period as possible a substantial proportion of the adult population should become capable of reading and writing. This is essential as much in their own intrerest as in that of the community as a whole.
2. Provision in the Third Plan If a comprehensive programme for developing adult literacy could have been worked out at an earlier stage of the drawing up of the Third Plan, it might have been possible for the Central and State Governments to provide somewhat larger resources than are immediately available. The Plan as now formulated includes a total provision of about Rs. 25 crores for social education about Rs. 92 lakhs at the Centre, Rs. 540 lakhs in the States and an (estimated) allotment of Rs. 19 crores exists for social education under the Community Development Programme. Programmes of the Ministry of Education provide for the further development of the National Fundamental Education Centre established in 1956, provision of literature for neo- literates, assistance for voluntary organisations in the field of social education and expansion of library facilities. The educational plans of States provide for libraries and continuation classes, and to a limited extent, for adult schools and other, schemes for promoting adult literacy. Out of provision in the community development programme, some funds are provided for women's programmes,_ and at present there is no specific amount earmarked for the programme of adult literacy. The exact allocation for various purposes is determined by State Governments and Panchayat Samitis.
3. Pooling and allocation of resources In order that an appreciable impact should be made on the problem of adult literacy, it is necessary that whatever limited resources are available under different heads, and such additional resources as may become available later, should be effectively pooled. To this end the following suggestions are offered.
(i) At the block level a common approach should be adopted towards social education by the community development organisations, the Education Departments and voluntary organisations, and programme relating to adult education and literacy should be drawn up jointly.
(ii) State Governments may suggest to Panchayat Samitis and Block Development Committees that a substantial proportion or the funds provided for social education should be earmarked for adult literacy.
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(iii) Panchayat Samitis and Panchayats should be encouraged to mobilise local enthusiasm, personnel and resources for adult literacy work.
4. Administrative responsibility and pooling of man power 4. (1) An important requisite for an adult literacy programme is to define the precise contribution to it of the Social Education Organiser. in the community development programme and of the Block Education Officer/Sub-Inspector of Schools.
4. (2) Briefly, in the Community Development Programme, social education has a wide connotation and the Social', Education Officer is required to look after several different activities. The question for consideration is how far the should become responsible for organising adult literacy work. Can he be asked to do much more than assist in motivating Panchayats, and Panchayat Samitis and other non-official organisations in taking up adult literacy work ?
4. (3) The Block Education Officer has a heavy load of work, specially on account of the expansion of primary education. To what extent can an additional burden be placed on him ?
4. (4) In several States, Social Education Organisers already belong to the Education Department. It would be in the interest of adult literacy work if both Block Education Officers and Social Education Organisers belonged to the same parent Department. It would be primarily for the Education Department to provide the necessary guidance to both sets of officers for this programme.
4. (5) The production of literature, determination of the content adult literacy and general guidance in the organisation of adult literacy classes, fall within the specific field of responsibility of the State Education Department. The contribution of the community development movement is to relate adult literacy work to the economic and social life of the area. to enlist local effort and participation and to help organise adult literacy classes, specially through village Panchayats, cooperatives and other organisations.
4. (6) In fact social education and in particular, adult literacy, have to be developed as extension activities undertaken by educational institutions in collaboration with Panchayats, cooperatives and voluntary organisations. Of the educational institutions in each block; by far the most important is the village school, and the key role in the adult literacy programme is that of the village teacher. The Block Education Officer and the Social Education Organiser have to work together. It will be their task to ensure that teachers in primary schools and other educational institutions in 'the block are able to participate effectively and in a creative Sense in adult literacy work with the support equally of Government, the Panchayat Samitis and the village Panchayats.
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4. (7) If the Education Department and the community develop- ment organisation at the State level see the task of expanding the adult literacy programme as a common one, which neither agency by itself can hope to accomplish alone in any significant degree, cooperation between the two agencies at the district and block levels can be fully assured. Given such collaboration, the essential function of the Social Education Organizer, as the term implies, will be to help organise adult literacy groups through village' Panchayats and other voluntary, organisations. The main functions of the Block Education Officer will be to help the various educational institutions situated in the block and, in particular the individual teachers, to work with voluntary adult education groups and provide the necessary facilities and personnel for teaching.
4. (8) In this way every primary, middle and higher secondary school, working closely with the neighbouring community institutions, becomes a centre of adult education work. Every teacher in these institutions undertakes to give a part of his time (on the basis of a reasonable honorarium) to adult literacy work. The community provides the groups of adults willing to learn, ensures that they complete the course leading up to the first "stage" of literacy, which involves normally about 50 man-hours of study, and makes a certain minimum contribution to the running of the adult literacy class.
4. (9) With the heavy duties which the Block Education Officer has to undertake, it is not Possible for him to supervise and inspect all adult literacy centres,although, along with his other work, he should be able to see a few of these centres and continue to provide general guidance on the content of the teaching, methods of instruction and general Organisation. It will be necessary, therefore, to bring the headmasters of primary, middle and secondary schools fully into the programme of adult literacy undertaken by these institutions. They should be able to provide a measure of supervision and to enthuse their teachers in favour of the adult literacy programme. While adult literacy is the direct objective of the arrangements suggested in the paper, an equally significant aspect is that as a result of this programme, every primary, middle and secondary school will come into immediate contact with the local community, enrich the life and outlook of the community and secure a larger measure of support for its own activities.
5. Role of Panchayati Raj Institutions From what is stated above, Panchayati Raj institutions have a vital and increasing part to play in the adult literacy programme.
5. (1) The Panchayat Samiti, as the main coordinating body, has to ensure that proper plans are prepared and there is the necessary pooling of resources in men and money.
5. (2) The village Panchayat, with the support of the Gram Sabha, has to create interest and enthusiasm among the village people both 'Men and women and determine upon a systematic programme, stretching over a period which may vary from five to ten years, in the
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course of which the majority of adults in the village, both men and women, specially those below 40 will become literate. The movement for adult literacy has to be necessarily voluntary in character but, progressively, each community should be encouraged of its own accord, to adopt specific goals towards which it harnesses its energies and resources.
5. (3) At the district level, the Zila Parishad and its committee on education and social education can provide a measure of direction and guidance for the programme in the district as a whole, review progress from year to year and offer general suggestions for the consideration of Panchayat Samitis and Panchayats.
6. Programme 6. (1) As stated earlier, the suggestions outlined above are in tended to lead up to the first stage of literacy, which calls for about 50 men-hours of study. From experience gained An the past, it is obvious that in adult literacy work, targets tend to be self- defeating and even lead to abuse. The strength of the adult literacy programme lies in the motivation or personal desire of those who come forward to become literate, recognition on the part of the community of illiteracy as a serious retarding factor in its development and the readiness on its part to make a continuing efforts to liquidate illiteracy. If these conditions are not created, adult literacy work will lack vitality and sooner rather than later, the attempt will fail. The main emphasis, therefore, has to be on creating (a) the necessary basic conditions 'for developing adult literacy as a popular movement at the community level and (b) organised efforts on the part of Government and the educational institutions to serve the need of the community in an effective manner.