Aksharasagaram, the coastal literacy project of the Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority, will soon be expanded to more districts.
Launched with financial assistance of the Fisheries Department, the project was first kicked off in Thiruvananthapuram, Malappuram, and Kasaragod.
In the next phase, it will cover Kollam (nine local self-government institutions — LSGIs), Ernakulam (15 LSGIs), and Kozhikode (12 LSGIs) districts. Literacy and equivalency programmes will be held in 234 wards in 36 local self-government institutions that have poor literacy rates in these three districts. Selection of instructors, data collection of learners, and formation of ward-level organising committees have been completed.
In the first phase that covered 65 wards in 13 panchayats, 1,605 learners appeared for the Class 4 equivalency examinations. These included 59 people from the Scheduled Castes and one person from the Scheduled Tribes.
The project mainly aims at strengthening Class 4, 7, and 10 equivalency activities. It will benefit illiterate persons, neo-literates, school dropouts, mentally and physically challenged persons, and fishermen who have not passed Class 4.
Aksharasagaram will cover areas such as conservation of fish wealth, environment protection, and career guidance.
