When 37-year-old Mukesh left his home in Assam in search of a job, never would he have imagined appearing for an examination, that too, in Malayalam in faraway Kerala.
But then, he will be among the 568 participants appearing for the examination of the first batch of the Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority’s model migrant literacy project, Changathy, at Perumbavoor on Sunday. The project aims at making migrants conversant enough in Malayalam to help them in their everyday communication.
“Mukesh was one of the regulars at classes held on Sundays, and he made good use of them to improve his living at Perumbavoor where he works at a plywood company,” said T.V. Sreejan, KSLMA district assistant coordinator in charge of the model project, which got under way in Perumbavoor municipality last Independence Day.
As many as 10 examination centres, including at plywood companies employing guest workers and libraries, complete with light refreshments, have been readied. The test has been scheduled in two sessions from 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 2.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. for the convenience of the candidates.
Among those who are taking the examination, 180 are from Odisha, 150 from West Bengal, 130 from Assam, and 108 are from Bihar. A meeting of instructors, class coordinators, and municipal authorities was held recently to take stock of the arrangements.
A change in their lives
Speaking about the project, KSLMA Director P.S. Sreekala observed that it had made perceptible changes in the lives of guest workers. “A majority of them are now confident enough to converse in Malayalam with an ability to read names of places and menu displayed at hotels they frequent. They have also learnt to write in the language,” she said.
The project has brought about unexpected positive changes in migrants’ lifestyle. “Cleanliness and hygiene did improve as they [workers] started tidying up their places to give a better account of themselves since classes were often held there for their convenience. The use of drugs, which was otherwise rampant among guest workers, also came down thanks to the literacy project,” said Mr. Sreejan.
The project, which was rolled out in all 28 wards in the guest worker-intensive Perumbavoor municipality, far outnumbered the 100 class hours which it had initially targeted.
Buoyed by the success of the model project at Perumbavoor, KSLMA has introduced the project in select local bodies in the other 13 districts.
