The first phase of Navachetana, a project launched by the Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority to wipe out illiteracy among the Scheduled Caste (SC) population, has found 2,266 illiterates above the age of 15 in the State. As per a survey conducted in 100 SC colonies, Palakkad has the highest number of 316 illiterates and Kottayam the lowest with 41. The tally comprises 1,505 women, 756 men, and 5 transgenders.
The survey was conducted in 56,202 homes, collecting information from 9,547 women and 8,842 men. While there are 1,872 people who have not passed Class 4, the number of those who have not passed Class 7 and Class 10 are 2,644 and 5,215 respectively. The survey found that 3,394 people have not passed higher secondary.
“As per the 2011 census, the literacy rate among the SC community in Kerala is 88.7%, which is far too lower than the general category. Classes for the persons identified in the survey will begin in April,” said P.S. Sreekala, Director, KSLMA. The survey was conducted in colonies that recorded lowest literacy rate in each district.
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Second phase
Held under the aegis of the district literacy mission, the survey was led by people’s representatives, students from the colonies, and volunteers. “In the second phase, 100 more colonies will be covered. We hope to achieve the target in three phases,” says Ms. Sreekala.
Navachetana has been conceived as a people’s campaign to be implemented with the help of local bodies.
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The duration of the literacy class is four months and after that Class 4 and Class 7 equivalent courses will be conducted.
The maximum count of students in each centre will be 20 and the number of instructors and centres will be raised in accordance with the students.
The number of colonies in each district where the project will be implemented is Thiruvananthapuram (10), Kollam (10), Pathanamthitta (7), Alappuzha (8), Kottayam (7), Idukki (5), Ernakulam (10), Thrissur (6), Palakkad (10), Malappuram(7), Kozhikode (9), Wayanad (3), Kannur (5), Kasaragod (3).