The Hindu : Front Page : Efforts to improve literacy level of women through Continuing Education Programme

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 03, 2006

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Efforts to improve literacy level of women through Continuing Education Programme

R. Rajaram

Rs.35 lakh sanctioned to implement the project for residual illiteracy

PUDUKOTTAI : Since many women in the `productive age group' are illiterate in the district, efforts have been made to improve their level of literacy.

Funded by the Central and the State Governments, the project for residual illiteracy would be implemented through the Continuing Education Programme (CEP) with active involvement of non-governmental organisations.

A sum of Rs.35 lakh has been sanctioned to implement it, with "teaching phase" for the identified women illiterates set to begin next month.

The target group is those in the age group of 15 to 35 years.

As per a survey, the number of illiterate women in Pudukottai district was 53,000.

Under the project, 6,500 volunteers would be identified and trained in various aspects including steps to conduct classes in play-way method, motivating the illiterates, ways to attract adults for the classes etc.

The volunteers would be CEP field coordinators, teacher training school students, members of SHGs and college students.

The volunteers would be trained by 106 master trainers, who, in turn, would be trained by five key resource persons.

Teaching-learning materials would be supplied to the illiterate women free of cost through the volunteers, who would take literacy classes in the evening hours in rural areas.

Though the total literacy rate in the district was 71 per cent, female literacy rate was lower. As per the census conducted in 2001, the male literacy rate was 83 per cent while the female literacy rate was 61 per cent.

So, the main objective was to reduce the gender gap in illiteracy.

However, the classes would not be confined to those below 35 years, as those women who were above the age group could also attend the classes.

Collector S.J. Chiru presided over a meeting convened here on Friday to discuss implementation of the project.

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