The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : 100 per cent literacy is the USP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 02, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

100 per cent literacy is the USP

Santosh Patnaik

The village elder who passed SSC in 1973 set the trend in literacy for the entire hamlet

-Photo: K. R. Deepak

Enlightened: Vidya-volunteer P. Sanjeeva Rao (left) with P. Rama Rao.

SOVVA (VISAKHAPATNAM DT.): This non-descript tribal hamlet, nestled in the midst of green-capped hillocks, is a trendsetter in its own right.

The hamlet with 90 Valmiki and Kondadora households which can be accessed from Araku through a rough terrain between Killoguda and Sovva, has achieved an incredible feat – of not having a single illiterate.

Thanks to B. Ratnaji Rao, a village elder, who passed SSC in 1973 but preferred to eke out a living by cultivation due to family compulsion, no one was to stay illiterate. Even school dropouts were sent back to special schools with his persuasion.

The hamlet is bustling with activity with the vegetable gardening of carrot, beans, cauliflower, cabbage, potato and brinjal twice a year with the help of hill streams and rainwater. Mr. Ratnaji Rao grows paddy, pulses and shama in an area of 4.61 acres.

Vidya volunteer

All 30 children of school-going age attend classes at the local school. P. Sanjeeva Rao who passed B.Sc. (computer science) from Government Degree College at Paderu this year, is the vidya-volunteer here.

His story speaks volumes as to how educated youth are deprived of higher education and decent jobs. Sanjeeva Rao wanted to pursue M.Sc. (computers) or MCA in Andhra University but could not apply for the current year as he had no money to buy AU Common Entrance Test application.

“I am from a poor family. I don’t even know how to apply for a job though I was told there are several backlog posts for STs,” he told The Hindu when asked why he discontinued his studies.

He says he wants to save from his income as vidya-volunteer and pursue studies next year. Another youth, Padnaik Rama Rao, does not know what to do after completing B.Sc. (horticulture). He will write final year exam at Government Degree College, Paderu next year. Sovva has five degree students of which P. Gowri is studying B.A. (special Telugu). People here also boast of producing a C.I., a manager at Vizag Port Trust and several teachers.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh