Adult Literacy

Adult Education Programme was launched by National Literacy Mission to improve the literacy rate in the country. Adult education is non-formal education given to adult illiterates in which they are taught the basic skills of reading, writing, counting and simple arithmetic.
A variety of adult education programmes have been implemented in India since the 1950s. There have been changes in concepts and strategies, but the focus of these programmes has been on basic literacy, numerancy and awareness. The findings of several evaluation reports and research studies on these programmes have disclosed the positive impact of adult education on the development of people, the society and the country. The role of adult education in bringing the overall increase in the awareness level of people has been acknowledged in the National Policy of Education.
Keeping in view the changing socio-economic and political scenario in the country and in line with the objectives and priorities set out in the Five-Year Plans, different types of adult education programmes have been designed and implemented by a number of agencies. In Ernakulum, there was a total literacy campaign, as a result of which Kerala became the first state in the country to get the distinction of achieving total literacy in 1990. This also bore testimony to the fact that adult education can bring good result in removing illiteracy.
There is enough evidence to show that there is a significant correlation between literacy and various indications of development, i.e. health level, economic prosperity, high per capita income, low infant morality rate, low incidence of violence, and higher utilization of available resources. This shows that higher literacy can accelerate development.
The impact of adult literacy has been felt in rural areas the most. Many students of schools and colleges in nearby towns and cities have been regularly visiting the villages and taking part in the adult education programmes with the help of...