Adults take literacy test across State
The Hindu
CHENNAI
Over 5.27 lakh adults aged over 35 took a test to assess their literacy in the State on Sunday.
The State's adult literacy programme officials had targeted 4.80 lakh of the 5,28,001 who had enrolled in the New India Literacy Programme. As many as 5,27,122 persons attended the test.
“All districts except Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Dindigul and Vellore achieved 100% turn out of learners,” said P. Kuppusamy, director of non-formal and adult education. The 30-minute test under NILP aims to cover the around 30 lakh illiterate persons who do not know to read and write in their mother tongue.
Candidates could walk in at their convenience to the centre and take the test which was held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each year, a population of five lakh persons is targeted with the aim of making the State 100% literate. In as many as 28,848 centres, mostly schools, volunteers, including NCC students, retired persons, provide basic literacy.
“Under the NILP‘s six-month programme candidates are trained to enable them to write simple sentences in their mother tongue. The aim is to ensure they are capable of accessing government services, know the laws and Acts that protect their rights besides reading signage and bus numbers,” Mr. Kuppusamy explained. In Chennai, as many as 16,597 persons in 604 centres in 10 blocks are currently pursuing the programme. Almost 60% of them are women. There are transgendered persons as well, he added.
On successful completion of the test, the candidates will receive a certificate as an encouragement to continue their education.
