Towards Total Literacy K K Krishnakumar Kerala, India

Towards Total Literacy K K Krishnakumar Kerala, India

Kerala

Kerala Population 32 Million Population Density 819 / km2 Language Malayalam Sex Ratio 1058* * No of women per 1000 men

Literacy Rates Literacy M F Total Kerala 94 88 91 India 76 54 65 China 95 86 USA 97

Total Literacy Campaign in Ernakulam District, Kerala: 1989 ~ 150,000 Learners ~ 20,000 Voluntary Teachers ~ Mass Campaign Mode ~ Government, Non-Government Collaboration ~ Lesson for the Entire Country ~ UNESCO Award

Total Literacy Campaign in Kerala: 1990 - ‘91 ~ Around 300,000 Volunteers/Teachers ~ 3 Million Learners ~ 13 Districts ~ 65% Learners and About 70% Volunteer Instructors were Women

Total Literacy Campaign in Kerala: 1990 - ‘91 ~ High Voltage Mass Campaign ~ Environment Creation ~ Involve All Sections of Society ~ Mobilise Volunteers

Total Literacy Campaign in Kerala: 1990 - ‘91 ~ Cultural Programmes - Kalajatha (Cultural Caravan) ~ Festivals as an Organisational Mode ~ Festival of Literacy Lights ~ Festival of Floral Letters ~ Festivals as Highest Form of Participation

Milestones ~ Massive Literacy Survey ~ Enrolment of Voluntary Teachers ~ Training of Voluntary Teachers with Local Participation and Support ~ Class Inauguration Festivals

Milestones ~ Festival to Celebrate Total Enrolment ~ Several Waves of Environment Creation ~ Involving Children, Youth, Teachers, Police etc ~ Facilitating Creative Participation

Milestones ~ Massive Eye Testing and Spectacle Distribution ~ Neo-Literate Cultural Festivals ~ Study Tours by Learners, Village Mapping ~ Village Parliaments ~ Total Literacy Declaration Festivals

Training Structure

Literacy as ~ A Platform for Collective Thought and Action ~ A Binding Force ~ A Cultural Process ~ A Beginning to Lifelong Education and a Learning Society

From Ernakulam to Kerala to India ~ Total Literacy Campaigns ~ One of the Biggest Mobilisations Since Indian Freedom Movement ~ About 3 Million Volunteers ~ Around 500 Districts Covered ~ Highest Decadal Growth of 13.17 % in Literacy ~ 203.6 Million Neo-literates Literacy in India 1991 52.21% 2001 65.38%

Off Shoots of Literacy Campaign Literacy to… ~ Health Campaign ~ Library and People’s Reading ~ Land Literacy and Resource Mapping ~ Women’s Empowerment ~ Micro Credit Groups ~ Neo-literates’ Co-operatives ~ Resistance Movements ~ Right To Information

Off Shoots of Literacy Campaign ~ Cycling Women of Puthukkottai ~ Anti Arrack Campaign of Nelloor ~ Self Respect Movement in Bihar ~ Political Participation by Women ~ Support for Elementary Education ~ People Against Communalism

Bharat Gyan Vigyan Jatha ~ 300 Major Rallies, 1000s of Sub Rallies ~ Cultural Upsurge All Over the Country ~ Creation of Demand for Learning ~ Cultural Programmes for Mobilisation and Organisation ~ Local People’s Committees

From Learning the Word to Learning the World ~ Primary Education ~ People’s Participatory Development ~ Women Empowerment ~ Deepening Political Participation

It’s Not All Rosy Rosy… So they say, Literacy Threatens… ~ Village Landlords ~ Political Self Interests ~ Bureaucrats ~ Husbands!! So they say, “ Just Learn to Read and Write…Nothing More” But Its Political!

Thank You