'Teach India' Movement
The Times has to be complimented for iniating the " Teach India' movement with the co-operation of UN Vounteer Programme, 60 NGOs, corporates and social organisations (TOI,July 6). This is indeed Bharat Nirman. No country has progressed without literacy and education. The figures mentioned by your report make dismal reading - literacy is 66% ( 2006),380 million illiterate and 3.6 % of GDP expenditure on education.Our state and society have neglected our most valued resource - our people. Our huge population is not a huge problem if we educate them. With health and education, it would be a huge asset.
Your programme involves volunteers offering their time for teaching children who have been left out by the official and private educational institutions. It is not clear where these children would be gathered and taught. Some of the municipal shools are being closed. They could be used for these classes. It would be a good idea to persuade all the existing municipal and private schools to have two shifts - one for he regular students and one for those who have been left out or drop outs. These students should be provided with all necessary facilities - books, black-boards, benches, uniforms etc. These childen need extra care and extra effort.
Adult literacy too requires attention..Manual workers especially in the informal sector such as house-maids are illiterate. Every housing society can undertake to educate house-maids working in their society as many housewives are well-educated and can spare some time for this purpose without going out the society premises. Every society could raise funds to help the house-maids to send their children to school.
