Edu dept begins spl classes for illiterate elders

CHENNAI: Starting September till February 2024, the Directorate of Non-Formal and Adult Education has begun two-hour evening classes for those enrolled under the adult literacy programme.

The programme will go on till February, enabling the adults to be able to read by the month of March.

As per the 2011 census, the Tamil Nadu government has found 4.8 lakh adults who are unable to read and write, and registered under the programme.

And, for five years, the directorate has implemented an adult literacy programme for those above 15 years in all districts to provide basic literacy and education to those who are illiterate.

Continuing with the New Bharat Literacy Programme, the department has initiated evening classes at 26,349 literacy centres set up in government and government-aided primary, middle and high schools. For conducting the classes, 26,385 volunteers have been employed in the scheme.

“Under the scheme, the two-hour classes will be taken for six months for an overall 200 hours at each centre,” stated the circular. Speaking to DT Next, a volunteer of the scheme said,

“All necessary measures have been taken at the respective centres to conduct classes. At the end of the programme, a basic literacy test will be conducted and certificates will be issued to all the learners in the village.”