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Changing Concepts and Shifting GoalsPost Literacy and Continuing Education in India

C.J. Daswani

MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENTGOVERNMENT OF INDIA

NEW DELHI

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATIONAL PLANNINGAND ADMINISTRATION

NEW DELHI

Published byThe Registrar, National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration,17-B, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delh,-11 0016 on behalf of Indian National Commission forCooperation with UNESCO, Ministry of Human Resource Development,Government of India, New Delhi - 110001.

© NIEPA and Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO

April 2000

The views expressed in the paper are those of the author and should not beattnbuted to NIEPA or the Government of India

Printed byThe Publication Unit, NIEPA at M/s. Thompson Press Services,X-42, Okhla Ph. 11, New Delhi - 110020.

Editorial Note

The EFA 2000 Assessment process in India was set in motion around the middle of 1999. The basicframework for the review process was given by the UNESCO. The framework consisted of eighteen indicatorsranging from literacy rate and enrollment figures to allocation of finances to primary education. Informationon these indicators was to form the overall framework for assessing the progress made. In India, a NationalAssessment Group was set up at the MHRD to coordinate the effort. The Group felt during its deliberationsthat mere statistical indicators will not capture the whole gamut of efforts that have gone on during thedecade. It was decided that while data on the quantitative indicators will be compiled, effort will be madeto carry out a qualitative review of the situation in a more comprehensive and objective manner with thehelp of independent reviewers.

In delineating the broad contours for the review process, developments in basic education during the EFAdecade was kept as the main focus. However, it was felt that in the Indian context, a natural time period forany such review was the launching of the National Policy on Education in 1986. It is not difficult to find therationale for this decision. In India's not so smooth journey towards the goal of UEE, National Policy onEducation - 1986 stands out as a significant landmark. The NPE had been formulated after conducting aprolonged nationwide debate on the problems and issues confronting the education system in the country.Further, along with the formulation of the policy a "Programme of Action" was adopted which clearlyoutlined the strategies and processes to be pursued for achieving UEE. This was followed by a frameworkof partnership between the Central and State Governments on a massive scale through a number ofCentrally Sponsored Schemes. With this in the backdrop, any review of EFA will virtually be a reflection onthe implementation of recommendations made by the NPE. Thus, for the present qualitative review, thoughthe 1990's remain the focus, developments in the post-NPE period form the larger canvass.

As is well known, 1990's saw the opening of the primary education scene to external assistance on a fairlylarge scale. Possibly as part of the commitments made by the international donor community at the domtienConference, the country saw the emergence of a large multi-State programme for EFA under the bannerof District Primary Education Programme. Alongside this, Rajasthan initiated a fairly large programme ofEFA under the name of Lok Jumbish. In the changed scenario, primary education in India truly became asubject of international scrutiny. The EFA projects have been in operation, gradually expanding to coverhalf the country, for six to eight years. These EFA initiatives coupled with various centrally sponsoredschemes have undoubtedly made 1990's the most intensive period of primary education development inIndia. Meanwhile, the literacy scene also got galvanized with mass literacy campaigns stretching across thelength and breadth of the country through the National Literacy Mission. Therefore, any EFA assessmentexercise carried out at the present juncture will throw light on the performance of these initiatives.

Another development in the last decade that forms a part of the backdrop for the review is the SupremeCourt judgment which, interpreting the constitutional provisions, declarea basic education as a fundamental

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right of every citizen requiring the State to make necessary provisions as a basic obligation. Currently, abill to amend the Constitution is under the consideration of the Parliament to incorporate education uptofourteen years as a fundamental right of every citizen. Simultaneously, at the international level, basiceducation got a prime place in the development discourse as a component of the Human DevelopmentIndex brought out by UNDP. These national and international developments have transformed the statusof UEE from merely being a public sector activity of the State to that of a legal obligation, societal responsibilityand moral commitment. To what extent have these been operationalised will be reflected in the review ofthe situation.

Having drawn the broad framework for the review exercise, the National Assessment Group identified anumber of themes covering a range of topics from literacy to financing of elementary education. A meetingof authors was held to discuss the process of preparing the review and to get a common perspective on thepurpose and expected outcome of the exercise. The reviews are based essentially on secondary sources,which document the developments in recent years. Each paper attempts to situate the review in the largereducation scene in the country and draw broad directions for the future. However, the structure of eachpaper was decided by the author keeping in view the theme being dealt with.

Initial drafts of the papers were shared by the authors in two Workshops attended by several Central andState Government officials, educationists and representatives of international agencies. The papers wererevised based on the feedback received during the Seminars. Individual discussions were also held withseveral of the authors while editing the papers. Some papers were rewritten.. Several papers came at thelast minute with very little time to edit or revise. Therefore, one can say that the papers as shared in thisseries are at different stages of finality. Some authors have already indicated their desire to revise the paper.Nevertheless it was considered important that they are shared in their present form at the World EducationForum being held at Dakar, Senegal from 26-28, April 2000. Thus, these twentyone thematic reviewpapers and four state specific case studies, listed below, form part of the country portfolio on EFA 2000Assessment along with the national report on the current status of EFA in India.

Thematic Reviews

Adult Literacy: Mass literacy campaigns of the NLM changed the common perception of adult educationprogrammes and established that if done in the right manner they can influence the scene significantly. Butwhat has been the ground reality? What has happened beyond literacy campaigns? Many scholars considerthat the value of the literacy campaigns lies not so much in imparting reading and writing skills to adultilliterates but in their capacity to influence the quality of life of the people. There are three papers dealingwith literacy and adult education: (1) Indian Engagement with Adult Education and Literacy, (2) LiteracyCampaigns and Social Mobilization, and (3) Changing Concepts and Shifting Goals: Post-literacy andContinuing Education in India. Together, the papers give a retrospective overview of the concepts involved,a review of the progress made and also take a critical look at the processes adopted.

Girls' Education: Many consider that the problem of universal elementary education in India is essentiallya problem of girls' education. The National policy on Education-1986 pointed out that the problem of girls'education can not be dealt with in isolation from the broader questions of women's status. In fact, this alsoled to special programmes addressing the issue of women empowerment such as Mahila Samakhya. Keepingthis in view, two papers are prepared: (1) Education of Girls in India: An Assessment; and (2) Education

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and the Status of Women. The papers while sounding positive highlight the long distance yet to be traversedfor achieving the goal of UEE for girls and for addressing the issue of gender equity in education.

Early Childhood Care and Education: Increasing empirical evidence points to the value of providing preschoolexperience to children not only for improving their readiness for schooling but also as part of meeting thebasic needs of children. The NPE called for taking an integrated view of early childhood care and education.The paper on Early Childhood Care and Education examines the situation comprehensively dealing withschool based pre-primary education programmes as well as the more wide spread ICDS programme.

Reaching the Marginalised: Data clearly point out that several groups of children continue to remain on themargin raising serious questions of equity in educational development. Many groups in India fall into thiscategory, which include the urban poor, child workers, children of ethnic minorities, and children withspecial needs. Four papers deal with this issue: (1) Children, Work and Education: Rethinking on Out-ofSchool Children, (2) Education ofthe Urban Disadvantaged, (3) Education among Tribals, and (4) Educationof Children with Special Needs. The four papers though on diverse themes, assess the reach of the currentprogrammes of EFA in meeting the educational needs of the marginalised groups.

Teacher and Teacher Education: As the Education Commission 1964-66 pointed out, the destiny of thecountry is being shaped in the classrooms. And, it is the teachers who hold the key position in determiningthe course of transaction that takes place in schools and classrooms. Thus, an analysis of the status ofteachers and their professional preparation needs a close analysis in the context of EFA. Two papers on thesubject are presented: (1) Primary Teacher Training in the EFA Decade, and (2) Status of ElementaryTeachers in India. The first paper takes stock of the programmes of teacher training in terms of institutionalarrangements available as well as innovative efforts initiated in recent years. The second paper adopts abroad perspective on the subject and deals with different categories of teachers involved in basic educationprogrammes.

Teaching-Learning Material: Curriculum and textbook preparation has come to be generally perceived asa centralized activity carried out, directly or indirectly, under the control and supervision of State Governmentbodies. One could see significant changes in this regard during the 1990s. The first steps in decentralizingmaterial production to make it more locally relevant were taken by the National Literacy Mission. The EFAprojects also gave tremendous impetus to the process of producing child friendly textbooks. New frameworkof collaboration between Government institutions and NGOs also seem to have emerged. But the area isstill rid with many critical issues. These are dealt with in the paper: Texts in Context: An EFA 2000 Review- Development of Curricula, Textbooks, and Teaching Learning Materials.

Media in EFA: The 1990s, particularly through the mass literacy campaigns, demonstrated the potential oftraditional media and methods in the field of education. Use of electronic media in building a positiveenvironment in favour of EFA efforts also got a big boost during the period. What has been the overall roleof media in relation to EFA? How can the profile of media in EFA efforts be enhanced? These and otherrelated questions have been systematically addressed in the review paper on Role of Media in EducationFor All.

Quality ofSchooling: The NPE redefined UEE to include not only provision of universal access and universalparticipation but also achievement of acceptable standards of learning. This brought to centre stage issues

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related to quality. Two papers address this issue: (1) Learning Conditions for Primary Education: A Reviewand (2) Learner Achievement in Primary Schools.

Management Strategies for EFA: The NPE advocated for adopting a participatory approach for educationalmanagement and considered the goal of EFA unachievable without the active involvement of the civilsociety. Building partnership between Government and Non-Government agencies has been repeatedlyendorsed by policy makers. But what space do they really occupy in the overall EFA effort? Similarly, roleof private efforts in provision of education has come for serious consideration in recent years. The newPanchayati Raj initiatives take management issues into the larger context of political administration. Theseare the themes and issues addressed in a set of four papers: (1) Role and Contribution of NGOs to BasicEducation, (2) Decentralisation of Education, (3) Role of Private Schools in Basic Education, and (4)Participatory Micro-Planning for Universal Primary Education.

Financing of Elementary Education: The move to make basic education a fundamental right and theacwmpanying effort to assess the funds required for universalizing elementary education has brought tosharp focus the question of financing elementary education in India. Acceptance of relatively large sizesupport from external funding agencies for the purpose has compounded the issue. There are some whostill consider that India can and should finance its basic education from domestic sources. Expectation insome quarters that privatisation could help mobilize substantial resources for EFA has added a third dimensionto the debate. These issues are dealt with in the paper: Financing of Elementary Education in India.

State Specific Case Studies

It is fully recognized that sustainable change and development in basic education is highly conditioned byState specific contexts. Mere funds and schemes from the Centre will not guarantee the achievement ofUEE goals. It is highly dependent on traditions and values of the local people; commitment and enthusiasmof the State level educational leadership; and capacity to adopt innovative approaches. Viewed from sucha perspective authentic accounts of EFA achievement would demand understanding the processes, problemsand prospects of achieving EFA in every State independently. But, that would have been too ambitious. Indepth analysis of the situation was carried out in four selected States. namely, Himachal Pradesh, Mizoram,Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. From the EFA process and achievement point of view, the four States get selfselected. Success of Himachal Pradesh came into lime light with the PROBE study which pointed out howthe State has gone way ahead of some of its neighbouring States. The study on Himachal Pradesh whichis aptly entitled: Primary Education in Himachal Pradesh: Examining a Success Story, captures the factorscontributing to the relatively quick progress made by the State. The Mizoram study: EFA in Mizoram: TheDynamics of Success brings out the unique role played by local youth and women organizations within thebackground of pioneering work done by religious organizations. Tami! Nadu case study, Progress TowardsEducation for All: The Case of Tamil Nadu, presents a success story of a different kind. The overt socialpolicies and programmes of the State. including the famous Nutritious Noon Meal Scheme, are attributedto have made a significant impact on school enrollment in the 1980s. Subsequently, with its apparentsuccess in controlling the population growth, the state has got the opportunity to pursue quality concernsof EFA in an effective manner. Rajasthan cannot stake claim to join the company of the other three Statesbased on quantitative progress in EFA. In the league table of States of India, Rajasthan continues to occupya very low rank. The case of EFA in Rajasthan is entitled, Universal Elementary Education in Rajasthan: AStudy with Focus on Innovative Strategies. The study takes a look at exemplar practices adopted in two

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major programmes contributing to EFA goals, namely, Shiksha Karmi and Lok Jumbish.

The review exercise was carried out with the full involvement of the Department of Education, Governmentof India. I should record my thanks to the Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO forgiving not only full support and cooperation but also a free hand in carrying out the work. In particular, Ishould acknowledge the special interest taken by Mr. Champak Chatterji and Mr. Abhimanyu Singh. Thetask was carried out with financial assistance from UNESCO and UNDP. Support has also been forthcomingfrom other agencies such as UNICEF, UNFPA and the World Bank in carrying out several supportiv~

activities involved in the exercise. Without this generous support it would not have been possible to completethe work.

In the beginning, the idea of bringing together more than twentyfive experts from across the country tocontribute to the review series appeared to be too ambitious. But the personal commitment of the authorssaw the whole exercise through. Editing the papers, smoothening the sharp edges and filling in the fuzzyspots, but without disturbing the integrity of the arguments of the reviewers was a challenging task. But theexercise has been done in a spirit of collaboration contributing to the common cause of achieving the goalsof EFA. Iwould like to thank all the authors for the unhesitating professional support and friendly cooperationextended in completing the work.

The EFA 2000 Assessment process began nearly a year ago. The project including the preparation of thenational EFA Report was implemented by NIEPA. Unquestioned support from the Director of NIFPA andthe Administration was critical for the completion of the work. Bringing out the papers in print in recordtime was possible due to the total involvement of the Publication Unit of NIEPA. I should acknowledge theprofessional help and guidance given by Professor M.S. Yadav in editing the papers. Contribution of Dr.Mona Sedwal to the whole exercise was enormous. Working as a single person EFA Cell, she coordinateda variety of activities, apart from contributing substantially to the editing work.

The review papers may not be euphoric about the status of EFA in the country. Yet, all of them areemphatic that the 1990s have broken new grounds in almost every area of basic education whether thereference is to adult literacy, decentralized planning, improved access, preparation of teaching-learningmaterial or reaching the marginalised. Progress during the last decade demonstrates that though difficult,the EFA goals are not unachievable. It is hoped that the objective documentation resulting from the exercisewill help steer the EFA activities in the year 2000 and onwards with increased pace and intensity.

. .

New DelhiApril 2000

R.GovindaNational Institute of Educational

Planning and Administration

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About the Author

C.J.Daswani is currently working as a Consultant atUNESCO, New Delhi. He has earlier been a professor atthe National Council of Educational Research andTraining and has also been on the faculty of severaluniversities in India and outside teaching linguistics andnon-formal education.

Contents

Page

Abbreviations v

Section I INTRODUCTION 1

Context 1

Adult Education as part of General Education 2Adult Education as Social Education 2

Adult Education for Development 3Jan Shikshan Nilayam 5

Section 11 POST - LITERACY AND CONTINUING EDUCATION:

NLM PERSPECTIVE 7

Unclear Concepts 7UNESCO Perspective on Post Literacy and Continuing Education 8NLM Perspective on PL and CE 9

Why Post Literacy 11Shifting Goals of Post Literacy 12.Programmes of Continuing Education 13

The Prerak 15

Section III THE BOTTOMLINE 17

References 19

Abbreviations

APPEAL

CE

CEC

Eps

FOPs

IGPs

liPs.

JSN

NAEP

NCEC

NGO

NLMNPAE

NPE

PL

PLPs

POA

PROAP

QUPs

TLC

UKUNESCO

USA

ZSS

Asia-Pacific Programme of Education for All

Continuing Education.

Continuing Education Centres

Equivalency Programmes

Future Oriented Continuing Programmes

Income Generating Programmes

Individual Interest Promotion Programmes

Jan Shikshan Nilayarn

. National Adult Education Programme

Nodal Continuing Education Centres

Non Governmental Organisation

National Literacy Mission

National Programme of Adult Education

National Policy on Education

Post Literacy

Post Literacy Programmes

Programme of Action

Principal Regional Office for Asia and Pacific

Quality of Life Improvement Programmes

Total Literacy Campaign

United Kingdom

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

United States of America

Zilla Saksharta Samiti

I od

Conte

From late nineteen thirties to the present, all policy

statements and programme strategies of adult.

education in India mention post literacy (PL) and/"

or continuing education (CE) as important

components of adult education. Successive

programmes of adult education have reiterated

the significance of PL and CE in creating a learning

society, yet no programme has systemically

transitioned from basic literacy to PL and CE.

Some programmes of adult education were

obviously planned initially to only achieve' the goal

of basic literacy, and did not visualize any role for

PL or CE. Subsequently, during the

implementation of the programme, it was realized

that basic literacy by itself was not enough to lead

to the goal of creating a learning society, and

therefore, PL and CE were appended to the basic

,literacy component.

Although these two terms recur in many

programme documents, there is little consistency

in their use. In some cases PL is· used

synonymously with CE, in other cases CE

subsumes Plo This inconsistency can give rise to

the perception that the two concepts are perhaps

vague or unclear, or poorly apprehended.

Nor has there been any consistency in determining

the duration of the basic literacy, post literacy and

continuing education components. The inter

linkages between basic literacy and post literacy

on the one hand, and between post literacy and

continuing education on the other, have never

been clearly enunciated. As a result, it is not clear

for how long each component or stage will last.

In the process, programmes of adult education

seldom go beyond the initial stage of imparting

basic literacy skills.

In order to evaluate the role of PL and CE in

achieving widespread adult education, it is

necessary to unde~stand why programmes o! PLand CE have not succeeded so far. Possibly, shifts

in the goals of adult education have contributed

to the lack of clarity abot.t the place of PL and CE

in adult education. Or, pl.:fhaps the very concepts

of PL and CE have undergone conceptual

evolution from one programme of adult education

to the np-xt.

When we analyze these underlying causes of

changes in the concepts of PL and <;:E~ and theshifts in goals, we may be in a position to

understand how the current strategies of post

literacy and continuing education are different

from their fore-runners, and what likelihood there

is of success for the present progi ammes of PL

and CE.

----------D

Changing Concepts and Shifting Goals :Post Literacy and Continuing Education in India

Adult Education as Part of General Education

In its Report in 1939, the Adult Education

Committee of the Central Advisory Board of

Education recommended that adult education

should be recognized as an essential component in

the system ofpublic instruction. According to the

Committee, the function of adult education would

be to:

(a) make adults literate in the narrow sense;

(b) encourage already literate and newly made

literate adults to continue (our emphasis) their

education; and

(c) enable adults to proceed to more advanced

stages of education.

The Committee recognized the fact that because of

lack of stimulus or facilities, newly made literate

adults inevitably relapse into illiteracy., In order to

avoid such relapse, the Committee recommended

that appropriate instructional programmes should

be provided, which may awaken the interest of the

adult and create in him the desire to continue his

education. The Committee felt that interest and

desire for further education are best awakened

through vocational courses. (Shah, 1999)

This is perhaps the earliest extant reference to

continuing education in the context of adult

education. It is significant to note that where

continuing education is concerned, the Committee

does not make a distinction between the already

literate and the neo-literate. Clearly, this is not CE,

as it is- understood in the present programmes of

adult education. In the report, adult literacy is seen

as a tool for providing an impetus for further

education. Obviously, the intention of the

Committee was to underline the importance of

creating opportunities (through continuing

education, such as vocational courses), which would

enable adults to voluntarily continue their education.

This is an issue to which we will return in the context

of current strategies for PL and CE. It must be noted,

however, that the 1939 Committee does not

mention post literacy.

Adult Education as Social Education

Almost ten years after the 1939 Committee, the

Central Advisory Board of Education set up another

committee in 1948 to examine "A Scheme for Adult

Education ·and Literacy" (Shah, 1999). This

committee declared that the previous programme

of adult education had been confined to 'literacy

work'; hence it recommended that the scheme

should be rechristened "A Scheme for Social

Education". The committee felt that while the work

of literacy must continue with the goal of achieving

50 per cent literacy in the country within a period

of five years, greater emphasis needs to be placed

on social aspects of education. According to this

committee, the objectives of social education should

include, among other things, basic literacy and

nu~eracy, and continuation of education through

libraries, discussion groups, clubs and institutions

like people's colleges. The primary objectives,

however, were seen as related to citizenship,

democracy; cultural heritage, health, cooperation,

moral values, and the like. What is important to

note is that this committee links continuing education

to libraries and discussion groups, a concept that

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we find in the latest formulation of CE. Also, the

concept of CE as part of social education is basically

different from the earlier concept of literacy as a tool

for continuing general education.

Interestingly, the 1948 committee recommended

that the Government of India should arrange to send

educationists for training in social education to

foreign countries, particularly the UK, USA, Russia,

China and Mexico. One assumes the committee

felt that these countries had already experimented

with models of social education, which India could

profitably learn from. It is, of course, curious that

although 'people's colleges' are mentioned,

Denmark is not listed among the important countries

where educationists could be trained.

In 1963, another committee, on "operation of social

education" (Shah, 1999), recommended several

steps for strengthening the programme of social

education. This committee stressed that literacy

'should be given a proper place in the comprehensive

programme of social education. Among various

steps recommended for strengthening social

education, the committee wanted proper

arrangements to be made for further and continuing

education by organizing adult schools, evening

colleges, correspondence courses, and refresher

courses. It is interesting to note that by 1963, the

concept of continuing education had become

refined, although the shadow of general education

seems to accompany CE, both in the 1948 and 1963

versions.

The shift in emphasis on literacy is clearly discernible

in the 1963 version of social education. In 1948,

literacy had been relegated to the background, with

Introduction

social education occupying centre stage. In the 1963

version literacy is reinstated and given a 'proper

place' in the programme of social education. One

gets the impression that the 1963 committee felt that

literacy had been denied its role in the scheme of

social education. This 'on and off' sentiment with

regard to literacy has always influenced adult

education in India.

The relationship between literacy and social

education was further elaborated in 1965 by theStanding Committee, on social education, of the

Central Advisory Board of Education (Shah, 1999).

The Standing Committee, ostensibly, wished to

underscore the importance of social education, and

stated that adult education IS social education. In

the opinion of the Committee, since mere literacy

does not interest adults, social education providesa comprehensive' concept of adult education.

Further and continuing education, -therefore, are

seen as a part of numerous activities that are

necessary to realize the objectives of social

education.

Adult Education for Development

Three decades after the programme of adult

education as social education was mooted, the

Government of India formulated in 1978 an adult

education programme which was markedly different

from the earlier attempts in that it proposed to link

adult education to development. Called the

National Adult Education Programme (NAEP), it

was designed with the objective of providing, to

approximately 100 million illiterate persons in the

age-group 15-35, "skills for self-directed learning

leading to self-reliant and active role in their own

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Changing Concepts and Shifting Goals:Post Literacy and Continuing Education in India

development and in the development of their

environment" (Shah, 1999). NAEp, therefore, was

seen as a means to bring about a fundamental

change in the process of sodo-economic

development.

Literacy was seen as an indispensable component

of NAEp, which was described as a 'massive

programme'. It was envisaged that different types

of programmes would be organized as part of the

NAEp, including:

1. Literacy with assured follow-up.

2. Conventional functional literacy.

3. Functional literacy supportive of a dominant

development programme.

4. Literacy with learning-cum-action groups.

5. Literacy for conscientization and formation

of organizations of the poor.

In addition to basic literacy as an indispensable

component, NAEP included two more

components, i.e. 'functionality' and 'awareness'.

Since literacy was visualized as the primary focus,

NAEP was implemented through literacy centres

that provided 350 hours of literacy instruction

spread over a period of 9 to 10 months. It was

also envisaged tt.lat about 35 million illiterate adults

would be made literate in the first five years, after

which the programmes would be diversified, aimed

at creating a learning society with life-long

education as a cherished goal.

In the policy fo~mulation for NAEp, the concepts

of PL and CE do not figure except, by implication,

in the context of" literacy with assured follow-up".

However, in 1979 a Committee on Post Literacy

and Follow-up Programmes recommended that

post literacy and follow-up programmes were as

important as the literacy programme itself, and the

agency responsible for the literacy programme

should also organize the post literacy and follow

up programmes. In its recommendations, this

committee also suggested that a time would come

when "organized groups within the community

would take over the responsibility for activities of

continuing education and group action for

community development" (Shah, 1999).

It may be noticed here that the committee

. recommendation on post literacy clearly (and quite

rightly) presupposes literacy skills. Post literacy

here is not a programme of 'mopping up', or' a

programme of 'second-chance' for those whose

literacy skills are fragile.

The progression from the 1939 programme of adult

education as part of general education, to adult

education as social education, and then to adult

education as development can be seen from

several angles. Despite the .l'netoric, the basic

orientation in all the programmes has been literacy.

In the social education phase the attempt to locate

literacy in the larger context of social education

was eventually reversed in order to reinstate literacy

as the most important component. In the first two'

programmes, the basic literacy component was not

clearly delineated. Only during the NAEP a

specific time frame and total duration of the literacy

component were clearly specified.

In the first two programmes, the concept of PL

was not included, and continuing education was

seen as a positive desideratum, to be achieved after

.:..--------------11

the acquisition of basic literacy skills. Post

literacy was introduced for the first time in 1978

as part of NAEp, where PL was seen as a part of

'follow-up' to succeed acquisition of literacy

skills.

The concept of post literacy was further

.elaborated in the recommendations of the

Review Committee on the NAEP. Set up after

only eighteen months from launching of NAEP;

the Committee submitted its report in early

1980. The Committee Report said that the

provision of post literacy and follow-up, as

envisaged in the NAEp, was not enough. "This

is insufficient for an effective and purposeful

adult education programme, especially if its

content is to be wider and is to lead to tangible

development." (Review Committee Report).

The Committee recommended a three-stage

programme spread over a period of three years:

the first stage of 300-350 hours of basic literacy

spread over a period of one year, followed by

the second stage of 150 hours spread over a

period of one year for reinforcement of literacy

skills together with functionality, and the third

stage of 100 hours spread over a period of one

year for achievement of self-reliance in literacy

and functionality. It may be noticed that the

three stages actually concentrate on literacy,

taking the learners from basic literacy to self

reliant literacy. The focus is literacy, and post

literacy and follow-up stages come after the self

reliance in literacy is achieved.

11

Introduction

Jan Shikshan Nilayam

After the change of the Central Government in

1980, the NAEP was greatly trimmed and

converted into the National Programme of Adult

Education (NPAE), which was linked to the already

existing Rural Functional Literacy Programme.

The NAEP Review Committee proposal for a three

year literacy programme was shelved. However,

in 1982-83 the government co;"menced funding

a post literacy and follow-up programme with a 4

month PL component after the basic literacy

component, followed by a yearlong follow-up

.programme.

This programme eventually saw the birth of the

Jan Shikshan Nilayam (JSN). The JSN was

conceived as a permanent institution located in

the rural areas. It was planned to establish one

JSN for a population of about 5000 people, and.

was supposed to serve a cluster of four to five

villages for post literacy needs of the neo-literates

who had completed the 300-350 hour one-year

literacy programme in an adult education centre.

"The intention behind establishing JSNs all over

the country in a phased manner was to·

institutionalise the post literacy and continuing

education programme and converge various

activities at one nodal centre. JSNs included

programmes which were being organized as part

of farmers' training programmes, rural radio forum,

youth clubs, women's groups (mahila mandal),

mobile and village library system and rural reading

rooms." (Scheme of Continuing Education)

Post - Literacy and Continuing Education :NLM Perspective'

The Total Literacy Campaign (TLC) of the National

Literacy Mission (NLM) was conceived basically

as a literacy programme different from the NAEP

in its implementation. Although the National Policy

on Education (NPE, 1986) and Programme of

Action (POA, 1986) had conceived, as in NAEp,

adult education as comprising basic literacy plus

post literacy and follow-up, the TLCs which

commenced in 1988 did not include any conscious

provision for PL or CE. The mass-based campaign

approach experimented with in Ernakulam, and

generalized for the TLC model, was the central

focus of the NLM. The campaign approach was

adopted because, among other things, it

supposedly accelerated the acquisition of basic

literacy skills, in addition to harnessing "social

forces and channelising the energies of people

towards meeting the ultimate objective of effecting

a qualitative change in their own lives." The

duration of the literacy component in the TLC was

reduced from 350 hours to 200 hours to becompleted in 6-8 months.

The post literacy component, which was visualised

in the NPE and PGA (1986) and further elaborated

in the revised POA (1992), was conceptually

incorporated in the programme and was sought

to be delivered immediately after the TLC phase.

The campaign mode was perceived to be so

successful that the PL component was also cast in

the campaign mode, leading to the notion of Post

Literacy Campaign (PLC) for twenty four months

following the TLC. The revised PGA (1992) also

mentioned the necessity for devising a programmeof continuing education.

Unclear Concepts

The foregoing description of the programmes of

adult education clearly shows that the twin

concepts of post literacy and continuing education

have undergone several changes in these

programmes. In 1939, post literacy had no place

in the programme, and continuing education

carried the wide ranging connotation of non-formal

education, which neo-literates (and the already

literate) could voluntarily pursue on their own. The

underlying assumption, it would seem, was that

literacy programmes by themselves were enough

to equip the neoliterate adult with stable literacy

as well as an urge to continue hislher education.

The social education programme, on the other

hand, was predicated on the premise that literacy

skills are not an essential pre-requisite for education

in citizenship, personal development, moral-ethical

values, nation building, and so on. Basic literacy

was seen only as an element in creating complete

and socially responsible individuals, who are able

to continue their education in a variety of ways,

II---~-----------II

Changing Concepts and hlftmg Goals'Post LIteracy and Continuing ducahon in IIlola

through correspondence, night classes or in a

community college. The social education model

did not assign any place to post literacy.

While the first two programmes saw literacy as

a tool for continuation of general education, the

NAEP perceived literacy as an enabling element

in personal, social, economic, and national

development. However, although the concept

of PL is introduced in the NAEp, the vagueness

remains. PL is clubbed with 'follow-up'. Follow

up of what, one may ask. Follow-up of literacy,

presumably, or perhaps of post literacy.

As we noticed above, the Review Committee

on NAEP was convinced that 350 hours of

literacy with assured follow-up was not adequate

for self reliant literacy, and, therefore, it

recommended a three-year literacy programme

spread over three years. In fact, the Review

Committee had stated that since literacy was not

effectively linked to post literacy and follow-up,

a large number of neo-Iiterates ran the risk of

relapsing into illiteracy. That, precisely is the

critical issue. How should literacy be linked to

PL and follow-up, and to PL and CE?

It would not be unfair to conclude that the

concepts of PL and CE in the programmes of

adult education before the NLM programme

were, at best, hazy. The haziness resulted from

the fact that literacy was perceived as the central

goal, and anything by way of post literacy and

follow-up was seen as a desirable additionality,

without a clear-cut model or strategy for linking

literacy with PL and CE. The establishment of

the Jan Shikshan Nilayams ,was a bold and

pioneering attempt, but for want of political

commitment and administrative support, it

remained under-developed and under

nourished. It was ultimately abandoned for

want of clear conceptualization of how post

literacy could be linked to basic literacy.

UNESCO Perspective on Post Literacy d d

Continuing Ed cat·on

Even as the concepts of PL and CE in adult

education were gradually evolving within the

Indian context, at the international level there

was considerable debate on the fundamental

concept of a learning society. The concept of a

learning society was first advanced in the

famous UNESCO report of 1972, titled

"Learning to Be". According to this report, a

learning society is one in which all agencies in

the society are educational providers, and not

just those whose primary responsibility is to

provide education. By implication, in a learning

society, all citizens are engaged in learning.

The debate on these concepts gave rise to the

related concept of continuing education in

relation to life-long learning. The Asia-Pacific

Programme of Education for All (APPEAL) was

formulated in 1980s as a programme of human

development through education. Described as

the most effective type ofeducation , continuing

education under APPEAL is defined as a

"broad-based concept, which includes all the

learni'ng opportunities all people want or need

outside of basic literacy education and primary

education." (PROAP, 1996).

-----------------

APPEAL has categorized continuing education into

six types:

1. Post Literacy Programmes (PLPs)

2. Equivalency Programmes (EPs)

3. Quality of Life Improvement Programmes

(QLlPs)

4. Income Generating Programmes (lGPs)

5. Individual Interest Promotion Programmes

(liPs)

6. Future Oriented Continuing Programmes

(FOPs).

Within the APPEAL categorization, post literacy is

one type of continuing education which has the

objective of 'maintaining and enhancing literacy

and general basic work skills enabling adults to

function effectively in their societies'. The

underlying assumption here is that clients of PLPs

have already acquired the basic literacy skills. The

remaining five categories of CE are self

explanatory, and will be further discussed below.

The notion Education for All was incorporated in

the famous "World Declaration on Education for

All", popularly known as the Jomtien Declaration

of 1990. In the 'context of youth and adults, the

Jomtien declaration has the following vision:

"The basic learning needs of youth and adults are

diverse and should be met through a variety of

delivery systems. Literacy programmes are

indispensable because literacy is a necessary skill

in itself and the foundation of other life skills.

Li.teracy in the mother tongue strengthens cultural

identity and heritage. Other needs can be served

by: skills training, apprenticeships, and formal and

Post Literacy and Continuing

Education: NLM Perspective

non-formal programmes in health, nutrition,

population, agricultural techniques, the

environment, science technology, family life,

including fertility awareness, and other societal

issues." (World Declaration on Education for All,

1990)

Quite naturally, the Jomtien Declaration drew

upon a host of experiences from the participating

countries, including India. Already, the NPE and

POA (1986) had drawn heavily from the earlier

programmes of adult education, particularly the

NAEp, in the country, as well as from the

conceptual formulations of APPEAL. The

relationship betwe'en the Indian formulations on

adult education and the Jomtien formulation is

indeed symbiotic. The basic ingredients in the

Jomtien Declaration can be found in the NPE and

POA (1986), and the goals of the Jomtien

Declaration were incorporated in the goals of the

NLM. The UNESCO perspective on PL and CE,

then, is expounded in the APPEAL formulation

where PL is one type of C£.

L Perspective on PL and C

If the concepts of post literacy and continuing

education were unclear and vague in the earlier

programmes of adult education, in the

programmes of NLM, they are constantly changing

to the point of having become confused and

confusing. Although, as we will see below, the

NLM has borrowed heavily from the APPEAL

formulation, the linkage between PL and CE has

not been clearly established. Consequently, the

relationship between basic literacy and PUCE

continues to be fluid and ambivalent. This fluidity


and ambivalence is best reflected in the multiple

formulations of PL and CE in the NLM documents.

A word about the NLM documents. In the past

few years, the NLM has issued a number of

documents recording the progress of the literacy

programmes. Although these documents are very

well produced, and very attractive to look at, not

all of them indicate the year of publication. In the

occasional document, one may infer the date of

publication from the preface, or from the imprint

of the Press where the document is published,

usually given at the bottom of the back cover in

small type. Consequently, it is almost impossible

to determine the chronological sequence of these

documents. And, since each document reports

different sets of statistics, it is not easy to draw clear

inferences about the status of the programmes from

the data and the information provided in these

documents.

As mentioned in earlier, the NPE (1986) and the

POA (1986,1992) had visualised programmes of

PL and CE as follow-up programmes of the basic

literacy programmes. In 1986, the only model for

literacy programmes was the centre-based model

of the NAEP. The National Literacy Mission was

set up as a Technology Mission whose function

was to provide all the essential technological and

material inputs without which literacy programmes

were likely to languish and fail. The co,:!notation

of societal mission was to be added later on, when

in 1990 the campaign mode was adopted as the

preferred methodology for imparting literacy. The

campaign mode necessarily meant mobilization of

social forces and involvement of a large number

of literate people from the society in the literacy

programme. Hence the term 'mission' took on

the sense of 'missionary'.

While the NLM was shopping, between 1988 and

1990, for a suitable model for its literacy

programme, both PL and CE were put on the back

burner, and the JSN model continued to operate

half-heartedly. After the success of the Total

Literacy Campaign (TLC) in Ernakulam in 1990,

the campaign model was adopted as the model

for the basic literacy programme. From then on,

the energies of the NLM were spent entirely on

quickly inundating the country with TLCs in as

many districts as possible. As the TLC model

succeeded in more and more districts, it was

generalised and its components became

progressively standardized. Between 1990 and

1993, a large number of districts were declared

totally literate. As one looks back, those were

heady days, for it seemed that adult illiteracy would

soon be banished. The main focus was on

achieving basic literacy in as many districts in the

country in as short a time as possible. In the

meantime, the scheme of JSNs continued to exist.

As is customary with educational programmes and

schemes, in 1993 an Expert Group was appointed

by the Government to "undertake a Status-cum

Impact Evaluation of Literacy Campaigns

launched in different parts of the country since

1990-91."(Report of Expert Group). Chaired by

Professor Arun Ghosh, a former member of the

Planning Commission, the Group submitted its

report in 1994. The Expert Group Report

evaluated not only the total literacy campaigns,

but also the extant programmes of post literacy

and continuing education. The Report sheds light

11-------------11

on not only the status and impact of PUCE, but

also on how the concepts of PL and CE were

apprehended within the NLM.

Most significantly, the Group felt that, "PUCE

should not be attempted in the campaign mode.

New forms 6f institutionalization, new agencies of

organization, new attitudes towards this phase of

the programme, fundamentally different from the

TLC phase, are required. The term PLC which

denotes yet. another campaign is therefore a

misnomer, and should be replaced by the

designation PUCE." (Report of Expert Group).

The Group was also of the view that, among other

things:

1. To begin with, there was no clear conceptual

framework for the post literacy phase.

2. Carrying out a successful PUCE programme

is a major problem

3. The TLC and PL/CE phases must be

integrated.

4. Organizational control of the PUCE must be

different from that of the TLC structure.

At the same time as the Expert Group was

constituted, another committee was constituted to

study the earlier scheme of Jan Shikshan Nilayam

and advise the Government on the future strategies

for PUCE in the context of TLCs.

Against the backdrop of recommendations of the

Expert Group, and the committee on JSNs, an

NLM document (Towards a Literate India)

published in 1998 says, "Since post literacy

programmes also rely considerably on the

Post -Literacy and Continuing


campaign mode, these are commonly described

as Post Literacy Campaigns... " (p.29). Similarly,

a 1996 document (Strategies for Post Literacy) of

the NLM, declares, "... NLM has visualized PLC

as an extension of TLC ... " (p.6). The same

document also states, "Post-literacy is both a part

and a process of continuing education." (p.18) A

little earlier, on the same page (18), it is stated,

"Continuing education goes beyond post-literacy."

Yet another document (A People's Movement)

published at the end of 1999, declares that anintegrated 'Literacy Campaign' will amalgamate

all the features of the earlier Total Literacy and Post. Literacy phases.

It would not be impossible to reconcile the above .

seemingly contradictory pronouncements, because

the concepts of PL and CE continue to be hazy,

and the terms are used ambiguously, if not loosely.

The basic confusion can be traced to the separation

of post literacy from continuing education. In the

APPEAL framework given above (8), post literacy

programmes are part of continuing education. The

NLM, on the other hand, for justifiable reasons,

has clubbed post literacy with basic literacy. In a

manner of speaking, the NLM formulations on PL

and CE have attempted to borrow the APPEAL

model without accepting the PLPs as part of that

model.

Why Post Literacy

The APPEAL model of continuing education

describes the clientele group of post literacy

programmes as, '~I youth and adults (school drop

outs and semi-literates}". There is no mention of

neo-literates among the ~lientele group.

-------------111


The justification for post literacy in the NLM

programmes is different: "While a large number

(of learners in TLC) achieve levels laid down by

the NLM; a significant number do not, and many

remain non-starters. Even those who do achieve

the prescribed literacy levels, acquire only 'fragile'

literacy. Without a meaningful post-literacy

programme. many of these relapse into illiteracy."

(Towards a Literate India, 1998, p.29). In 1994,

the (Arun Ghosh) Expert Group had voiced a

similar sentiment: "There is real fragility in literacy

achievements and thus very serious problem of

relapse of neo-literates even in districts where there

have been successful TLCs. This problem is

aggravated in cases of long time lags between TLC

& PUCE." (Expert Group Report, 1994, p.30).

The reason for fragile literacy is not because of a

time lag between basic literacy and post literacy.

The real reason is that the TLCs were designed to

provide only fragile literacy, hence the need for

post literacy. The Review Committee on NAEP in

1980 had rightly diagnosed the problem and found

350 hours of literacy in the ten-month course

insufficient. Therefore it had recommended 600

contact hours of literacy spread over a period of

three years. The NLM, in its wisdom, had cut down

the basic literacy component to 200 hours spread

over a period of 6-8 months, without the provision

of PL for a long time after the TLC.

The NLM went a step further and specified a

detailed curriculum in the 3R's for the TLC. The

basis for specifying the levels of competencies in

reading, writing and numeracy is not clear. but it

is assumed that adult non-Iiterates can achieve

these levels. "There is no research evidence to

support the implicit assumption that the TLC

curriculum can be acquired within the stipulated

time-period. It is well known that children require

at least three to four years to achieve independent

reading skills. Although adults are believed to have

certain advantages of cognitive maturity, it is also

believed that they do not necessarily acquire basic

reading skills at a more rapid pace." (Daswani,

1996). No wonder, then, that the literacy levels

achieved even in the more successful TLCs were

fragile.

It must, of course, be pointed out that after the

TLC, the NLM had visualized a twenty-four month

PL phase, but in most cases the PL phase did not

follow the TLC and the neo-literates actually

relapsed into illiteracy. Even now, of the 448 TLC

districts only 234 have been sanctioned post

literacy programmes.

Shi ing Goals of Post Literacy

In the earlier (pre-1999) formulation, each PLC

had a life of two years. During this two year period,

the PLC was supposed to fulfil four major goals.

These are specified in the 1996 document

'Strategies for Post Literacy" as under:

1. Remediation: To help remedy the deficiencies

of learning in the basic literacy phase and to

help the neo-literates reach the desired level

of achievement.

2. Continuation: To consolidate and improve

the learning skiIls already acquired by the neo

literates with a 'view to making them self

reliant.

-------------11

3. Application: To help neo-literates attain the

ability to use the newly acquired skills and

make them adequately functionally literate.

4. Communitisation: To help neo-literates to

organise themselves for securing services

under programmes related to health, family

welfare, child care, nutrition, agriculture,

animal husbandry, etc.

The 1998 document (Towards a Literate India) lists

five major objectives for a PLC:

1. Remediation

• those not covered by TLC to be madeliterate.

• Those below minimum level of learning to be

enabled to achieve it.

2. Continuation

• stabilisation, reinforcement and upgradation of

learning.

3. Application

• to living and working conditions.

4. Communitisation

• group action for participation in development

process.

5. Skill training

• life skills, communication skills, vocational skills.

The latest (November 1999) version stipulates that,

" Literacy campaigns would continue to run in

those areas where there are large pools of residual

illiteracy. At the same time, for those who have

Post -Literacy and ContinUing


crossed the basic learning phase, programmes of

consolidation, remediation, vocational skills,

integration with life skills and such other aspects

would be considered the basic unit. ... Therefore,

Total Literacy Campaign and Post Literacy

Campaign actually constitute two operational

stages on the learning continuum and now under

the same scheme will operate in smooth

progression ... " (A People's Movement, 1999,

p.60).

What is significant to note is that, at least for the

present, NLM has delinked PL from CE and linked

it inextricably with TLC.

Programmes of Continuing Education

The NLM had designed a scheme of continuing

education for neo-literates, which came into force

on January 1, 1996. This scheme replaced the

earlier scheme of providing continuing education

through the Jan Shikshan Nilayam, which had

been introduced in 1988. It would be interesting

to recapture the sequence of events in the provision

of continuing education for neo-literates.

In 1980, the Review Committee on NAEP had

recommended a three-year literacy programme.

This was not accepted. Instead a 4-month literacy

programme followed by a year-long follow-up

programme was launched in 1982. The NPE and

PGA in 1986 had stipulated that for a successful

programme of adult education, it was important

to provide for post literacy and continuing

education. In response to this the scheme of JSNs

was launched in 1988. Following the adoption of

the campaign mode for basic literacy, the scheme

11 -------------111

Changing Concepts and Shifting Goals:

Post Literacy and Continuing Education in India

of JSNs was reviewed in 1993, and it was decided

to replace this scheme with a new scheme of

Continuing Education Centres (CEC). However,

the scheme of CECs was launched only in 1996.(Incidentally, the latest NLM document declares

that the scheme of CE was launched in 1995')The 1999 Document states that, 'The structure of

continuing education programme, launched in

1995 (sic) as a fully funded centrally-sponsored

scheme, will be retained and further strengthened

and expanded in scope and content." (A People's

Movement)

The main objective of the scheme is to

institutionalize continuing education for neo

Iiterates, which is achieved by establishing CECs.

The scheme provides for flexibility in designing and

implementation of CE programmes in order to

cater to the needs of the neo-Iiterates. More specific

objectives of the scheme are:

6. Provision of facilities for retention and

reinforcement of literacy skills.

7. Application of functional literacy for qualityof life improvement.

8. Dissemination of information on

development programmes for participation.

9. Creation of awareness on national concerns

10. Training in vocational skills.

11. Provision of library.

12. Organization of cultural and recreational

activities.

The responsibility for the implementation of the

scheme rests with Zilla Saksharta Samiti (ZSS)

headed by the Collector, with assistance from

voluntary agencies, mahila mandals, panchayati

raj institutions, Nehru Yuvak Kendras, etc. The

scheme provides ample freedom to the ZSS to

create new structures at the grass-roots level for

effective implementation of the CE programmes.

Under the scheme, programmes of CE will be

implemented through the CECs. "A continuing

education centre will be set up for a population

2000-2500 so that it caters to the needs of at least

500-1000 neo-literates." It is also envisaged that

a Nodal Continuing Centre will be set up for a

cluster of 10-15 CECs. Each CEC and NCEC will

be run by a Prerak and an Assistant Prerak, who

will together provide the facilities at the centres

and coordinate the various activities. The principal

function of a CEC will be to provide the following

facilities:

1. Library

2. Reading Room

3. Learning Centre

4. Training Centre

5. fnformation Centre

6. Charcha Mandal

7. Development Centre

8. Cultural Centre

9. Sports Centre.

The scheme, in principle, provides flexibility and

freedom to the ZSS for planning and developing

CE programmes, which are sensitive to the local

environment, conditions and needs of the local

population, particularly the new-Iiterates. At the

I

111-------------11

same time the NLM has identified four broad

programmes areas, which can help the CECs

develop specific programmes in specific situations.

These four programme areas are identical to the

CE programmes contained in the APPEAL

documents. The programme areas are:

1. Equivalency Programmes (EPs) - designed

as alternative education programmes

equivalent to existing formal, general or

vocational education.

2. Income Generating Programmes (IGPs)

designed for acquisition or upgradation of

vocational skills for income generating

activities.

3. Quality of Life Improvement Programmes

(QLlPs) - designed to equip the learners with

essential knowledge, attitudes, values and

skills, both as individuals and members of thecommunity.

4. Individual Interest Promotion Programmes

(IIPPs) - designed to provide opportunities

for individuals to participate in and learn

about their own chosen social, cultural,

spiritual, health, physical, and artistic interests.

As is evident, the CECs, conceived and planned

under the scheme of continuing education, will

become nerve centres for life-long learning. A

number of already existing institutions and

development departments are expected to lend

support to the CECs/NCECs. Since vocational

training will be an important function of the CECs,

the government has expanded and strengthened

Post -Literacy and Continuing


the erstwhile Shramik Vidyapeeths to serve as

support institutions at the district Ie.vel. These

institutions have been rechristened Jan Shikshan

Sansthans (JSS) and charged with the

responsibility of addressing the vocational training

needs of neo-Iiterates and other rural youth and

adults: The JSSs will, of course, continue the

vocational training of industrial workers as well as

urban youth and adults. The Government has

also decided that the scheme of CE should

converge with programmes of Nehru Yuvak

Kendras, National Service Scheme, National

Service Volunteer Scheme, and others at the

grassroots level. The infrastructure of these

institutions will, as far as possible, be utilized to

facilitate functioning of the CE scheme.

These are lofty ideas, but there are many fuzzy

edges. The Central Government has decided to

finance the scheme fully for three years (or is it

five?), and the States will share the costs 50:50

after the third year. In addition to the 60 odd CECs

already in operation, only fifty more will be set up

during the remaining period of the ninth plan. But

the scheme is supposed "allow for opening of

continuing education centres in every major

village ... ". When (?) these CECs are actually set

up, the annual running costs should be in the

neighbourhood of five thousand crores!

The Prerak

The lynch pin for the CEC is the Prerak, (and the

Assistant Prerak). The Prerak of the CEC will

receive an honorarium of Rs.700 per month and

the Assistant Prerak, Rs.500. Between the two of

them, they are supposed to coordinate/run/

11 -------------111


manage a Centre, wh}ch provides at least nine

different kinds of facilities. They will liaise with a

variety of institutions, and individuals within the

official government structures, and NGOs. They

will have to run and manage a host of on-going

programmes for about 1000 neo-literates in their

catchment area.

Judging by the honoraria determined for these two

functionaries, they would have to have some other

additional means of livelihood. Consequently,' they

will be available only part-time, while the CECs is

designed to be a full-time centre. Of course, if the

CEC is run by an NGO, the two preraks could be

employed full time by the NGO and made available

part time.

But that still leaves the question of the job

description for the preraks and their qualifications.

It is possible that the NLM has already visualized

this problem, and a solution has been devised.

Perhaps, some the volunteers from the TLC

programmes will be able to handle the job. Yet, it

would seem to be a difficult task to locate a large

number of individuals who fit the bill. And, even

if 'qualified' individuals were found, how would

they relate to the entire 'official' machinery from

the District Collector downwards?

11-------------

The Bottomline

It is over sixty years since the notion of continuing

education was first introduced in the context of

adult education. The concept has undergone

several evolutionary changes and reincarnations.

The concept of post literacy became entwined with

continuing education, and remained clung to it

until it was separated recently. Both PL and CE in

India have covered a tortuous journey in the sixty

odd years. In the analysis presented above, an

attempt has been made to understand the

changing connotations and implications of the two

concepts. Whether the analysis offered above is

tenable or not, several issues need, at least, to be

raised, even if not resolved.

First, what are the preconditions for the success of

a post literacy programme? At a simplistic, or even

superficial, level does post literacy not imply

existence of literacy? Why do we not say 'post

fragile literacy', or 'post minimal literacy'? The

answer, possibly, is that literacy is a prerequisite or

precondition for post literacy. Post literacy can

succeed only when the participants have already

acquired stable literacy. If a person has not

acquired stable literacy skills, he/she will not benefit

from post literacy. Of course, one can be

euphemistic and use the term 'post literacy' to

mean extension of literacy training. In fact the

post literacy programmes have been only

extensions of the basic literacy courses, because

the non-Iiterates had not become stable Iiterates,

whether through NAEP of TLC. Therefore, for a

post literacy programme to succeed, it is necessary

to ensure that the non-literate is equipped with

stable literacy skills before the basic literacy

programme is terminated. The NAEP review

committee had stipulated a three-year period.

Perhaps that is the critical period for acquiring

stable literacy.

Second, do any advantages accrue to a non-literate

when he/she becomes a neo-Iiterate? Or, what

function does minimal literacy have in a society in

which a large number of people are illiterate? The

answer, probably, is that there is no immediate

advantage. There are several notional benefits,

which are clear to the literacy activist or a literacy

functionary (for different reasons), but to the non

literate learner these are not immediately

discernable. In a partially literate society, a large

number of non-literate persons function within their

sodo-economic realities. Unless their newly

acquired literacy skills can rapidly ameliorate their

conditions, literacy can never become attractive.

For any literacy endeavour to succeed, it would

seem to be necessary to create conditions where

literacy (however minimal) can bring economic

and social advantages to the neo-Iiterate. If that

were to be ensured, PL and CE programmes would

be demanded rather than be provided.

11-----------~-IEI


Third, how long does it take for a totally illiterate

family to become fully literate? Is it reasonable to

expect that a family will become literate in one

generation? Experience has shown that it takes

two or even three generations for a family to travel

from illiteracy to total literacy. When we are

dealing with traditional non-literates, we need to

plan an integrated educational package

encompassing the adult non-literate, his/her

children, and his/her grandchildren. Unless we

are willing to support the family through this three

gerieration saga, all attempts will fall short of the

goal. Unfortunately, up until now, all adult

education programmes have been in the project

mode, co-extensive with a Plan period in the form

of a scheme, and financial provisions are actually

made on an annual basis.

Fourth, how is a literate or learning society

created? A literate society is seldom created

through literacy training. A literate society is one

where literacy has become a critical input for all

social and economic activities within the society.

A learning society is one where the resources of

literacy are harnessed for living in peace and

harmony, and for the common good.

Fifth, can a mass programme like adult education,

which aims at basic changes in the social structure,

and believes in conscientization, be run by the

official government machinery that is by definition

committed to the 'status-quo'? And can this

machinery actually promote and nurture

'independent' non-governmental action at the

grassroots level?

The bottom line is that unless programmes of post

literacy and continuing education address these

issues and more, they will continue to be vague

and hazy.

11----'-----------11

References

A People's Movement, NLM. 1999.

Continuing Education for Development,

UNESCO, PROAp, Bangkok. 1996.

Daswani, c.J.: Total Literacy Campaign in India:

Status and Issues. Paper read at 1996 World

Literacy Conference, Philadelphia. 1996.

Evaluation of Literacy Campaign in India, Report

of Expert Group, NLM. 1994.

National Policy on Education, Government of

India. 1986.

Programme ofAction, Government of India. 1986.

Revised Programme of Action, Government of

India. 1992.

Report of the Review Committee on NAEP,

Directorate of Adult Education. 1980.

Scheme of Continuing Education - A Write-up.

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EFA 2000 Assessment: INDIAThematic Reviews and Case Studies

Indian Engagement with Adult Educationand LiteracyA.Mathew

Social Mobilization and Total LiteracyCampaignsAnita Dighe

Changing Concepts and Shifting Goals:Post-literacy and ContinuingEducation in IndiaC.J.Daswani

Early Childhood Care and EducationVenita Kaul

Education of Girls in India:An AssessmentUsha Nayar

Education of the Urban DisadvantagedVandana Chakrabarty

Children, Work and Education:Rethinking on Out-of-School ChildrenSharada Jain

Education of Children with Spec,al NeedsSudesh Mukhopadhyay and M.N.G. Mani

Education among TribalsK.Sujatha

Participatory Micro-Planning for UniversalPrimary EducationAbhimanyu Singh

Learning Conditions for Primary Education: A ReviewM.S.Yadav and Meenakshi Bhardwaj

Learner Achievement in Primary SchoolsM.S.Yadav and Meenakshi Bhardwaj

Texts in Context : An EFA 2000 Review Development of Curricula, Textbooks, andTeaching Learning MaterialsAnita Rampal

Primary Teacher Training in the EFA DecadeC.Seshadrl

Status of Elementary Teachers in IndiaA.S.Seetharamu

Education and the Status of WomenVimala Ramachandran

Decentralisation of EducationVinod Raina

Role of Private Schools in Basic EducationAnuradha De, Manabi Majumdar, MeeraSamson and Claire Noronha

Role and Contribution of NGOs to BasicEducationDisha Nawani

Role of Media in Education For AllAvik Ghosh

Financing of Elementary Education inIndiaJandhyala B.G. Tilak

EFA in Mizoram: The Dynamics of SuccessS. Hom Chaudhurl

Primary Education in Himachal Pradesh:Examining a Success StoryAnuradha De, Claire Noronha and MeeraSamson

Universal Elementary Education inRajasthan: A Study with Focus on Innovative StrategiesSumitra Chowdhury

Progress Towards Education for All: TheCase of Tamil NaduP.Radhakrishnan and R.Akhila

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