Adult Literacy is the ability of Adults to use a language i.e. to read, write, listen and speak. Adult Literacy includes basic literacy, desirable knowledge pertaining to civic needs, personal hygiene, and adopting political and occupational skills. According to the United Nations, Basic Literacy is the ability to read 40 words per minute, write 20 words per minute, and do 2-digit arithmetic.
India has over 35% of the world’s total illiterate population. India also has the largest number of illiterate people in the world. India faces major challenges, in terms of both the high number of illiterates and widespread disparities that exist between urban and rural areas. These pose as hindrances to national efforts to achieve Education for all and eradicate poverty. About 80 per cent of the population lives in villages that have the largest concentration of illiterate people. These areas also have maximum gender differentials. Some areas have specific differentials in attaining literacy rates, girls by and large suffered in their educational pursuits mainly due to ignorance on the parts of parents, poverty geographical hazardous like North Eastern States of India and other hilly areas. Special efforts need to be provided for adults who have been deprived of early education facilities. Provision of funds will have to be made differentially as contrasted from other areas.
Status of Adult Literacy
The reason why India's Adult Literacy has suffered is the fact that its efforts towards this cause came very late. A lot of effort was put into expanding primary education as a result adult literacy was neglected in the first three decades of its independence. It was during 1977, with the change in the government in India, that a nationwide adult education programme was launched for socio-economic development. This created a demand for adult literacy at the national level. At that time all the adult education programmes were voluntary in basis and most of the adult education programmes were limited in scope and reach. Adult education had been planned as a community development programme through the development of the individual was not directly associated with the development of basic literacy, rather it was designed for societal development. It was only in the last three decades that Adult Literacy was associated with the socio-economic development and for self-reliance of the individual.
During 1978- 80 a nationwide centre-based programme was launched. But it lacked in people’s participation. The overall literacy rate in India was low. A lot of resources were needed in terms of instructors and trainers in adult education. The funds worked for basic literacy but were not successful to a large extent. This programme brought the Adult Education to the national agenda. The Government in power showed the political will to do so. Though India’s literacy rate has improved significantly from 44 per cent in 1981 to 65 per cent in 2001, a lot still remains to be done. Adult literacy programmes haven't had a consistent support and these have fallen off the government’s priority list. Government-funded adult education has remained neglected most of the time. The state's continue to ignore its own role and responsibilities. There is a tendency for dependence on private participation on this front.
Factors Contributing to Adult Illiteracy
- Poverty: A major contributor to widespread Adult Illiteracy is lack of money.
- Gender Issues: In a country where the sex ratio favours females, it automatically translates into more number of illiterates.
- Cultural Issues: Culture and tradition don't favor education as much as they do to traditional forms of occupational skills.
- Population: To be counted among the top most populated countries is indeed a contributing factor in illiteracy.
- Lack of Education Resources: Rural areas and areas with difficult terrain don't have schools or educational sources
- Bureaucratic Role: Though various Literacy Campaigns are democratic in nature yet they are bureaucratic in implementation that led to their failure. Some of these are dependant upon the district collector’s goodwill in taking the campaign forward.
- Lack of Mass Participation: Literacy campaigns are most successful where there is a mass public involvement. Kerala is an example of people’s mass movement or participation.
- Mobilization of Adult Illiterates and of Society: It is a big challenge for a Literacy success. Motivation and enrolling the illiterates in the adult education class is a serious task and regularity in attending the classes has been a major problem. It's an Education versus Earning scenario where meeting the daily needs wins.
- Lack of Proper Implementation: Though formulating policies is not a problem but it is the proper implementation of policy and planning, that is worrisome.
The Significance of Adult Literacy
- It offers adults a second chance, in case they missed the opportunity or were denied access to mainstream formal education.
- Literacy is the key to the development of a country's economy.
- It increases the awareness of healthcare with which child mortality rate can be decreased in India.
- Literacy is the road to employment and self-sufficiency.
- It is also a key to population control.
- Awareness of Fundamental Rights and Duties makes one a responsible citizen.
- Literacy brings progress in the mindsets of those who have a strong belief in superstition.
- It paves way for a effective communication.
Steps to Increase Adult Literacy
- Learning needs of all adults need to be met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life skills programmes.
- Eliminating gender disparities will by default result in increase literacy.
- Improving all aspects of quality of education.
- The government needs to take remedial steps to prevent illiteracy.
- The bulk of financial commitment should be provided by the Central government.
- Easy accessibility to schools especially to schools in rural areas.
- Better remuneration for literacy workers will help the literacy movement to be a sustainable system of income generation as well as a system of literacy generation.
- Implementation needs to be more effective through campaign-based approach.
- Stress on proper environment building and active participation of the people.
- Encouragement of joint efforts by Governmental and Non-Governmental organizations.
- The instructor needs to play even a major role in the teaching and learning of adults.
- Media always plays an important role in motivating people and in turning issues into a mass movement.
- Integrating Adult Education with the Education System.
- Rural and Urban divide needs to be bridged.
- Better understanding and assimilation of knowledge can be met when the Instructional material is developed in the regional language along with the international language.
- Including the components of vocational education right from the initial stage of adult literacy needs to be treated as a core for adult learning.
- Government’s commitment and community participation need to be ensured before initiating any programme related to adults.
- Research work needs to be re-enforced in areas where deficits have been identified like gender differentials, dropouts, consolidation and lapsing into illiteracy, of the ways of empowering women and village panchayats to activate the progress of adult literacy.
- Vocational skill training is a motivating factor for illiterates.
