Silana, October 30, Jhajjar, Haryana, India
In a significant step towards promoting literacy and education, a comprehensive training program has been initiated at SJS GGSSS, Silana, Jhajjar, Haryana. This program centers on the “New India Literacy Program” and is in alignment with the National Education Policy of 2020.
Background: The “New India Literacy Program” is a government-approved initiative aimed at addressing the issue of illiteracy among individuals aged 15 and above. It covers all states and Union territories in India and is a joint effort between the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
Program Goals: The primary objective of this program is to enhance Foundational Numeracy and Literacy skills among learners. Over the course of five years, from 2022 to 2027, the program aims to reach a remarkable 5 crore students, with an annual target of 1 crore students. To achieve this, the “Online Teaching, Learning, and Assessment System (OTLAS),” managed by NCERT, will be used, along with support from the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).
Volunteer Involvement: One distinctive feature of the program is the strong emphasis on online volunteering. Volunteers will have the opportunity to participate in orientation programs, workshops, and in-person training to effectively deliver the program’s educational content. All educational materials and resources will be made available in digital formats, ensuring accessibility to a wide range of learners.
The “New India Literacy Programme,” which will be in accordance with the National Education Policy 2020 and encompass all aspects of adult education, has been approved by the Central Government of India for the fiscal years 2022–2027.
Given that the subject has been in the news lately, there is a very good likelihood that it will be covered in the current affairs section of the IAS Prelims. Practise daily questions related to current affairs to improve your readiness.
About New India Literacy Programme
The programme will be available in all states and Union territories in the nation for illiterates who are 15 years of age or older. National Council of Educational Research and Training in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
The goal for Foundational Numeracy and Literacy for the financial years 2022–2027 is 5 (five) crore students at 1 crore each year using the “Online Teaching, Learning, and Assessment System (OTLAS)” (NCERT) and National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). The programme will be implemented through online volunteering as a type of volunteerism. Volunteers may participate in orientation, workshops, and in-person training. Digital versions of all materials and resources must be made available. A school will be used to carry out the plan. Surveys of volunteer teachers and beneficiaries will be conducted in schools.
Objectives of the Programme
Teaching not only the fundamentals of reading and maths but also other skills necessary for 21st-century citizenship, like:
Essential life skills: these include, but are not restricted to, computer literacy, financial literacy, commercial skills, child care and education, health awareness, and family welfare.
Development of vocational skills: with the goal of finding employment in the field.
Equivalency for the preparatory, middle, and secondary phases is included in basic education.
Continuing education comprises engaging, all-encompassing courses for adults in the arts, sciences, technology, culture, gaming, and leisure, in addition to other subjects that may be useful or interesting to learners in the region, such as advanced material on critical life skills.
Additional Government Initiatives to Empower
Samagra Shiksha Scheme: It is an integrated school education strategy designed to provide inclusive and equitable educational quality at all levels, spanning from preschool to class XII.
The National Digital Literacy Mission aims to provide every household member with essential digital literacy skills by 2020.
Prana Tristin Gramin Saksharta Abhiyan Digital: One of the biggest initiatives in the nation to increase technical literacy is this one.
The Digital India Programme combines several ongoing initiatives by focussing and reorganising them, and then implementing them in a coordinated way.
The NSDC, or National Skill Development Corporation, Its objective is to promote the establishment of sizable, premium, for-profit vocational schools in order to advance skill development. It encourages the development of skills by providing funding to businesses, organisations, and enterprises that offer skill training.
Relevance
The country has a total of 25.76 crore illiterates aged 15 and over, of which 9.08 crore are men and 16.68 crore are women, according to the 2011 Census. Furthermore, the estimate of the number of illiterate adults in India remains at 18.12 crore, even though the Saakshar Bharat project raised the number of persons certified as literate by 7.64 crore between 2009–2010 and 2017–2018. There must be true popular empowerment. Thanks to educational institutions worldwide, children and working adults should be able to acquire reading and writing skills. National education programmes must incorporate adult literacy development and early childhood education as complementary components.