Villagers take pledge for 100% literacy by November 15
JAMSHEDPUR: Residents of Dhusra village in Patamda block of East Sighbhum district took a pledge on Sunday to achieve 100% literacy by November 15, the state’s 16th foundation day.
According to the 2011 census, the village with more than 1,000 population records a literacy rate of 40.79% -- that of women is only 24.69%. Jharkhand registers 66.41% literacy rate -- 76.84% (male) and 52.04% (female).
“We resolved in the gram sabha to make every villager literate by November 15. Each educated villager will teach at least one illiterate,” village head Gangadhar Singh told Hindustan Times.
“Older villagers decided to stop giving thumb impressions and learn to sign their names. Every family will focus on getting its boys, girls and women members educated.”
District public relation officer (DPRO) Sanjay Pandey took the lead in organising the gram sabha, attended by block officials, as part of a campaign for the literacy mission. “I thought getting the gram sabha take this pledge will turn the mission from a government scheme into a movement,” Pandey said.
Revati Devi, an old woman of the village, wanted to learn signing her name at the meeting and ward member Amit Kumar taught her in half an hour. “She filled up pages after pages with her signature. Another woman learnt signing from her son,” Pandey said.
Public relations department officials distributed literacy kits, pencils and notebooks among villagers. The village education committee will submit to the DPRO a list of people who will teach fellow villagers. The gram sabha was attended by block development officer (BDO) Sacchidanand Mahato, village chief, chairperson and members of the village education committee, and two ward members. The villagers took out a literacy-awareness rally.