PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has set an ambitious target to achieve 100 per cent literacy by December 19, 2024 with education officials currently working to identify the illiterate population and impart them with training followed by an exam.
As on date, the State has identified 3,000 illiterate senior citizens, excluding those in Quepem, Canacona and Sanguem talukas. Sawant said these persons have already received training in reading and writing.
Speaking at the launch of KILBIL workbooks at his official residence in Panaji on Friday, CM announced that 700 of these have passed their exams while the remaining will undergo their exam on July 14.
“Goa is already at the forefront of implementing the National Education Policy (NEP). Now, under the New India Literacy program, we aim to achieve 100 per cent literacy by December 19, 2024. The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) is working on this,” he said, adding, “except in Quepem, Canacona, and Sanguem, illiterate persons in other talukas have been identified and trained. Out of 3,000 senior citizens, 700 have already cleared their exams. The remaining 2,300 will take their exam on July 14.”
Sawant also mentioned that government-approved volunteers are actively involved and exams will be held in Panchayat halls. In the remaining three talukas, the identification process has begun.
“We don’t want a single person to remain illiterate,” he stated and added that the government has set a deadline for the Panchayat Department to submit details of those illiterate in their respective villages by October 2 to the SCERT and Department of Education.
Volunteers will provide training followed by exams on November 30, paving the way for the government to declare Goa fully literate.
The government also plans to hold an ‘Ulhas Melava’ next month during which all newly literate persons will gather in the presence of NCERT, SCERT and other State officials.
