Poverty and illiteracy are closely linked which go together everywhere in the world. Both poverty and illiteracy are part of the complex system of deprivation and discrimination. Research studies and experiences around the World show that literacy affects human resource development dramatically increasing children participation in primary education reducing infant mortality, accelerating success in child care, immunisation, better health, better hygiene, better nutrition, small family norm, empowerment of women so on and so forth. There is a definite relationship between literacy and development. Literacy strengthens and sustains the process of development. Literacy is both the cause and effect of development. Literacy is one of the most important indicators of the socio-economic and political development of a society.

POVERTY & LITERACY

In the nations 50 years of planned growth, more than half of the total population in India are still illiterate and continue to live under the poverty line. As per Human Development Report 1997, rural poverty declined from 40% to 33% during 1997 to 1981. By 1994 rural poverty in India was 39% and urban poverty 30%. As for the future, the ninth five year plan (1997-2002) calls for eradicating income poverty by the year 2005. The Planning Commission interprets this goal as reducing income poverty to around 5%. In the same way The National Literacy Mission, is also striving to meet the dead line of `literacy for all' by the year 2005. Increasing literacy rate, it is hoped, will definitely improve the economic growth of our country.

The analysis of the present situation in India shows that the food production increased four times between 1951 and 1995. Famines were virtually eliminated; yet 53% of children under the age of four years remain under-nourished.

The rate of literacy has more than doubled between 1961 and 1991; yet half of the population is still illiterate. The school drop out rate is almost 50% and is more in case of females. The life expectancy almost doubled to 61 years between 1961 and 1992. We are still facing the threat of population growth. The growth of population is directly affecting the socio-economic growth of our country. Analising the present situation it goes without saying that, the importance of literacy and awareness for socio-economic development is highly essential.

LITERACY & ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY

Literacy can be used as an instrument for increasing production and efficiency through the promotion of training and vocational skills. This is the only way to inter-link literacy and alleviation of poverty. When literacy programme is linked with schemes aiming at the eradication of poverty, the poor people will definitely have a genuine interest in literacy programme. Their interest in literacy can be aroused only by ensuring that literacy will enable them to lead a better life. It can break the nexus between ignorance and poverty which, according to Swami Vivekananda, are the two basic sin in life. Therefore literacy work must be made life centered and poverty must be eliminated with the help of literacy. Poverty alleviating programmes in the country are the first level of response to overcome the problem. The Government has initiated several income generating programmes with the goal to improve the standard of living of the people. Many of these schemes area for vocational training to develop and upgrade existing skills. Literacy is an essential pre-requisite for vocational training. In today's World of advanced technology, vocational skills are essential for employment. Vocational training like TRYSEM, Jawahar Rozgar Yojana, Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) etc. can not be successful with illiterate trainees. The literacy programme combined with other developmental programme should be a life long process which is other wise known as continuing education for a truly sustainable development. The continuing education emerges as Post Literacy Programmes (PLP). Quality of Life Improvement Programmes (QLIP), Equivalency Programmes (EP) Income Generating Programmes (IGP), Individual Interest Programmes (IIP) and Future oriented programmes.

The literacy programme and continuing education programme linked with vocational training programmes will have significant impact in the level of living of various strata of poverty stricken masses. Poverty must be eliminated with the help of literacy and proper implementation of different policies and programmes of the Government from time to time.

As Josef Muller rightly pointed out that "Illiteracy has no future but it will, like poverty - be a feature in most developing countries for the foreseeable future. The struggle for literacy is a struggle against poverty and hence simultaneously for social and economic development, justice, equality, respect for traditional cultures & recognition of the dignity of every human being".

LITERACY & DEVELOPMENT

Development refers to qualitative and structural changes in the state of an economy for the betterment of social and economic conditions of the people. This requires, people to acquire new knowledge, information and skills, which provides an impetus for development. Development is not merely growth in the economic sense but is closely related to the notion of quality of life which essentially ought to ensure fulfillment of basic needs properly and with dignity.

1. Over the past fifty years numerous operational and philosophical definitions of literacy and development have emerged keeping in view the changing priorities of Indian developmental goals and influences of international bodies like the United Nations and the World Bank. The concept of literacy and development have undergone tremendous transformation. During 1950's it remained as an integral part of the community development programme. In 1960's, when a direct correlation emerged between education and economic growth, the emphasis of literacy programme shifted from civic to functional literacy. It was argued that one of the reasons for the failure of many developmental schemes like agriculture production, family planning, co-operatives, Panchayat institutions was the lack of functional literacy among the rural masses. During 1970's, Functional LIteracy for Adult Women project was implemented with a view to accelerating the participation of adult women in the development efforts of local community and bringing about attitudinal change among them. In 1978 the Janata Government put more emphasis on re-distributive justice and eradication of illiteracy. Through the National Adult Education Programme (NAEP) the Government put equal emphasis on literacy, functionality and social awareness. In 1980's the emphasis was given on people's right to literacy as component of development itself. Importance of literacy was reiterated by the National Policy of Education (1986) which envisaged that adult education would be a means for reducing economic, social and gender disparities; and the nation as a whole would assume the responsibility for providing a resource support. Subsequently when promotion of literacy became an important national mission, the National Literacy Mission was launched in 1988 with an objective to impart functional literacy to 80 million illiterates in 15-35 age group by 1995 with the involvement of all sections of the society. Subsequently the concept of functional literacy envisaged under NLM was much broader than the earlier and included the following four aspects.

i) achieving self-reliance in reading, writing and basic numeracy

ii) becoming aware of the cause of one's deprivation and moving towards amelioration of conditions through organisation and participation in the process of development.

iii) acquiring skills to improve the economic status and general well being

iv) imbibing the values of national integration, conservation of the environment, women's equality, observance of small family norms etc. With the change of concept, the operational strategies were also modified to make it a mass movement through total literacy campaigns.

It was the Ernakulum district Total literacy campaign in 1989 which created a mass upsurge for literacy. Moduled on the Ernakulum experience, over 370 districts have taken up the literacy programme.

Literacy programmes primarily aim at improving the quality of human capital which is very vital for the development of our nation. The confidence and behavior pattern of the neo-literates change tremendously when they are able to read & write.

As Freira observes literacy enables adults " read the world by reading the Word"

Frank Lauback, who worked for the cause of literacy in more than one hundred countries has noted that "literacy begets new faith & new vision in the learner, it destroys his sense of inferiority and frustration, it stirs him to new self reliance, makes him feel that he belongs to the class of society that triumphs over difficulties, it gives him a new sense of mastery over his fate ... It pulls him from the edges of society where he has lain stagnant mentally into the currents where he will be swept onwards as a part of the great moving course of human history. These observations were supported by several studies in different states.

Julius Nyerere rightly observed "a man develops himself through education which by broadening his mental horizon, widens his choices and capacity to take decisions since decision decides direction and direction decides destiny, literacy enables adults to take control of their destiny".

Poverty , Literacy & Development challenges for 21st Century

The challenge set by the recent UNESCO commission report "Learning : The Treasure within" affirms its belief that education has a fundamental role to play in personal and social development and as one of the principal means available to faster, deeper and more harmonious form of human development and thereby to reduce poverty, exclusion ignorance, oppression and violence. It advocates with deep commitment and great moral passion. "LEARNING THROUGHOUT LIFE" as one of the keys of 21st Century. The Commission has put greater emphasis on LEARNING TO LIVE TOGETHER. : by developing an understanding of others and their history tradition and spiritual values and so on 'LEARNING THROUGH OUT LIFE' will require the development of infrastructure and institutional arrangements for providing educational services throughout the lives of adults.

Relevant issues relating to the Adult Education for the 21st Century were discussed in the international conference on Adult Learning at Hamburg 14-18 July'97 and the document entitled "Global Transformation and Education of Adults - An appeal for action states that "Adult learning .... is indispensable in the quest to construct a better and fuller future for humanity. The challenges of 21st century can not be met by Government, organisations or institutions alone, the energy and imaginations and genius of people and their full life, free and vigorous participation in every aspect of life are also needed.

In 21st century with the literacy programme utmost care should be taken to reduce poverty through different poverty alleviation schemes and focus on human development priorities - including basic health, basic education, safe drinking water and special attention for socially dis-advantaged groups should be given.

Rapid changes are occuring in all walks of life and people need update information and knowledge. With the changing science and technology the labour force should be more skilled to face the challenges in the next decade.

Women education needs to be strengthened to empower them, to play an active role as partner in the development process. In the 21st century sustainable development and education for sustainability is an important agenda before the nation. It is also very important to impart education to the adults on the complexity of the environment, population and development interrelationships.

Since India is facing population problem the policy should be formulated to impart population education along with literacy during 21st century. The literacy should be integrated with environment issues, economic programme, entrepreneurship development etc. for all-round development for human being. It is suggested to give more emphasis on the followings in the next century.

1. Establishment of continuing education centres for neo literates, school dropouts and senior citizens.

2. Establishment of study centres for equivalency programme.

3. Income generating & quality of life improvement programme.

4. Library & electronics media support to all village.

5. Involvement of voluntary agencies in the field of development.

6. Set up of vocational & technical institution in all block / village level.

In our country, most of the well thought out programmes/schemes are implemented in isolation. But an integration and meaningful convergence of programmes and services can only achieve the desired goals of development in its real sense.

Contact Info:

Namita Mohaptra, SVP
Cuttack