Launching the scheme Dr Shashi Tharoor said that our effort should aim at enhancing adult education in our country with special focus on groups that have remained untouched by the enabling promise of education.
Giving example of his home town Kerala where there is no gap on the basis of either gender or community he said that Kerala model of education should be emulated by the entire country. He further added that literacy alone is a source not just to read and write but also for empowerment and bringing about gender equality and improved livelihoods.
Literacy, as a human right, a development indicator, and a catalyst of equality, is at the forefront of national and international social policy today. The MoS said that low literacy level among women is alarming. There is a need to empower them, with all manner of socio-economic opportunities and especially with education.
MoS Dr Tharoor suggested that in order to reap the demographic dividend community leaders should participate in this movement of educating the Muslim minorities.
A well integrated system of education, based on the principles of quality and equality of access to all citizens, can provide this dividend, he added. He further said that this scheme has aptly been named after Maulana Azad, the first Education Minister of independent India who had a universal vision on education and a secular humanist outlook.
National Literacy Mission Authority has designed a target focused approach to enhance literacy among Muslim adults under the name of Maulana Azad Taleem-e-Balighan.
It will provide opportunities for up scaling basic education to around 2.5 lakh adults and impart livelihood skill training covering around 3 lakh beneficiaries and provide opportunities of continuing education to the community. 410 Sakshar Bharat Districts will be covered with a financial outlay of Rs 600 crores during the current Plan Period.
Maulana Fazlur Rahim Mujaddidi from Jaipur said that there should be schools on the pattern of Central schools in the minority dominated districts of India. Shri R. Bhattacharya, Secretary, School Education and Literacy, was also present on the occasion.
