E D U C AT I O N F O R E M P O W E R M E N T

The Adult Literacy Programme

 E D U C AT I O N F O R E M P O W E R M E N T
The Adult Literacy Programme

“As a child I was never sent to school. I was married off by
the time I was 13-14. As an adult, in my husband's home, I
faced various difficulties because I was illiterate. I joined
the Sangha formed by Mahila Samata and through various
discussions I understood that many of my difficulties will be
reduced if I learned to read and write.”
Falani Bibi, Dhubri District, Assam1
The Context for Literacy
Most literacy programmes for women in India in the 1950s, 1960s
and 1970s, suffered from myopic vision viewing literacy from an
instrumental approach to women. This was based on the
assumption that if women were educated, school enrolments
would increase, maternal, family and child health would improve,

“Now when I go to work, I myself check and ensure that my

attendance is marked in the register. I also calculate and
count my wages before accepting it, even though this act
angers the pradhan.”
Parmeshwari Devi, Mau District, Uttar Pradesh2

“A lesson in a literacy primer based on a true incident,

describes women's agitation and successful intervention in
stopping 'arrack' sales after two men from a village in
Nellore district died due to its over-consumption. The
women used to gather regularly for literacy classes and
discuss burning issues affecting their daily lives. These
included alcoholism which decreases financial support
from husbands, running households on the meagre income
of women and getting beaten up by drunken husbands at
the end of the day. The lesson, describing the ill effects of
liquor consumption, had an electrifying effect on women
who then led the anti-arrack movement across Andhra
Pradesh.”
Professor Anita Dighe3

T
hese three apparently unrelated events from three distinct
locations of India are, in fact, connected by the same thread,
the Adult Literacy programme (ALP) run by the Mahila
Samakhya. The distinctive feature of this programme lies in its
Women practicing in Jagrity Kendra in Dhubri District of Assam
emphasis on women's empowerment, with literacy as an integral
component rather than mere literacy skills as an end in, and of,
as would population control. In other words, literate women will
itself. When compared to other literacy programmes, it is this
make for better mothers and wives. This approach was critiqued
feature that makes the MS literacy programme relevant to the lives
by the feminist thinkers and was replaced by the functional
of women and defines its effectiveness.
approach in the 1980s. This led to the birth of the Mahila
Samakhya in pursuance of the National Policy of Education,
1986.4
1 Participant interview: Dhubri District, Assam. 26th April, 2010. 3 Interview with Prof Anita Dighe Member of State Resource Group, Uttarakhand, and Member
2 Website of Mahila Samakhya, Uttar Pradesh. URL: of National Review Mission, 17th June,2010.
http://www.mahilasamakhyaup.org/programmes (downloaded on 10-8-2010). 4 Malini Ghose: Briefing Paper on Literacy Related Issues: India from website
www.balid.org.uk/GMR/India%20GMR%202010.doc (downloaded on 07-07-2010).

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T H E A D U LT L I T E R A C Y P R O G R A M M E
Why Adult Literacy
Literacy has been recognized as a basic human right.5 The United
Nations proclaimed 1990 to be the International Literacy Year.
Globally effective programmes were put in place and began to
bear fruit. Examples from various countries indicated that
“beneficiaries of adult literacy programmes went in for greater
participation in union activities (Brazil), community activities and
meetings (USA, Nigeria, El Salvador), elections and local
associations (Kenya), and voting (Turkey). As a tool, literacy has
the potential to meet people's most vital needs and to stimulate
social, cultural, political and economic participation, especially on
the part of disadvantaged groups.” 6 The focus on education for
women continued during the 1990s, and the results of various
studies showed that investment in this area gave the highest
'output' (compared to earlier development investments focusing
primarily on production and industrial growth) both at socio-
economic, cultural and political levels.
The Union Government of India has made several efforts to
combat adult illiteracy since independence. Despite those efforts,
in 2001 the national female literacy remained low, at only 53.67
percent as against the male literacy rate of 75.3 percent. 7
Indeed, female literacy is even lower in rural areas at only 46.1
percent; and within this sub-population there are even fewer
literate Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) women
(with literacy rates of 41.9 percent and 34.76 percent respectively).
8
There could be a number of reasons for this dismal scenario,
social discrimination and economic exploitation against the girl-
child by families being predominant among them.
The National Policy on Education (1986) was a landmark policy in
the field of women's education as it recognised that mere
infrastructural improvement does not adequately address the issue
of women's marginalization. The policy statement 'education will
be used as an agent of basic change in the status of women 9
gave birth to this vibrant programme of action that encourages
women to question rather than accept. Mahila Samakhya is an
educational programme for women's equality which recognizes the
existing knowledge of women and bases all its initiatives on the
experience and skills of women.
Mahila Samakhya (MS) and its Guiding
Principles
The essence of MS is its ability to create an enabling environment
that allows women to understand the disabling circumstances
5 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Article 13
http://www2.ohchr.org/English/law/cescr.htm (downloaded on 07-07-2010).
6 Education for All Global Monitoring Report, 2006:136.
7 National Literacy Mission website: URL - http://www.nlm.nic.in/literacy01_nlm.htm (downloaded
on 02-07-2010), based on census data.
37
faced by them, analyse the causes through the exercise of critical
thinking, move forward through an organized effort towards the
betterment of their condition and participate in the process of
development. Thus, challenging the traditional welfare approach
in which the women were passive recipients of kindness and
charity, MS ensures that the emphasis is on women recognizing
their rights, and demanding fulfilment of those rights through
active participation in the socio-economic activities of the family
and society. The process, therefore, makes women identify their
needs first. (Figure 3.1)
Figure 3.1: Locating Literacy within the Mahila
Samakhya Programme
Understanding
Situation Critical
of facts (cause of
Analysis thinking
deprivation)
Demand for skill
Demand for Prioritization
development
right fulfillment of needs
(Literacy training)
MS then provides the opportunity where women can acquire the
necessary skills that enable them to address those needs.
Eventually the skills acquired empowers women to take part in
many forms of truly independent activities ranging from taking
charge of her own life, to collective actions of resistance and
protest, to community building. Thus empowered, women are able
to challenge the current structures of power in the social order.
This is also indicative of a paradigm shift from the prevalent notion
of economic empowerment being the principal strategy of
women's empowerment.
The Adult literacy programme of MS, therefore, begins when
empowered women articulate their need for skills development to
further enhance their capabilities. Literacy in MS occupies a central
position in the entire programme and the MS approach to literacy is
not restricted to basic literacy and numeracy alone, it includes legal
literacy, panchayat literacy, health awareness, life-skills, livelihood
training, and the building of many more skills, thereby going beyond
the cursory definition of literacy (see Figure 3.2).
Nationally, in 2009-10, MS trained about 1,91,170 women were
trained in literacy skills with the states having the highest
numbers being Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Assam (see Chart 3.1)
8 National Literacy Mission website: URL - http://www.nlm.nic.in/literacy01_nlm.htm (downloaded
on 02-07-2010).
9 Kameshwari Jandhyala : Empowering education: the Mahila Samakhya experience, p. 3
(URL - http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001467/146780e.pdf ).
T H E A D U LT L I T E R A C Y P R O G R A M M E

Figure 3.2: Centrality of Literacy in MS

Demand for skill development

Literacy training

Academic Pursuits Economic Literacy Legal Literacy Increased health Panchayat Literacy
awareness

Mothers become
more conscious for
their children’s
SHG, Individual
education which
business, collective Nari Adalat, Sanjivani Kendra, Data Exhibition,
resulted in continuing
business, livelihood Pressure group, Cultivating Panchayat
education
training and Counseling Centre medicinal herbs participation
(mainstreaming
programme
through MSK or
NIOS) and vocational
training

Demanding
educational facilities
for children especially Access to
girls, effective Economic
Increased government
independence of Reduction in
intervention and awareness about programs,
women, improved domestic and
monitoring in schools health and hygiene, developmental
financial position of societal violence
(regularity of teachers reproductive health activity of the
and quality of the family
village
teaching, MDM, VEC,
SMC)

A woman empowered through these various activities of the sangha has now developed the ability to take charge of her own life: she can
protest against domestic violence and injustice, has acquired the necessary knowledge to cater to the educational and health needs of her
children and family, supplement the family income by participating in some kind of income generating initiative of her choice, intervene in
crucial family dealings such as preventing child-marriage, family business; and together with others (in a collective) plays a much bigger
role in the community: fight social evils such as alcoholism, trafficking and ensure effective implementation of regular functioning of village
institutions such as schools, Panchayati Raj Institutions.

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T H E A D U LT L I T E R A C Y P R O G R A M M E
Chart 3.1: Women Trained in ALP across
India by MS States
Uttrakhand 3,893
Uttar Pradesh 47,315
Kerala 2,660
Karnataka 4,298
States
Jharkhand 3,437
Gujarat 9,824
Bihar
Assam 40,627
Andhra Pradesh 6,931
0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000
Number of women
Methodology
The literacy programme of Mahila Samakhya was studied in detail
in Assam and some special aspects of the programme were
studied in Uttarakhand. The study was conducted in phases
during December 2009, April 2010, and June 2010. Findings were
based on field interviews using a case-study approach and
qualitative and quantitative data provided by the state and district
offices of Dhubri and Goalpara in Assam, and Nainital in
Uttarakhand covering a total of four villages. Respondents from
six districts in Assam and two districts in Uttarakhand were
interviewed in focus group discussions, as well as individually in
structured interviews and informal discussions. This resulted in a
total of 45 adult learners and neo-literate women, three Gayatris
(volunteers conducting adult literacy classes), 31 MS staff and 20
external stakeholders.
Mention must be made here that certain populations studied are
speakers of languages other than Assamese, the official state
language which the ALP programme uses. For instance, while the
predominant population of Dhubri are Bengali speaking Muslims;
the project area of Goalpara is dominated by the Rabha speaking
Scheduled Tribes. Although Bengali is closer to Assamese (both
belong to the same language family), the Rabha language belongs
to an entirely different language family and therefore is much more
distant from standard Assamese. Rabha speakers also find it to
difficult to pronounce Assamese words. 10 These factors impact on
the success rate of the neo-learners.
The limitations of this study include time spent in each field site
(three days per district) at a given point of time which does not
allow for longitudinal analysis. The choice of site visited, the
oldest districts, deliberately included only examples of outstanding
performance where the programme was both mature and deep
10 Interview with Gayatri, Ms Urvashi Rabha 24-4-2010.
rooted. The impact of the programme in these areas was
therefore much higher than is representative of the state or
country, but is illustrative of the ideal that the programme
elsewhere can aspire to. However, it must be mentioned here
that these two districts continue to use the three-part primer
produced in 2003 by the State Literacy Mission Authority (SLMA)
whereas the new districts are using the consolidated yet simpler
version of the primer (published by SLMA in 2008). Other
limitations are inherent in all in-depth qualitative studies; this case
study cannot claim to provide full coverage of the practice in all its
72,185
diversity, but rather aims to give insights into how the programme
works at its best, thus bringing both benefits and challenges into
visibility through real-life examples, and helping to guide future
expansion of the programme.
The Conceptual Underpinnings of ALP
within MS
Mahila Samakhya begins by creating a space for women where
they meet their peers on equal terms. The women's collectives
(sanghas) formed as the first step towards the realization of this
goal provide women with collective strength, thereby enabling
them to insist on their rights and sustain the process of social
change. Thus, a sangha is formed in each MS village and
becomes the nerve-centre of MS activities. An empowered
sangha thereafter sets its own agenda - an essential point in the
underlying philosophy of MS. Therefore, literacy is arranged by
MS only when women articulate their demand for it.
Demand from Below: 'In the beginning, the women did not see any
need for literacy, as they were more concerned with issues of
survival, such as drinking water, rations, minimum wages,
violence, and so on. Once the sanghas started taking shape,
there was a demand for information relating to these issues and
the need for literacy began emerging.' 11 This was directly linked to
the fact that an individual woman is not in a position to protest
against injustice, and insist on her rights. The support of a larger
voice is imperative and collectivization of women in sanghas and
federations provides the enabling environment for them to take
joint action to access resources, protest against injustice,
participate in developmental activities and thereby contribute to the
process of social change. In this manner, literacy as a tool is, in
fact, the carrier of the overall MS philosophy.
Non-signature Based: Another point of departure of the MS-run
literacy programme is its insistence on 'non-signature-oriented'
learning. MS was already aware of the problems women faced
with signature-oriented literacy programmes and instead
consciously designed a programme based on the inherent
11 Dr. Deepa Das- Attaining the MDGs in India: The role of public policy and service delivery.
2004: p. 9.
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T H E A D U LT L I T E R A C Y P R O G R A M M E
knowledge of women. Rural women from poor and marginalized
families are not 'uneducated' per se; they are merely 'illiterate'. 12
Hence, literacy efforts by MS always ensure that the process is,
first and foremost, empowering for women who can, as a result,
participate meaningfully and take up leadership roles in local self-
governance, and in the development of local institutions and
initiatives.
Women study using the primers in Dhubri district of Assam
Building on women's knowledge and skills: Instead of employing
a qualified teacher, MS entrusts the responsibility of literacy
classes to sangha women (Gayatris in Assam, anudesikas in
Uttarakhand). If no sangha woman is available to take up this
role, MS usually selects an educated woman (even an adolescent
girl) from the same village to conduct literacy classes. This
ensures greater access, better understanding of the life-situation
of women, and thereby easy communication between teacher
and learner.
Tailoring the programme for relevance to women's lives:
According to Anita Dighe 'many literacy programmes have failed
as they emphasized only academic requirements and were
unconnected to the daily lives of women. Women generally start
attending literacy classes with great enthusiasm, but stop after a
while as they see no connection or contribution to the
predicament they face in their daily lives.' 13 This is due to the fact
that planners and policy makers are often not aware of how to
make the connection between the literacy and survival needs of
women. This is where the MS literacy model makes a major
breakthrough by creating the environment where literacy is
demanded, thereby providing the opportunity to acquire the skill.
The programme is not designed through a standardized 'one size
fits all' package, but instead through a 'custom-made' model
tailored for each particular region. This is exemplified by MS
12 Interview with Ms Gita Gairola,SPD, Uttarakhand 7th June, 2010.
13 Interview with Prof Anita Dighe Member of State Resource Group, Uttarakhand, and Member
of National Review Mission, 17th June,2010.
40
Assam in allowing women to decide the course design of the
literacy programme where women's concerns and problems as
articulated by them have been the starting point of the
programme. MS then plays a facilitative, rather than a directive
role. 14 Thus, contrary to standard adult-learning paradigms, MS
organized literacy classes in Morigaon district in Assam using the
text-books of primary school, directed by women's felt needs.
“One centre at Morigaon was being run at a school. On one side
of the school, I could see the children reading their lessons out
loud. On the other side, adult women learners were busy writing
what the children were reading out loud such was the motivation
level of those adult learners!” says Gita Rani Bhattacharya, State
Programme Director, AMSS. Since the use of textbooks does not
fall within the purview of the standard adult-learning pedagogy,
eventually AMSS switched to using the state primer.
While some states develop their own literacy primer based on the
needs assessment done by MS (such as Uttarakhand), other
states use the primers developed by the Department of Adult
Education (such as Assam and Karnataka). The SLMA state
primer includes life-skills. Thus a life-skill imparted through
sangha training gets reinforced when it is repeated through the
literacy primer also. An internal review of the programme
conducted in Uttarakhand revealed low success rates and a
subsequent redesign tailored to women's needs (Box 3.1). 15 In
Tailoring the Curriculum to Women’s
Box 3.1:
Needs, MS Uttarakhand
Despite being part of the MS literacy programme since its
inception (1989), in 2006 it was found that only 25 members
out of 95 members of a sangha in Tehri district could sign
their names in the sangha register. An internal review
followed in 2007 which surfaced some methodological
problems, including outdated modules not standardized
across districts, with many reverting back to a ‘signature-
mode’ programme. MS staff also discussed various core
issues such as the distinction between education and
literacy. Eventually, the new modules were developed by all
functionaries together keeping in view:
The amount of time a poor woman can devote to pursue
literacy: In response, a 40-day module was designed
divided into four units (each over a period of ten days)
Content Requirements – the varnamala (alphabet system)
was analyzed to identify frequently used letters instead of
universal teaching of all letters. Lessons were then
designed using only frequently used letters of the alphabet.
14 Kameshwari Jandhyala: Empowering Education: the Mahila Samakhya experience
(URL http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001467/146780e.pdf ).
15 Interview with Ms Gita Gairola, SPD, Uttarakhand, June 2010.
T H E A D U LT L I T E R A C Y P R O G R A M M E

ten day camp for sangha women. These are non-residential

Adult-learning methodology was used where the whole-
camps held at the village with nearly 50 learners. The objective
word approach replaced the alphabet method which is
of this camp is to teach women the alphabet, how to read and
typically used for children The modules, thus developed,
sign their name, and the content of the first primer (Asom Kiran I).
were field-tested and six months later, collectively analyzed.
The timing of the camp is chosen according to the convenience of
A set of four exercise books were then introduced. Since
the women. During those ten days, the women attend the camp
2008 this uniform module is being used in all six MS
for three to four hours daily to receive literacy training. Use of
districts of Uttarakhand for the literacy camp.
motivational songs indicating the importance of education and
Source: Interview with Ms Gita Gairola, SPD, Uttarakhand, 7 June, 2010.
empowerment is a strategy followed throughout the camp.

addition, MS always uses various case stories from sangha

An advocacy meeting is held with the sangha women especially
women's experiences to highlight the importance of literacy.
those interested to join the literacy camp prior to the actual camp.
In this meeting, with the help of MS, the sangha identifies a
Instead of following a rigid time-frame, the MS literacy
volunteer (known as a Gayatri, a name chosen on the basis of the
programme is flexible, not only in terms of the timing of the
classes but also in terms of the total duration of the course. In
most places, it follows the agrarian calendar and ensures that
women are able to attend literacy classes (which include the
camp and regular classes) during their lean season. Thus, a
three month course (designed by the State Literacy Mission
Authority) is often spread over six months by the Assam Mahila
Samata Society (AMSS); or a 40 day module developed by MS
Uttarakhand (divided into 4 ten-day units) can be spaced out over
a period of six to seven months. The first Joint Review Mission
reports visiting a literacy centre for tribal women in Sabarkantha
district of Gujarat that functioned between 9 pm and 11 pm every
night when women had free time.16

Literacy programme in Assam
AMSS held reflection sessions with women during the initial
mobilization period about the root cause of marginality. Women
came to the conclusion that literacy was the key to accessing
economic and health facilities. Illiteracy was identified by women
as the main barrier in their lives causing innumerable difficulties:
(i) mothers of school-going children expressed their inability to
help children with their homework in Morigaon district, (ii) sangha
women from Dhubri district wanted to understand their financial
situation in order to trust each other, which meant that they
needed numeracy skills, (iii) women were unable to access
government schemes and programmes . The need to network
and liaison with village institutions increased the motivation for
literacy amongst sangha women. Although the reasons for
literacy varied in different districts, the demand for it from sangha
women was universal.
Description of the practice
AMSS has adopted a two-pronged approach to impart the literacy
training:
Literacy camps : The first phase of the literacy drive begins with a
Women participating in a literacy camp in Goalpara district of Assam
Gayatri Mantra a symbol of knowledge) who would carry forward
the literacy activities. The Gayatris, generally sangha members
and residents of the same village who understand the situation of
women, are usually better equipped to deal with learners. Once
selected, the Gayatris undergo rigorous training conducted in
three phases - Adult-learning methodology, use of Primers, and
MS philosophy. In addition to that, various supporting material
such as relevant case stories, songs and other material are
provided to them. Discussions are held about how these
materials should be utilised during the literacy classes. At the
end of this, each Gayatri takes charge of ten learners, starts
regular classes and follows up the progress of each learner.
Additional support is provided to the Gayatris during field visits by
MS staff.
Jagrity Kendras: These centres are located in each para or
locality of a village. In the beginning, all learners from a particular
sangha used to have their literacy classes at the same time
where each Gayatri supervised the learning of ten women.
However, this led to a large number of drop-outs. So, each

16 Aide Memoire: First Joint Review Mission of Mahila Samakhya, 2008: p.80.

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T H E A D U LT L I T E R A C Y P R O G R A M M E
Gayatri training on primer in Goalpara
Gayatri was allowed to conduct literacy classes in her locality
according to the convenience of the learners. This has lowered
the drop-out rate. In some villages all learners from different
Jagrity Kendras meet once a month to interact and share their
experience. While the ideal situation would be for one Gayatri to
teach ten women, it is often difficult and impractical to find literate
women in the village hence one Gayatri teaches an average of 20
women. The first task of the Gayatri is to monitor the progress of
each learner through house-visits after they complete the camp.
The teaching of each primer begins after evaluating whether the
previous one has been completely assimilated. Generally, AMSS
allows a gap of one month after the completion of each primer.
Additionally motivational songs, games and case stories are used
to demonstrate the ill-effects of illiteracy. The Jagrity Kendra is
closed down once its objective is reached. For example, in
Goalpara district alone, 59 such centres were closed down after
ensuring that there are no illiterate women in those sanghas.
The open-door policy of AMSS which encourages women of all
classes to join the sangha has made it easier to locate a Gayatri.
This policy has other benefits. Not only are they ready to take up
the task of teaching sangha women in their own village, they are
often willing to travel to neighbouring villages as well, to conduct
literacy classes.
Ghose in her study on Gender, Literacy and Women's
Empowerment in India finds that “not having regular access to
reading material has serious consequences with newly literate
populations quickly relapsing into illiteracy.” 17 Suitable reading
material is not available for neo-literates which tends to de-
motivate their further learning. To prevent this, AMSS has built in
a significant innovation in the form of neo-literate melas 18.
Depending on the number of neo-learners, these melas or
gatherings are organized either at the panchayat or block levels.
AMSS organizes competitions through songs, poems, quizzes,
17 Malini Ghosh: Gender, Literacy and Women's Empowerment in India.
http://www.icae.org.uy/eng/icaeconfinteaseminar.html (downloaded on 2-07-2010).
18 A mela is a village fair or gathering.
42
extempore speaking and debates which help learners exhibit their
newly acquired knowledge and thus keep their motivation levels
high. The mela also functions as a platform for interaction
between neo-literates from different villages.
On the insistence of sangha women, MS started conducting
examinations for adult learners. This became a ceremonial event
for women: they would perform Saraswati 19 puja on the day of the
examination and come dressed in their best. The family
members would take extra care and send them by cycle-
rickshaws on the day of the examination. At times, the husbands
would drop them on their bicycles, a distance generally travelled
on foot. Otherwise used to being neglected by their families,
women enjoyed this extra attention on that special day! One
sangha woman mentioned that her husband even bought her a
pack of 'Fair and Lovely' cream because she would be meeting
many people while appearing for the examination. Falani Bibi of
Dhubri district said “It gives me great pleasure that even at this
age I am indeed able to write exams.” In the past AMSS was not
authorised to offer certificates to successful candidates, hence
women were unable to apply for jobs which required certification.
However, the certification process is now being instituted in
collaboration with the National Institute of Open Schooling.
Growth of the programme over the years
The AMSS started its work in Darrang, Dhubri and Morigaon
districts in 1996, spreading to six more districts 20 in subsequent
years. The numbers of Kendras and women trained in them have
almost tripled in the last five years growing from 767 in 2005 to
2,189 till March 2010 (Chart 3.2).
The total number of women trained by these centres in these
Chart 3.2: Growth of Jagrithy Kendras (2005 – 2010)
2500
2189
2000 1934
1500 1370
1210
1019
1000 767
500
0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
19 Saraswati Goddess of Learning in Hindu Religion.
20 Goalpara, Sonitpur, Naogaon, Udalgiri, Dhemaji and Tinsukia Districts.
T H E A D U LT L I T E R A C Y P R O G R A M M E

sangha/mahasangha members to assess performance, it was

Chart 3.3: Percentage Growth of Jagrity Kendras initially used only by MS functionaries of all levels from the
and women trained (2006 – 2009)
Sahayoginis to the State Programme Director during the field
80 75 visits. As the role of sahayoginis changed over the years and the
70 sangha's capacities increased, the responsibility for regular
60 monitoring was taken over by sangha and federation members.
50 45 MS monitoring focus then changed to ensure that the MS
41
40 33 philosophy is retained throughout the process.
30
20 19 17
13
10 2
0
-10
2006 2007 2008 2009
Women trained in Jagrity Kendras Year Jagrity Kendras

years was 60,389 with a growing demand from women for literacy
training over the years (See Annexure 3.1). Consequently both
the number of centres (growing at an average rate of 25 percent
over the last five years) and women trained by them have grown.
The highest growth rates of centres (41 percent) and learners (75
percent) were seen in 2009 (Chart 3.3). 21

Tracking Progress of the ALP
The literacy programme itself is monitored through the State
Resource Centre and the Neo-literate melas, where learners are
evaluated on their performance through songs, poems, quizzes,
debates and other competitions. Besides, MS ascertains the
quality of education imparted to the women learners through the
melas held. The melas help the sanghas track and survey the
number of literate women over time. The changes in their
personalities and the immediate environment are perceptible in
these melas as the women are able to recount their experiences
and their journey from illiteracy to literacy. These, and the
examinations, are the means by which content and quality of the
Teaching-Learning Material (TLM) are assessed and further
improved. The examinations, while they are ceremonial rather
than compulsory, also serve as a supplementary evaluation
mechanism which emerged from a demand by the women
themselves. Additionally the Gayatri assesses the performance
of each learner with the help of the evaluation sheet that is
included in the primer. In some places the neo-literates from the
sangha are not satisfied with having attained literacy themselves
or having helped other sangha members acquire literacy. They
are equally concerned about eradicating illiteracy among women
all over the village. As a result, they spontaneously spread
awareness on the need for literacy.
Although MS developed a monitoring format together with the
Women participating in second primer Jagrity Kendra evaluation
There are clear time-frames during which a learner is expected to
complete any given primer. If learners are unable to meet this
deadline, MS staff probes the reasons. Sometimes the learner
might not be able to complete the primer due to the incompetence
of the Gayatri . In such cases, the Gayatri might be changed after
review or is further trained to improve her competency levels.
The problems regarding the Gayatri are discussed at sangha
meetings. If the Gayatri is good, more than 50 percent of learners
perform well, but when her performance is average, the impact on
the class is perceptible with most learners performing badly in the
primers.
Certification Process
The ALP in Uttrakhand has a longer history of certification than
the other states, while certification in Assam is just beginning.
State primers are not used by MS Uttarakhand, which instead has
collaborated with the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)
to certify women. The NIOS collaboration is seen as an important
milestone by MS Uttarakhand as it opened up access to
employment, for women (See Box 3.2). In interviews with ALP
participants in Uttarakhand, the certification process which
extends over three years has just begun and several 22 reported
waiting for their OBE results. Subsequently they expect to apply
for employment as ASHA workers, ICDS workers or for other

21 Figures for the year 2010 includes figures up to March. The field work was conducted in April. 22 Interviews with Jalni Devi (Tehri), Urmila Devi (Nainital, Munni Nayal (Nainital) and sangha
women, June 7-19, 2010.

43
T H E A D U LT L I T E R A C Y P R O G R A M M E
Certification Process of the National
Box 3.2:
Institute of Open Schooling for Adults:
A pioneering intervention in the ALP programme of MS
Uttarakhand is its association with the National Institute of
Open Schooling (NIOS) and enrollment of sangha women
in the Open Basic Education (OBE) programme, the adult
learning component of NIOS. Participants of OBE can
appear for national examinations conducted at three levels:
A level: equivalent to class III
B level: equivalent to class V
C level: equivalent to class VIII
Thus, MS Uttarakhand now offers a 40-day literacy camp
in the first year, and a bridge course to enable women
write the OBE in the second, third and fourth year for the
three successive levels. Certification, provided by NIOS,
enables women to apply for jobs such as workers and
helpers in ICDS program, ASHA, or Anudesika (teacher in
the adult literacy program).
Source: Website of National Institute of Open Schooling (link
http://www.nios.ac.in/obe.htm)
jobs. The programme itself has been tailored to women's needs
based on a critical review by the learners and through MS
monitoring its success rates. For the OBE examination, MS has
developed a simplified curriculum for the bridge course using
school text-books of classes III, V and VIII, instead of the
curriculum designed by the Adult Literacy Department, found to
be too complex for neo-literates. MS functionaries also prepare
the question papers and evaluate the answer-scripts.
Mahila Samakhya in Andhra Pradesh (APMSS) has also
developed linkages with the AP Open School and many sangha
women are now appearing for exams through them. However,
the primary reason for acquiring certificates here is to avail of
bank loans rather than for jobs, as their creditworthiness
increases with banks.23
A major drawback in Assam was the lack of certification and
linkage with any government programme like OBE. Today, the
relaxation in NIOS policy has made it possible for women in
Assam to appear for the OBE exam in vernacular language. In
August 2010 a total of 1754 women appeared for the A level of
OBE. The State Resource Centre is entrusted with the
responsibility of organizing the OBE. It has started operating in
three districts of Assam Darrang, Sonitpur, and Dhemaji - on a
pilot basis. Later, the facility will be expanded to other districts
too. This would be a big milestone, and definitely boost the
23 Interview with Ms Prasanti, SPD, Andhra Pradesh 13 August, 2010.
44
morale of the sangha women who took part in the ALP.
Impact of ALP
Literacy has become a precious asset to the women and the
primary impact of the programme is that of poor women attaining
literacy. The ALP has resulted in more than 60,000 women
becoming literate (Annexure 3.1). For every 100 women going
through the ALP, at least 80 of them emerge functionally literate
.24 Nonetheless, the programme has a much greater impact as it
instills confidence and a sense of well being in women, leading to
an overall empowerment of the individual, a prerequisite for
Box 3.3: Sangha Women Becoming Motivated to
Read
Hafeeza Begum was married early to a school teacher; and
was the only person in the family who could not read or
write. However, as she looked back, she realized that she
was always inclined to read and write but had no
opportunity to fulfil her dreams. After attending the Jagrity
Kendra, she learnt basic reading and writing skills, and says
it is only now that she has realized the value of pen and
paper. She even feels that her health has improved after
becoming literate. Narrating one of the incidents that mark
her journey to literacy she says that “There was a time
when I couldn't read a letter delivered by the postman.
Other people could read and I couldn't, which used to be
embarrassing. Now I receive official letters as a VEC
member which made me realize the value of literacy and I
am proud to be able to read and write.” Komela Khatun, a
neo-literate, became the president of her sangha. She is
extremely confident and the source of that confidence is her
newly acquired ability to read and write. As a result she has
been able to deal with legal issues, monitors school
attendance and also conducts extra classes for small
children during the summer vacation. Bijuli Meth of
Morigaon, also a neo-literate, is constantly motivating the
children of her neighborhood and helping them with their
studies. She helps in enrolment drives in schools. This
work with children becomes a two-way process where she
uses this opportunity to stay in touch with what she has
learnt earlier and also results in making some of those
children more active at school.
Source: Interview with participants, April 2010.
collective action. Benefits of literacy for individual women have
spilled over to their families and communities (Box 3.3). The
second Joint Review Mission reports that 'across all states,
24 Participants completing both Primer (Asom Kiran I, II & III) and non-primer (text-books of classes I
and II earlier used in the older districts) are considered as successful participants by AMSS.
T H E A D U LT L I T E R A C Y P R O G R A M M E

impact of basic literacy (except for Kerala where illiteracy is not
an issue) has been critical to an increase in their awareness, self-
worth, and confidence. A very promising by-product of women's
increasing literacy rates is that many of them have begun to send
their own daughters to school. For example in Uttar Pradesh,
women in some villages have ensured 100% enrollment of girl
children, with no more child marriages'.25
Impact on the Lives of Women
Women emerging from the ALP have been found to be able to
read, write, sign their names, and calculate using basic arithmetic
functions. The first JRM report mentions that impact evaluation
conducted by an independent agency in Dhubri district found that
female literacy almost doubled in MS areas of the district, as high
as 61 percent compared to 36 percent observed elsewhere in the
same district. 26
The second most important impact was the pride and confidence
that resulted from becoming literate and the growing motivation to
learn among the women themselves (Box 3.4) . Women are also
helping and motivating other members of the community to learn.
Another significant impact has been on mobility where a number
of women reported being able to move out of their homes as they
can now read bus numbers and sign boards. One woman even
asks men to vacate bus seats as she can now identify that these
seats are reserved for women. 27
Women have an increased voice and capacity to negotiate with
officials. In participant observation sessions, federation women
from Rupsi block (Dhubri district), many of whom were ALP
participants, were seen at the office of the District Collector with
an application for flood relief (the initiative was entirely led by the
women, who came prepared with duplicate copies of the
application). They were aware of the timing when they could
meet him, and also knew that they needed two copies of the
application, one to submit, and one to get him to acknowledge.

Box 3.4: Continuing Education

I was young and liked reading and writing but could only
study till the 5th standard. My elder brother used to study in
school but ran away after finishing his studies. My family
felt that if a boy can run off after schooling so can a girl and
I was forced to leave school. I was married at the age of 15
and my husband was illiterate. I took midwifery training in
1977 but couldn't succeed as I was not educated. I lost
hope at that point of time.
Initially, MS workers tried to persuade us to attend meetings
but we would avoid them. Gradually we got to know each
other and realized that there were other women like us. I
was not very keen on restarting my education but MS Sangha women outside DC office in Dhubri with their copies of application

functionaries motivated me and even filled the application Women also have an increased capacity to articulate their
form for me. I took the bridge course and passed the 8th demands with institutions and a sense of empowerment in doing
standard exam through the OBE in 2009. I appeared for so (Box 3.4).
the exam in order to inspire young people in the village. I
used to study on my own. I had forgotten basic arithmetic. Economic Benefits Ensuing From Literacy
I didn't know English at all. But after associating with MS I
Being able to open and operate bank accounts, helping in family
learnt to read English alphabets. In the meetings
businesses, accessing schemes because of their new-found
conducted by MS, issues related to education, panchayat
ability to apply and fill in the forms, the additional benefit of not
and information on MGNREGA was discussed, which
having to pay for tuitions are just some of the economic benefits
helped me a lot. Earlier in the meetings I was shy but now I
that this newly acquired literacy provides. This capacity earns
am able to move out and put my point across to the people.
them further respect from their families. In Uttarakhand because
Somehow, I brought up my daughter and got her educated.
of certification the larger impact of the ALP has been on
Many people want to read and write and after the ALP, I
increasing access to employment (Box 3.5).
help them. I now like to read stories and religious books
like Bhagwad Geeta.
Bank loans are more easily available to women who are literate
Umedi Devi, a federation member from Nainital District.
as reported in Andhra Pradesh and Assam. Hiranmoyi Devi, a

25 Aide Memoire: Second Joint Review Mission, Mahila Samakhya 2009, p. 20. 27 Focus group discussion with 17 women in Goalpara district and 20 women in Dhubri District,
26 Aide Memoire: First Joint Review Mission, Mahila Samakhya 2008, p. 41. Assam, April, 2010.

45
T H E A D U LT L I T E R A C Y P R O G R A M M E
Box 3.5: Education for Empowerment
Munni Nayal from Nainital District, did not have land,
worked as a daily labourer, and was often cheated by her
employer. She was fighting a case to get her share of the
property but found it difficult to understand court
proceedings. Today she says, “I feel empowered and can
read proceedings of the courts and express myself vocally.”
After earning her certificate, the Janshikshan Sansthan, an
NGO that conducts open board exams, hired her as a
trainer in the village for literacy programme and she has
also worked in NPEGEL as vocational trainer of knitting.
Source: Interview with Munni Nayal, June 2010
neo-literate from Goalpara district, Assam, could take advantage
of this increased credit worthiness creditworthiness after going
through vocational training. Now she has a poultry-farm, keeps
her own accounts and has earned 6,000 rupees in six months.
She feels empowered and added that she is very interested to
learn more. Literacy has helped Faziron Naessa of Dhubri in her
own business. She says that she has been involved in
manufacturing of home-based products and in the distribution of
dairy products for a long time. But after becoming literate she
has become astute in her dealings as a salesperson, and says
that now no one can cheat her. For these women, multiple
economic benefits ensue from becoming literate.
Relevance of the Jagrity Kendra to Women's Daily
Lives
A distinguishing feature of the Jagrity Kendras, unlike other adult
literacy programmes, has been the relevance of the learning for
women in their daily lives. Before the ALP many women felt
ashamed or helpless when their children asked for help. Now
they can teach their children and some feel they do not need to
send them outside for tuition. In some instances women have
even been able to apply their skills to help their husbands in their
businesses (Box 3.6).
The relevance of the literacy programme extends into multiple
spheres of their lives. Many new avenues have opened up to
women such as being able to cast a vote, apply for programmes,
monitor the books and accounts of local institutions, run their
sanghas and federations, manage businesses, negotiate and
lobby with government agencies, and write proposals, to name
just a few.
The relevance of the programme is evident in the steadily
increasing demand for literacy from sanghas. Mature sanghas
now understand that illiteracy itself is a social evil. Najima Bibi
28 Focus group discussion with 17 women in Goalpara district, Assam, April, 2010.
46
Box 3.6: Teaching Husbands
My parents put me in school, but I neglected my studies. In
fact I always teased my younger siblings whenever I saw
them struggling with their school work. I got married by the
time I was 14-15. My husband was illiterate too. I joined
the Sangha out of curiosity, and that definitely opened my
eyes. I understood what we need to do to make any
progress in life. In fact I also understood that it is not
enough for only the men to work; it is necessary that
husband and wife are able to discuss various issues,
especially family business. My husband runs a ration shop
which has a kerosene supply franchise. After I have learned
from Jagrity Kendra, I noticed that he had been entering the
serial number, name, quantity of kerosene purchased by
each customer in the book in the wrong order. Since then, I
have been teaching him how to read and write.
Source: Interview with Romisha Bibi, Dhubri District, April 2010
(Darrang District) mentioned that after learning in the Jagrity
Kendra, she taught her whole family how to read and write.
Najima Bibi also asked government officials to change the literacy
status of her family.
Women described the ways in which the ALP is relevant in their
lives. 28 Women learn about the importance of breast feeding in
the primers. The third primer covers how to fill forms, write RTI
applications, write formal letters, and calculate bank interest rates
all of which women found extremely useful. One ALP participant
said that during the literacy camp she read an anecdote of a
woman who had overcome domestic abuse by her husband. Her
husband was an alcoholic, abusing his wife and making life hard
for her. The husband was turned out of the house after she
gained the courage to stand up for her rights. The participant
liked this story which she could relate to while other women
mentioned finding the reproductive health and child care issues in
the second primer useful. Thus the actual TLM itself had issues
which women could relate to or use while the sangha provided
the women the forum and opportunity to not only discuss but
actually use them.
Being embedded in mobilization strategies, the sanghas demand
literacy and the ALP responds by ensuring the curriculum is both
gender sensitive and responsive to their needs. The skills that
are imparted - from simple literacy and numeracy, to legal and
panchayat literacy, and life skills - all help women appreciate the
value of education. These features epitomize the higher retention
of rural women attending the ALP compared to conventional
literacy programmes.
T H E A D U LT L I T E R A C Y P R O G R A M M E
Once they attain functional literacy, i.e. are able to read books of
their choice, write and sign their names, read the signboards and
bus numbers, and manage their savings and bank accounts, they
feel their purpose has been served. One downside of this attitude
is the issue concerning retention and completion of the third level
of the programme which qualifies women as literate from an
official standpoint. For example, Sakina Bibi of Dhubri runs a
tailoring shop. She used to attend the Jagrity Kendra and
completed the first primer. After acquiring functional literacy, she
developed her own system of managing her business by writing
“L” for length, “B” for breadth. Since the programme has served
her purpose she says she never needed to complete the third
level. According to her “If I can manage with what I learned, why
should I learn more? I do not want to be overburdened.” This
problem is accentuated by the higher difficulty level of the third
primer, which needs simplification.
On the other hand, even after completing the three primers, some
women expressed a desire to continue with education, especially
to take follow-up courses which provide more detailed inputs on
proper filing of Right to Information applications, lodging of First
Information Reports with the police, information on government
programmes as well as learning new languages such as Hindi
and English.
Impact on Society
The combined impact of the sanghas and the literacy initiative
has resulted in women being better able to embark upon
Women have become functionally literate by attending ALP
struggles and campaigns on social issues such as child marriage
and education. Through the sangha, women were taking on
these issues but through the literacy initiative they are able to
tackle the issues at higher levels by checking documents, filing
applications and monitoring local institutions. They are able
influence larger processes such as methods of functioning in
government adult education programmes.
29 Focus Group Discussion, Dhubri District, Assam, April, 2010.
47
Tackling social issues
Women because they are collectivized also gain a voice in the
development of their villages. With the added benefit of literacy,
now sangha women can monitor the work of their local
governments and more easily address issues of corruption. The
added confidence from literacy training has enabled sangha
women to protest against social evils collectively in their
communities. For instance Keti Bibi (Dhubri District), 29 a sangha
woman and ALP participant, was once approached by a match
maker for her daughter who was 12 years old. The match maker
was proposing a payment of 50,000 rupees to get her daughter
married to a widower who was a father of two boys. She refused
the offer likening it to selling her daughter and threatened the
match maker with a good beating as a prize instead. Her
husband also supported her.
Many women now protest against child marriage not only in their
own families but also in the community, and also challenge
officials, if necessary. A girl studying in class VI eloped with a boy
from a village in Goalpara. Her mother was aware of their affair.
The sangha women protested about this child-marriage and sent
them to the Officer in Charge (OC) of the police station who
however, blessed the young couple and sent them back. The
sangha women marched to the police station and asked the OC
whether he would have reacted the same way if it was his own
daughter. He understood their point and took the necessary
steps. The boy was imprisoned for 3 months. After he was
released, the children again planned to elope. The sangha
women threatened, 'If you dare do that again, all of you will be
sent to jail.' Now, both of them are back studying in school.
The women pay particular additional attention to matters related
to education in their communities. In Khupsipara village of
Goalpara district, the teacher of the government school was very
irregular and used to come to school only once a month. Even on
the day he came, the teacher would just sign and leave. After
attending the JK, the women understood that this was a wrong
practice. They got the teacher transferred. There is a new
teacher in that school which is functional now and the children are
getting proper schooling.
Another significant social impact of the Jagrity Kendras is that it
has enhanced communal harmony: it brought women from Hindu
and Muslim families closer as they sit and attend classes
together. Critical thinking, questioning, demanding their rights
and public speaking abilities have improved and this is the main
distinguishing feature of the MS run Centres. Jagrity Kendra
members now handle many legal cases, especially disputes
between husbands and wives.
T H E A D U LT L I T E R A C Y P R O G R A M M E
Enhancing Leadership Capacities in Governance and
Monitoring Local Institutions
Through literacy and the additional respect it brings from the
community, sangha women are given opportunities to take on
more leadership roles and are also able to execute their functions
in these roles. Enhanced capacities in turn lead to further interest
and confidence in tackling issues related to local governance. The
capacity to read has helped women unearth issues of corruption
Empowered Women Can Hold
Box 3.7:
Institutions Accountable - Journey of a Neo-
literate Woman
Sibibala Rabha is a 39 year old widow from the Rabha
community in Goalpara district. Illiterate parents engaged
her to look after her siblings. In fact her parents threatened
to stop giving her food if she dared to go to school. She
was married at 18 to a literate person. She was unable to
read letters from her husband who was employed outside
her village. She had to pay someone to write a reply. She
could not read bus numbers and therefore, her mobility was
restricted. She used to follow the movement of the sun to
understand the time. She is a daily wage laborer engaged
in agricultural activities.
All this motivated her to join the Jagrity Kendra. As a sangha
member she takes part in all the sangha activities, runs a
savings group, and has worked towards arresting domestic
violence due to liquor consumption. Although she has
completed all the three primers in six months and scored
50% marks, she still cannot read the conjunct letters fluently,
and therefore wants to continue with the classes. But she is
happy she can read both the clock and bus numbers. After
learning at a Jagrity Kendra, she became a member of the
SMC. She has been a member for the last 6-7 years and
helps manage funds for the construction of the school
building. She has a job card and is earning 100 rupees per
day. She has even applied for the secretary's post where
she is involved in monitoring of MGNREGS work.
When the Anchalik panchayat made a fake bill of 100,00
rupees after doing work worth only 50,000 rupees, Sibibala
and the group caught them on this fraud. Upon being
confronted the Secretary of MGNREGA canceled the order
and gave the work to the women.
Source: Interview with Sibibala Rabha, Goalpara, April 2010.
and given them the confidence to challenge local officials and
redirect resources towards their rightful use (Box 3.7).
Another example of a strong woman leader is that of Faziron
30 Kirti Narayan Das, Adult Education Officer, Total Literacy Mission Goalpara district.
48
Naessa, Darrang District who joined the Jagrity Kendra at the
encouragement of her second husband. She completed all the
three primers, took the exam conducted by AMSS and passed.
She now holds a Jagrity Kendra certificate. After becoming
literate she has become a member of the congress committee at
the cluster level and the legal planning committee at the block
level. As a member of the legal core group she helps women
victims of domestic violence and alcohol abuse. She is also a
member of the SMC of a high school. As an SMC member she is
involved in monitoring and supervising school building
construction and repair work, toilet construction for girls as well as
the regularity of the teachers in the school. She said that
headmaster of the school had been non-functional but that now
he was working properly due to SMC intervention. The ALP has
enhanced women's leadership capacities where they are now
seen as competent enough to be placed on local committees.
For instance Hareshwari Deori of Darrang District has become a
role model and an epitome of leadership in her community and
her sangha. (Box 3.8)
Influencing Government Adult Education Programmes
Collaboration with the State Literacy Mission Authority (SLMA) in
2003 was a major milestone in developing the literacy program, in
Goalpara district. The SLMA developed a three-part primer
(Asom Kiron I, II, and III) and provided technical and training
support to the Gayatris. The success of Gayatris in imparting
literacy skills made the Total Literacy Campaign (working under
the aegis of National Literacy Mission) staff invite the Gayatris to
train them in their methods to better reach a grassroots audience
and have even incorporated their motivational songs in the TLC
learning cassettes. This illustrates the effectiveness of the
teaching methods in reaching this particular audience of adult
rural women to the point where even state agencies found it fit to
adopt these methods. According to a district official from the Total
Literacy Mission,30 “The Jagrity Kendras are running very well in
the district. The environment is very conducive for the women to
learn and be empowered through knowledge, which is necessary
for bringing the rural women into the folds of literacy.”
Challenges and Recommendations
The Jagrity Kendras are not without their share of problems. The
retention of learners is a constant challenge. Often women
drop out if they feel that the lessons learnt thus far are enough.
Most women complete primers I and II; and drop out at the time
of the third primer as the level of difficulty increases. However, an
interview with the State functionaries reveals 31 that this problem
has reduced in the newer districts where AMSS has introduced
the consolidated primer which is considerably easier. Introducing
this primer in all the districts will ensure that women are not
31 Interview and feedback from SPD, Ms Gitarani Bhattacharya, Oct, 2010.
T H E A D U LT L I T E R A C Y P R O G R A M M E
Box 3.8: Emerging Leaders
Being illiterate, Hareshwari Deori felt embarrassed to put her
thumb impression on the attendance sheet of the sangha
meetings. A particularly embarrassing moment for her entire
family was when they received a notice from the Revenue
Department which no one could read. This incident was a
horrible lesson for the family and no one opposed her when
she wanted to join the Jagrity Kendra.
Hareshwari can now write and read addresses, bus numbers
and sign boards, can travel alone, and is not afraid of
speaking in public; but she has many responsibilities in both
her personal and public life for which she feels she doesn't
have sufficient knowledge.
She is a leader of her community (Tiwa Autonomous Council)
at block level. She has been assigned a role of executive
member and as an EM she has to manage the administration
and distribution of funds which are given by the government
to the Tiwa community. She is also a member of a health
sub centre and is involved in the planning process of the
health sub centre. With this participation at various
government levels she has knowledge of funds allocated by
the government for them (Tiwa community) and it helps her to
understand the allocation of resources for her community.
She feels that she is a role model for other women of her
community most of whom are not so lucky as to have
received the literacy training. Therefore, she feels that she
has an added responsibility to teach illiterate women in her
community so as to further empower them.
Source: Interview with Hareshwari Deori , Guwahati, April 2010.
deprived of the valuable teaching points in terms of writing
applications, filling up forms and so on included in the third primer
still being used in some of the districts. Not completing this level
represents a missed opportunity in learning valuable life-skills.
The attrition of Gayatris is linked to superstition, witchcraft, and
suspicion of education where families of learners are suspicious
of the Gayatri especially if she happens to belong to another
religious community. Many Muslim men did not allow the women
of their families to attend ALP classes as they were afraid that
once literate, women would insist on adopting family planning
measures. Coupled with poor and conditional remuneration the
Gayatri has little motivation to continue. At present the Gayatris
receive a token remuneration for those learners who have
completed all three primers. This can demotivate the Gayatri as
she has put in her best efforts for all learners during primers I and
II as well. MS can consider making part-payment to the Gayatri
preferably after successful completion of each primer; if not,
definitely after the second primer. This way the Gayatri will stop
having a sense of deprivation and wasted efforts.
49
Problems due to difference between the dialect or language
spoken by the learners at home (or by the community) and the
standard language pose another challenge to learning. Most
tribal communities have their own language which is different
from the standard language of the state. Even if the Gayatri
speaks the same dialect or language as the learner, the absence
of primers in the local languages creates difficulties for the
learner, preventing her from acquiring basic skills. Although
AMSS has tried to address this issue, and the primer is now
available in Bengali, Hindi and Bodo languages in addition to
standard Assamese, these measures are still far from adequate
given the multi-lingual requirements of the state.
Relapse to illiteracy due to lack of follow-up activities and non-
availability of suitable reading materials is another problem.
Although neo-literate melas (in Assam) keep the motivational
level of women alive for some time, it is not enough to sustain the
reading-writing skill acquired at a mature age. Sangha women in
Goalpara district mentioned that they had to return the primers
after completing the course, and therefore could not practice
anything even if they wanted to. The women view the literacy
classes as a platform for bonding, and sharing with their peers
and at the same time a place for continuous learning. Many
expressed the need for reading material and the desire to read.
Many women also wanted to learn functional Hindi and English.
MS is still not in a position to address these demands by women.
It is to be noted that AMSS has developed a booklet for neo-
literates, 'Samajkhan anya ek dristire saon ahak', and the
newsletters published from the MS districts reserve a page where
they publish writings by the neo-literates. However, this is not
sufficient, given that the goal is to reach every learner.
Furthermore since supplementary reading material in the
vernacular specifically for adults is not easily available,
investment in creating or translating such materials can be a
value addition of the ALP. This would require an additional and
separate investment in the literacy initiative.
The changing world is constantly reshaping the requirements of
women. For increased relevance of the programme to keep pace
with ever evolving needs, on-going needs assessment, updating
the TLM and building capacity of the Gayatris would be important
investments needed on the part of MS. The demand from neo-
literate women from Assam is that the TLM be updated,
especially on government programmes, given the vital role that
this knowledge plays in their lives. However, lack of separate
funding for the literacy programme makes it difficult to meet the
demand for such follow-up. Women view the Gayatris in the role
of a mentor expecting her to advise them on new government
programmes, their children's education, and other family matters.
Since she is from the same village, she is easily accessible and is
T H E A D U LT L I T E R A C Y P R O G R A M M E
the crucial link between the sanghas and MS. Since the capacity
building of the Gayatri is limited to teaching methodology and use
of the primer, she is unable to fully meet these needs. MS can
easily help the Gayatris to tailor the programme further making it
more relevant to the needs on the ground. Proper induction of
Gayatris in MS philosophy is a must for them to be in sync with
the overall program-goal and understand the gender-perspective
embedded in the programme.
The lack of a separate budget for the literacy programme is
another constraint in smooth running of the programme. Literacy
being need-based in MS has required a significant amount of
mobilization that precedes literacy drives. Since sanghas are
now mobilized and the demand for literacy has increased
significantly, it is important at this point in the programme to
prioritize literacy and have a separate budgetary allocation for it.
Data (Annexure 3.1) indicates that over time, more women are
completing the literacy programme offered by AMSS. The
federation has taken the initiative to convert two blocks in
Goalpara district into Total Literate Blocks. Sangha members of
these two blocks carry out house visits and check the literacy
status of new brides of families in the village. If a new bride turns
out to be illiterate, they encourage her to join the Jagrity Kendra.
They monitor attendance and in some districts, sangha members
even impose a fine on absentee learners. Unlike motivational
campaigns organized by MS, the literacy programme requires
constant supply of stationery, teaching-learning materials,
curriculum development, translation, human resources, and even
the development of rural libraries.
Lessons Learnt and Conclusions
Despite various odds, the literacy programme in Assam has been
a tremendous success, mainly because of the strong will-power
and determination displayed by sangha women. They are willing
to attend literacy classes despite a whole range of challenges and
opposition, both at home and in the community. In Assam,
“Literacy is considered as criteria for leadership and 171 neo-
literates have been selected as sangha leaders.” 32
An important element in the success of the literacy programme is
that it is not a stand-alone practice of Mahila Samakhya, it is in
fact heavily interlinked with most sangha activities. This
programme does not specifically focus on any one aspect of
growth of participants, but seeks a more wide-reaching effect,
enabling their overall empowerment. Most women interviewed
asserted that the programme has certainly made a major
difference in their lives and after acquiring basic literacy and
numeracy, they feel better equipped to face the outside world.
32 Aide Memoire: Second Joint Review Mission, Mahila Samakhya, 2009: p. 20.
50
The result of the MS approach of holistic education instead of
mere literacy can be seen in various initiatives taken by the
sangha women, ranging from demand for educational
opportunities for children especially their daughters, increased
participation in panchayat activities, addressing violence against
women through the Nari Adalat, and other social issues such as
child marriage, trafficking, taking active roles in village institutions
as members of Village Education Committees and School
Management Committees, joining MS functionaries in running
MSKs, KGBVs, and Jagjagi Kendras, health initiatives and many
more. Literacy training has made their efforts that much stronger.
The need for literacy has grown so strong that women in
Goalpara district have initiated the move towards starting Jagrity
Kendras in three blocks without AMSS even organizing
awareness campaigns. Experiences shared by women from the
older centres are enough to motivate the new learners. In Dhubri
district, centres now run by sangha women themselves have
already begun but in this case using school text books.
Therefore, even if MS withdraws, it is evident that the literacy
programme will continue.
The need-based approach of the MS-run literacy programme
allows flexibility to adapt the curriculum to suit the needs of
women. The changing world is constantly reshaping
requirements of women. In order to keep pace, it is
recommended that MS must carry out a needs-assessment of
learners on a continuous basis. Ghosh observes that 'it is not
literacy rates but what people do with literacy that makes the
engagement with adult learning valuable, meaningful and
essential'. 33 It is for the users of such programmes to say what
counts as meaningful in their context. The ALP is designed
keeping in mind both the needs of women in their daily lives as
well as those of sanghas and other initiatives, and this is what
makes it relevant for poor women. Thus the ALP incorporates
requirements of the Nari Adalat, panchayat literacy, and the
federation. Consequently many participants across the states
have mentioned that reading-writing skills acquired through
literacy classes help them maintain better documents and
minutes of Nari Adalat proceedings, panchayat and federation
meetings. The importance of the ALP lies in its ability to
transform the lives of many women in rural areas, creating a
niche where they can understand and exercise their constitutional
entitlements. More importantly, the programme addresses the
lacunae that women face in their daily lives arising out of illiteracy
and ignorance, and through the federations and other initiatives,
provides them a channel to allow their voices to be heard in a
predominantly patriarchal society.
33 Malini Ghosh: Investing in Adult Women's Literacy: Reflections from an Indian Context
http://www.iiz-dvv.de/index.php?article_id=906&clang=1 (downloaded on 15-07-2010).
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