TRICHY: A Dhanabakkiyam, 60, a cook at an anganwadi, had required an ink pad to stamp her thumb impression at the bank every month to withdraw her pension, as she was unable to read or write. But it is an old story; now she put her signature on the documents to the surprise of the bank staff to withdraw the money.
Though Dhanabakkiyam enjoyed the respect the bank staff showed her, she regretted that she had not learned to read or write despite working in a place of learning.
Retired from the anganwadi centre, Dhanabakkiyam had a reason to go back to the school from September last year. Now she can read and write English as well as Tamil. “She is slow, but she can pick up if she makes reading a habit,” says K Chithra Rani, headmistress of the Panchayat Union Primary School (PUPS), Kothamangalam. The ‘Karpom Ezhthuvom Iyakkam’ – a scheme of the directorate of non-formal and adult education has provided training to many illiterate adults like Dhanabakkiyam to learn reading and writing breaking the age barriers.
Under Puthiya Vayathu Vanthorkalvi Thittam, an adult literacy programme, illiterate people above the age of 15 were identified in every village and they were trained to put their signatures and read and write.
Dhanabakkiyam and many others were felicitated by C Amuthavalli, joint director, directorate of non-formal and adult education when she visited PUPS Kothamangalam on Wednesday. K Marudhanayagam, block education officer (BEO), Manikandam, said that more than 1,000 such people are enrolled in 40 centres in Manikandam for adult education.
They were engaged for two hours every day in the evening for training. The objective was to make them put their signature so that they don’t have to live as an illiterate for the rest of their lives, he said.
Chithra Rani, who has been training 20 such people in her school, says that many of them show child-like enthusiasm in learning though they spent their lives working for the family and raising their families.
“Pitchaiammal, 70, could not hold a pen because of shivering and she would use both hands. I asked her to focus on reading as she can start reading small storybooks once she picks up the language, said Rani.
