Ernakulam district panchayat plans evening classes for literacy programme for migrants labourers

KOCHI: In 1991, Ernakulam surprised the entire country by achieving 100% literacy - the first district in India to do so. Two decades hence, the district is aiming at another rare feat; the district panchayat will organise evening classes to make migrant labourers in Ernakulam literate in their mother tongue.
Inaugurating Hum Mithru, a get-together of migrant labourers in Kochi on Tuesday, district panchayat president Eldhose Kunnappilly said the project would also act as a platform for creating awareness on labour rights among migrants and creating awareness about hygiene and health issues.The primary objective of the project is to enable migrant labourers read and write.
Kunnappilly said the project had been designed after a survey conducted among these workers found that a main chunk of them are illiterate. "The classes will be conducted at various government schools under the control of the district panchayat. Besides some master trainers, the educated migrants will be used as instructors in the project," he said.
The training for labourers will also focus on examples set by Kerala in health and education sectors. It will also include awareness sessions on use of pan masala, drugs and alcohol. "We plan to start the project in January next year. At first, we will start classes in centres like Ernakulam and Perumbavoor. A detailed project will be prepared soon,'' Kunnappilly said. "Funds for the project will be raised from corporate social responsibility funds of PSUs."
Around 600 migrant labourers in Kochi attended the Hum Mithru programme, organised jointly by the district panchayat, health and labour departments and Rajagiri Outreach. District panchayat vice-president Bindu George presided.