Study finds TN lagging in women’s education scheme

The survey on the impact of adult education under the Saakshar Bharat Programme of the Centre found that the State has reported marginal progress but is yet to achieve its target on women’s education.

According to the survey commissioned by the State Planning Commission, against its target to cover 35 per cent of illiterate women, the State was able to cover only 12 per cent – only about one-third of the target. The survey also found that out of identified and enrolled women, about 8 per cent are unsuccessful in overall literacy and numeracy. 

Saakshar Bharat Programme (SBP) was formulated by the Union Government with the objective of achieving more than 80 per cent literacy level national stage by focusing on adult women literacy seeking to reduce the gap between male and female literacy to not more than 10 percentage points.

According to the survey, despite improvement in the overall literacy rate ratio, at least five districts in the State recorded low female literacy rates - Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Perambalur and Namakkal.

The study has noted that socioeconomic condition, religious beliefs, early and child marriage, lack of interest and awareness on education, carrying of sibling and feeling burden of girl children are the major causes of low female literacy rate in the study area in the last decade.

“Almost all the districts have not provided any proper data regarding budget allocation and expenditure under different headings in SBP. Hence, the present investigation has been unable to interpret financial allocation and utility of SBP in Tamil Nadu,” the survey said.

It was also recommended that SBP should be implemented only in the educationally backward block of respective districts rather than implement it in the entire districts so as to avoid wastage of financial allocations.

The survey found that more than 90 per cent of the adult education centres have electricity facilities with tube light and fan connections. “But 30 per cent are unable to be put to use due to local conditions,” it said.

During the evaluation, the community leaders from several blocks suggested that a separate building with good classroom would improve the quality of the programme as well as the performance of the learners.

The study also recommended that sufficient Balwadies / Anganwadies should be opened for taking care of children and to set free girl children to enrol in schools for their continuous education.