Goa Becomes Second State After Mizoram To Achieve Full Functional Literacy

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday (30 May) officially declared the state to be officially fully literate under the ULLAS - Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram (New India Literacy Programme).

Sawant made the announcement during the grand celebration of Goa’s 39th Statehood Day on 30 May at Dinanath Mangeshkar Kala Mandir, Panaji.

This makes Goa the second state of the country after Mizoram to cross the nationally prescribed 95 per cent benchmark for full literacy.

ULLAS - Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram or New India Literacy Programme is a centrally sponsored scheme implemented from 2022-2027.

The scheme, aligned with NEP 2020, targets adults (aged 15 years and above) who cannot go to school.

The scheme has five components - Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, Critical Life Skills, Basic Education, Vocational Skills and Continuing Education.

The vision of the ULLAS Scheme is to make India Jan Jan Saakshar and is based on the spirit of Kartavya Bodh and is being implemented on volunteerism.

Under the ULLAS scheme, more than 1.77 crore learners have appeared in the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT) till now across the country. More than 2.40 crore learners and 41 lakh volunteer teachers have been registered on the ULLAS Mobile app.

According to the PLFS Report 2023-24, Goa’s literacy rate stands at 93.60 per cent, one of the highest in the country, with strong performance across both male and female populations, the Union Education Ministry said in a statement.

However, as per Goa’s own survey, the state has surpassed this figure and attained full literacy, the ministry added.

"To maximise outreach, the Government of Goa in this endeavour used the Whole-of-Government approach. The state government actively collaborated with multiple departments, including the Directorate of Panchayats, the Directorate of Municipal Administration, the Directorate of Social Welfare, the Directorate of Planning & Statistics, and the Directorate of Women & Child Development. These departments played a pivotal role in identifying non-literates within their respective jurisdictions," the ministry said.

In addition, Swayampurna Mitras were engaged in awareness campaigns, assisting learners in receiving literacy certification and facilitating their integration into learning modules.

Field workers from the Social Welfare Department were also instrumental in the identification process, according to the ministry.

The ministry said that Goa’s success showcases the potential of people-centric, volunteer-driven literacy campaigns, supported by inter-departmental cooperation and inclusive educational tools.

It sets a precedent for other states to follow in achieving the national goal of full literacy by 2030, the ministry said, adding that this is a step towards the vision of Viksit Bharat of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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