Tamaso Ma Jyothirgamaya* Sudha S Namboothiry**
	16:37 IST

This is my school! Chirped 55yrs old Fathima showing a small tiled roofed hall. “When do I get my books for 7th standard?” she asks. This is the attitude of most of the much enthused 1508 new literates of Nilambur Grama Panchayat in Malappuram District of Kerala. All thanks to Jyothirgamaya, a total primary education programme implemented by the Gram Panchayat with the help of State Literacy Mission in Nilambur Gram Panchayat. Thanks to which, January 8, 2008 went down in the history of the country and mainly the Panchayat when Shri R L Bhatia, Governor of Kerala declared it as the “first Gram Panchayat in the country to achieve total primary education”. The success of the programme completely rests on the people’s participation who contributed in money as well as man power beyond political, religious and social differences, informed Shri Aryadan Shaukat, the Panchayat President, who is today all smiles on the success of this programme. Out of the total expenditure of Rs. 21 lakh, Rs 3.1 lakh was the only contribution from the government, the rest by the people. The whole concept of the project triggered off when after coming to power in 2005, the present Panchayat Committee realized more than anything else that the people of the Panchayat should be given the light of knowledge. The Committee approached the State Literacy Mission and presented the issue. A survey in January 2006 showed, that 1050 people between the age group of (15-50 years) were illiterate or semi-illiterate. Out of them about 90% were women. In coordination with the State Literacy Mission, the “Jyothirgamaya”, the dream project of the panchayat, was formulated. As many as 300 teachers or facilitators as they are called, contributed their services through 142 study centers. Facilitators were given training in teaching . The major problem faced by the facilitators was teaching the beneficiary who had no touch with learning or writing and most of them were daily workers. An Academic Committee was constituted to prepare study materials incorporating functional teaching and then to design the syllabi of the Literacy Mission. The learners were provided with textbooks equivalent to those for the fourth standard. As the classes progressed, it was found that many of them had poor eyesight. The Panchayat promptly acted to solve this problem. The Panchayat in coordination with private eye hospital organized a free eye camp were 800 people were given spectacles free of charge. The first phase of the programme began in March 2006 that concluded with the annual examination conducted by the State Literacy Mission in December, 2006. The external assessment was done by two teams of evaluators, one headed by C. Nazeema of the Centre for Adult and Continuing Education and Extension, University of Calicut and the other led by K. Sivadasan Pillai of the Literacy Mission. The reports of both the teams were approved by the National Literacy Mission. The course was made interesting by conducting cultural competitions, excursion tours and providing vocational training to students who participated with great enthusiasm. Follow-up activities were conducted by introducing 55 mobile libraries in the area with stock of over 3,000 books. Each student and facilitator has an experience to narrate about the programme. For Sainatha, the project is a dream come true. Today she has a set of poems penned by her and published in the State Literacy Mission’s magazine. For 64 year old Pathummakutty of Cheruvathu kunnu 3rd ward, the programme will help to fulfill her life’s wish to go for Haj. The Certificate provided by the Government of Kerala is an authentic document for proving the date of birth, name, spouse’s name, address etc. With its help Pathummakutty can apply for Passport! For Shakila a facilitator, married when she was in 8th standard left by her husband with a son. The class gave her a new lease of life, a new meaning. She feels elated to teach students of her mother’s age! No doubt, “Jyothirgamaya”, as it means, has led many from darkness to light and made priceless contribution to the social , cultural and educational sectors of the region. *Media & Communications Officer, PIB, Cochin **The Gram Panchayat was declared as the “first Gram Panchayat in the country to achieve total primary education”.