Kasargod , Kerala :

In a quarter of a century, Kerala has leapfrogged from being a fully literate state to a state with total primary education.

The government would declare the new status on April 18, said Education Minister P K Abdu Rabb. The status means almost 100 per cent of its eligible citizens have passed class IV examination or its equivalent.

As a next target, he said, the government plans to achieve total higher secondary education or its equivalent in the state in the next three years.

“Under the equivalency programme, age is not bar for studying,” the minister said at a meeting held at a Literacy Mission function meeting held at the District Planning Committee hall, here. Abdu Rabb said that the government would help anyone interested in joining the programme.

“Those who do not speak Malayalam can also join the equivalency programme,” he said and added that workers from the state were able to get promotions in West Asian countries because of the programme.

Special Syllabus

The education minister said the government was working a new curriculum for children with intellectual disabilities.

“It will be introduced in the next academic year,” he said. The government has cleared a proposal to set up centres for persons with intellectual disabilities in Kasargod and Parappanangadi in Malappuram district.  Abdu Rabb said that the government would consider a proposal to start institutes in northern districts to impart language proficiency  among English teachers.

The minister  felicitated athlete T K Jyoti Prasad, who won gold at the national and state school games this academic year.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by Express News Service / February 23rd, 2015