By Gururaj Rao:
Today we are forced to face the painful reality of illiteracy. There are various television programmes which dissect this social evil and try to spread awareness. But there is no point in just discussing the topic. It’s time we start initiating steps on a nationwide scale to promote literacy. It is time to look for solutions. Literate individuals along with the help of the government should work in tandem to make a difference by working to create a literate society. People should be motivated to accomplish this task which will reduce dependencies of many individuals on others. Passing the buck will never solve the problem which is the need of the hour and a lot of emphasis needs to be laid on identifying these solutions.
Constructive criticisms have no doubt played an important role in enhancing awareness and there is the entire nation for sharing the grief associated with it, but considering today’s illiteracy situation, their value has diminished. These criticisms have resulted stagnation of an issue which is preventing us from becoming a superpower in the true sense of the word.
It is necessary to understand that blaming the system will not change anything. Moreover, it is wrong and instead it will be better if people change because it is a well-known fact that earth-shaking improvements are accomplishments of individuals alone with a vision and an idea to make a difference; come what may.
In our country, people will be more than ready to help seeing the direct relationship between poverty and illiteracy. This problem certainly can be solved by implementing proactive steps and go beyond awareness. For this, mentoring a child in the right way is necessary. To promote literacy, the Times of India launched the Teach India program. Programmes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan and many others have been initiated by the government. Providing encouragement to both children and their parents alike and making the process of learning enjoyable and practical is also equally important because after all, a literate India means a truly developed India.