Thursday, December 1 2005 14:57 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Responding to the call by President A P J Abdul Kalam to boost literacy rate, Karnataka today (Dec 01, 2005) became the first ever state in the country to launch 'literacy through students' to achieve its goal of enhancing literacy rate of 76.10 per cent to 85 per cent by 2007.

The programme, each one teach two, envisages enrolment of 250,000 students to turn five lakh illiterates as literates this year and a similar target has been set for the next year also, Karnataka Minister for Primary and Secondary Education R Ramalinga Reddy told a press conference here.

Students studying in 9th and 11th standard would participate in the programme to teach non-literate adults in the age group of 15-35 years.

9th standard students involved in this project would be awarded 20 marks and ten marks for 11th standard students in the final examination as an incentive, he said.

The students would also receive certificates signed by Chief Minister and Education minister for their participation in the literacy campaign, Reddy said.

Resource persons would impart training to selected students on teaching methodology in the institution where they are studying, he said

Reddy said of the 57 lakh non-literates identified, the state has targetted to turn 27 lakh of them as literates under various programmes this year and the remaining 30 lakh would be covered next year.

Students pursuing Bachelor of Education (B.Ed,) course have also evinced interest to participate in this programme, he said.