Migrant labourers of Kerala will be given the opportunity to learn Malayalam language under Kerala Literacy Mission’s equivalency course programme. The classes will begin first in Perumbavoor of Ernakulam district, where the migrant population is highest in the state.

The programme will start in December and it will begin with a survey among the workers to understand their interest in studies.

“The programme will be launched either by the chief minister or the education minister in December in Perumbavoor. We will extend the project to other parts of the state only if the pilot programme in Perumbavoor is successful,“ PS Sreekala, director of the Mission told The Times of India.

The mission officials will also initiate a campaign to popularize the program.

As per records, there are 3 million  migrant labourers in Kerala at present. According to a survey published by Times of India, the state-wise percentage of migrant labourers residing in Kerala is: West Bengal (20), Bihar (18.10), Assam (17.28), UP (14.83), Odissa (6.67) and rest of the states (23.13).

“Earlier, surveys by students as part of their project work had showed that migrant workers want to learn regional language and mingle with the society. We believe the programme will be successful,“ Sreekala said.

She said that may teachers with knowledge of Hindi and other languages have expressed willingness to teach migrant labourers.

“ As many of them living in Kerala work in construction, we taught them words related to the sector. They were interested in learning Malayalam,“ V V Mathew, Ernakulam district coordinator of the Mission, who had taken classes for migrant labourers in Kottayam Jail told Times of India.

The new campaign aims at making the state more inclusive. It includes Malayalam coaching classes and modules to create awareness of everything from its laws to labour rights.

It will help the migrants to network more and integrate better with the rest of the state, S.M. Vijayanand, Kerala’s chief secretary, said.

 

source: Livemint