Ernakulam District Literacy Mission to launch three projects

Image for representation.

The Ernakulam District Literacy Mission is all set to launch three major literacy projects in the district targeting migrant workers, new vernacular learners and those belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) communities.

The projects, which are expected to start in November, will focus on bringing more people to the literacy stage, said district project coordinator Tojo Jacob.

The third edition of ‘Pacha Malayalam’, a four-month course aimed at teaching Malayalam to educated professionals, will begin on Sunday (November 1, 2026). As many as 15 students, including two from neighboring Kottayam district, will start the course that day.

The course is designed for non-Malayalam professionals who want to learn Malayalam. “Any graduate or someone who has passed 12th can take the course. It mainly focuses on equipping students with the language skills required in a professional environment. The course also helps job seekers. Malayalam is an administrative language, so those who have not studied it during their school years find it difficult,” said Mr. Jacob.

The program offers two courses, basic and advanced. There was only one advanced course in the district.

Along with the Pacha Malayalam course, other projects to be implemented include ‘Changathi’ and ‘Navachetna’. A literacy program for members of the SC community, the Navachetna project, will be implemented in eight grama panchayats in the district. “We are now in the process of selecting the grama panchayats. The classes will be conducted by experienced students from the community,” said Mr. Jacob.

The courses will be conducted for a period of six months, after which the participants can appear for the Class 4 equivalent exam, he added.

The District Literacy Mission is also in the process of deciding which panchayat will implement the Changathi course, a program that focuses on teaching Malayalam to migrant workers.

“Earlier, we launched the project in Perumbavoor. We have covered several residents, although one of the challenges we face is that they leave their localities in search of work, which is a problem. Now we are focusing on launching the project in other localities that also have a significant migrant population,” said Mr. Jacob.

Published – 01 Nov 2026 07:00 IST