ADVERTISEMENT
site_logo
  • Campus
  • Happening
  • Opinion
  • People
  • News
  • #BeInspired
  • Careers
  • 40 under 40
  • Exams
  • What The FAQ
  • Videos
    • Straight Up
    • Odisha Literary Festival 2020
    • Campus Convo
    • Careers After Corona
    • Express Expressions
    • Q&A With Prabhu Chawla
    • ThinkEdu Awards 2020
  • edex_worksEDEXWORKS
ADVERTISEMENT
Kerala State Literacy Mission

Published: 25th September 2019     

This 85-year-old from a Wayanad tribal settlement just cleared Kerala's literacy test

At 85, Kembi was the oldest in her literacy class. She now wants to clear the literacy mission's class IV equivalency exam

Parvathi Benu
Edex Live
f_icon t_icon i_icon l_icon koo_icon whatsapp_icon email_icon

Share Via Email

PHOTO-FOR-SITE1

Kembi writing the exam

It's often said that you are never too old to learn something new. If the phrase doesn't seem very convincing, one must listen to Kembi's story. You would have probably heard that around 3,000 residents in a tribal settlement in Wayanad had cleared the Kerala State Literacy Mission's literacy examination. At 85, Kembi is the oldest of the lot to pass the exam.
 

A resident of Padachikunnu colony in Wayanad's Mananthavady, she had appeared for the second phase of the special tribal literacy project. "As a child, I was really keen to study," she says. "But my parents never let me go to school." Growing up, Kembi used to work as a daily wage labourer. However, she never got rid of the desire to study more and then life took over.


As the years passed, Kembi had almost given up her hope of going to school or of reading and writing. But it all changed when she was approached by the literacy pracharak Claramma V V and instructor Sunitha P. The duo were campaigning as part of KSLM's total literacy programme for tribals in association with the Department of Scheduled Tribes Development. "Sunitha was the one who suggested that I write the exam. I was really inspired and decided to go ahead," she says. Teaching Kembi was a novel experience for Sunitha too, who hasn't ever had a student this old.

Kembi has two sons, who are daily wage labourers. "Both of them have gone to school and are literate. So, they would help me revise whatever was taught in the class. My classmates would also help me out," she says. Now you wouldn't be surprised to know that Kembi hasn't stopped learning. She is now gearing up to write the class IV equivalency exam next year. "I want to learn to use the computer too," she signs off.

 

telegram
TAGS
Kerala State Literacy Mission

O
P
E
N

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
telegram
ADVERTISEMENT
Write to us!

If you have campus news, views, works of art, photos or just want to reach out to us, just drop us a line.

newsletter_icon
Mailbox
edexlive@gmail.com
fb_icon
Facebook
twitter_icon
Twitter
insta_icon
Instagram
ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook
ADVERTISEMENT
Tweets by Xpress_edex
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

FOLLOW US

Copyright - edexlive.com 2021

The New Indian Express | Dinamani | Kannada Prabha | Samakalika Malayalam | Indulgexpress | Cinema Express | Event Xpress

Contact Us | About Us | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Advertise With Us

Home | Live Now | Live Story | Campus Trip | Coach Calling | Live Take