The Wayanad district panchayat, in association with the District Literacy Mission, will establish study centres in all local self-government institutions to offer various equivalency courses.

District panchayat president Chandrika Krishnan said equivalency courses play a crucial role in bringing back into the mainstream those who had dropped out of the education system due to various reasons. She added that extensive efforts would be undertaken to bring all eligible people in the district under the literacy programme.

Ms. Krishnan was inaugurating the district-level registration campaign for equivalency courses organised by the District Literacy Mission on Friday (May 8).

The District Literacy Mission authorities said online registration facilities for equivalency courses were available in all local self-government institutions in the district through literacy preraks. To ensure the success of the programme, a district-level meeting of grama panchayat presidents, secretaries, and chairpersons of education and welfare standing committees will be convened under the leadership of the District panchayat president.

As part of the registration campaign, a meeting of officials from various departments will also be held under the leadership of District Collector D.R. Meghashree. Core groups will be formed at the panchayat level to coordinate equivalency education activities. Classes will be conducted only on Sundays and public holidays.

A special scheme will be introduced to provide free educational facilities for those facing financial difficulties. Course fees will be waived for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students. Those who have completed 17 years and passed Class VII can enrol in the SSLC equivalency course, while those who have completed 22 years of age and passed SSLC can enrol in the Higher Secondary equivalency course.