Kerala become first State to achieve 100 per cent primary education

>> Kerala has become the first Indian state to achieve 100 per cent primary education.

>> It was declared by the Vice President Hamid Ansari during his speech at special ceremony organised at Thiruvananthapuram.

>> Kerala state was able to achieve 100 per cent primary education through its flagship primary education equivalency drive Athulyam Scheme.

Key facts of Athulyam Scheme

>> The programme was meant to provide primary school education to people aged between 15 and 50. It was launched in March 2013 and was carried out in two phases.

>> The state level literacy mission aimed at educating those who had been unable to complete their primary education up to fourth standard.

>> The main focus of the mission is inclusion of deprived sections viz. the scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, physically, financially weak and mentally disabled among others.

>> The second stage of the scheme was Mission 676 that also aimed at targeting those who had dropped out of the formal education process.

>> Prior Athulyam Scheme, Kerala state government had launched fourth standard equivalency programme in 2000 in association with local bodies.

>> Under this programme Kannur district of state became the first district to achieve 100 per cent primary education in the country in 2001.