Sanjay Kumar Leads ‘Spectrum of Literacy’ Conference in New Delhi
New Delhi [India], September 7: Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), chaired an international conference titled ‘Spectrum of Literacy’ at the CIET, NCERT, New Delhi. The Ministry of Education organized this virtual conference as a prelude to International Literacy Day 2024, to be celebrated tomorrow at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
In his address, Sanjay Kumar highlighted the expanded definition of literacy, which now includes Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Literacy, as well as critical life skills like digital, financial, and legal literacy. ‘Literacy should help people navigate through life,’ he emphasized. He also mentioned the ULLAS framework aimed at reducing the literacy gap between urban and rural populations and between males and females.
Archana Sharma Awasthi, Joint Secretary of DoSEL, delivered the inaugural address and presented the ULLAS-Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram, a program to foster adult literacy across the nation. The conference featured two sessions: ‘Exploring the Spectrum of Literacy in India,’ chaired by Dr. Amarendra P. Behera, and ‘Global Perspectives on Literacy,’ chaired by Prof. T.G. Sitharam. Experts like Nicholas Jonas, Prof. Iddo Gal, and Dr. Anke Grotluschen discussed issues ranging from adult literacy to the impact of artificial intelligence on literacy.
The event concluded with a call to action to strengthen partnerships and collaborations to build a literate and inclusive world. Dignitaries such as Professor Dinesh Prasad Saklani, Joyce Poan from UNESCO, and other global and national experts attended the conference.
Doubts Revealed
Sanjay Kumar -: Sanjay Kumar is a person who works as the Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy in India. He helps make important decisions about schools and education.
Spectrum of Literacy -: ‘Spectrum of Literacy’ is the name of a conference. A conference is a big meeting where people talk about important topics. This one is about different kinds of literacy, like reading, using computers, and understanding money and laws.
New Delhi -: New Delhi is the capital city of India. It’s where many important government buildings and events are located.
Department of School Education and Literacy -: This is a part of the Indian government that focuses on schools and teaching people how to read and write.
Ministry of Education -: The Ministry of Education is a part of the Indian government that makes rules and plans for schools and education in the country.
Digital skills -: Digital skills are the abilities needed to use computers, the internet, and other technology.
Financial skills -: Financial skills are the abilities needed to manage money, like saving, spending, and understanding banking.
Legal skills -: Legal skills are the abilities needed to understand laws and rights, like knowing what is legal and illegal.
Adult literacy -: Adult literacy means teaching adults how to read and write. Some adults didn’t get the chance to learn these skills when they were younger.
AI -: AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. It’s a type of technology that can think and learn like a human, such as robots or smart computers.
Multilingual education -: Multilingual education means teaching in more than one language. In India, this could mean learning in Hindi, English, and other regional languages.
Women’s literacy -: Women’s literacy focuses on teaching women how to read and write. It’s important because educated women can help their families and communities better.