International Literacy Day-2018- South Zone Board of Continuing Education-OZONE Kalam Awards presented.

Ozone Kalam Awards presented to dignitaries,NGOs and experts in the Field of Literacy and Skill Development.

International Literacy Day was celebrated by South Zone Board of Continuing Education  -OZONE in Trichy on 29th September 2018. KALAM AWARDS instituted by South Zone Board of Continuing Education  -OZONE was presented to RCI-SEVAI-CCRS Project, Shri.K.Sivakumar,Secretary Gandhigram,Dindukal District,Senior Journalist V.Ganapathy, NYK District Coordinator,Thanjavur, and to Karur Gramium Narayanan.The award carried a citation and Poonadai and will be honoured by a noted scholar Prof.So.Sathiyaseelan.South Zone Board of Continuing Education celebrated International Literacy Day-2018 with a focus on UN theme Literacy and Skill Development on 29^th Sep 2018 in DWFC conference hall at Trichirapalli.OZONE Chairman K.Govindaraju delivered the presidential address. In his address, the chairman mentioned, “The South Zone Board of Continuing Education was established in 2011 in tune to the motto Excellence in Action and it keeps before it the vision of excellence in all spheres of education. Literacy is the backbone of a progressive and the heartbeat of a developing nation. A literate nation is free from any kind of slavery and open to varied arenas of progress. Ever since the Continuing Education has been  implemented by the South Zone Board of Continuing Education’ Training Programmes, Continuing Education Courses, Population Education Programmes, vocational skill development programmes and other comprehensive rural/urban development special activities with the collaboration of Voluntary agencies situated in Tamilnadu. The South Zone Board of Continuing Education has connection with NGOs those work for the promotion of Health, Animal Husbandry, Hearty Culture, Agriculture, Social Forestry, Rural Development, Social Welfare and Information and Education. The South Zone Board of Continuing Education has proposed to carry out the extension programmes during current year such as dissemination of technology to the community people, sensitization programme on social and economic issues, improvement of slow learners, enhancing employability of the youth from non-formal sector, guidance and counseling to rural youth and imbibing vocational skills to neo-literates for self sufficiency. OZONE instituted I. Knowledge Connectivity KALAM Award, 2.Quality of life Improvement KALAM Award, 3.Community Outreach KALAM Award and 4.Equalancey Education KALAM Award.   K.Govindaraju further said, “The theme for International Literacy Day for the year 2018”.

RCI-SEVAI team awarded Kalam Award by K.Sivakumar

Prof.So.Sathiyaseelan gave special address enlightened the importance of Literacy and Sill Education and quoted, “our father of Nation M.K.Gandhi viewed   education  teach us to assimilate the one and eschew the other. Education should be so revolutionized as to answer the wants of the poorest villagerr. Education in the understanding of citizenship is a short-term affair if we are honest and earnest. Basic education links the children, whether of cities or the villages, to all that is best and lasting in India. Literacy is not the end of education or even the beginning.  Real education has to draw out the best from the boys and girls to be educated. True education must correspond to the surrounding circumstances or it is not a healthy growth. What is really needed to make democracy function is not knowledge of facts, but right education.  A balanced intellect presupposes a harmonious growth of body, mind and soul. Love requires that true education should be easily accessible to all and should be of use to every villager in this daily life. The notion of education through handicrafts rises from the contemplation of truth and love permeating life's activities. The emphasis laid on the principle of spending every minute of one's life usefully is the best education for citizenship”. After receiving the Kalam Award, Mrs.Suda Byas,Associate Director,SEVAI and PCO -Babu mentioned to reporter that

 SEVAI-Railway Children-CCRS team comprising professionals and experts from various domains and the Field officer deputed by Railway Children India manage the Open Shelter and interact with the rescued 592 children those need care and protection to ascertain their whereabouts, nature of vulnerability and produce the rescued children before the Child Welfare Committee as per the mandated procedure to reunite them with their parents. The children are provided with balanced diet in Open shelter as per Government stipulated norms. Child Friendly Space has been created at Open Shelter wherein the child's right to feel safe, to learn and to play is ensured. Child Friendly Spaces at SEVAI-RCI Open Shelter provides a safe place for some of the most vulnerable children as designed to address children's specific needs depending on the crisis state of affairs.  Children are constantly at risk of sexual violence, misuse and violence. Many children resort to drugs and substance abuse to get through each day. Child Help Assistance Booth at Tiruchirapalli Junction is ‘child-friendly’ and has been set up with the help and engagement of SEVAI-Railway Children India.

-Kris