Why should we become
literate?

The following prose poem,* put together by a group of poor and illiterate people in the state of West Bengal, India, who were involved in the country's adult education program of ten years ago, was adopted as a statement for all those engaged in literacy work by participants in the International Seminar on Literacy in Industrialized Countries, held in Toronto, October 1987, by the International Council for Adult Education.

It was read to a plenary session by Lalita Ramdas of the Society for Alternatives in Education in New Delhi, India, a seminar resource person.

‘Why should we become literate?' was published in Bengali in an Illustrated brochure by the Bengal Social Service League in Calcutta, and later published in English by the Central government's Directorate of Adult Education. Ms. Ramdas noted that 'It is a testament to the basic wisdom of one group of learners, yet it touches people everywhere.'



What kind of people are we?
We are poor, very poor
but we are not stupid.
That is why, despite our illiteracy, we
still exist.
But we have to know
why we should become literate.

We joined the literacy classes before,
but after some time, we got wise.
We felt cheated. So we left the classes.

Do you know what we found out?
The Babus take up this work
in their own interest.
Maybe the election is around the corner,
or perhaps there is a government grant or something which must be utilized.

What they taught us was useless.
To sign one's name means nothing.
Or to read a few words means nothing.

We agree to join the classes
if you teach us how not to depend
on others any more.

We should be able to read simple books,
keep our accounts, write a letter and
read and understand newspapers.

One more thing...
Why do our teachers feel so superior?
They behave as if we are ignorant fools,
as if we are little children.

Please do understand that


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