Migrant Woman From Bihar Tops Malayalam Literacy Exam In Kerala

Malayalam is not her mother tongue, yet a young mother who originally hails from Bihar has emerged as the topper in a literacy examination conducted in Kerala for migrant labourers.

Romiya Kathur hails from a small village in Bihar and migrated to Umayanalloor in southern Kollam district six years ago where she settled with her husband Mr. Saifullah. Ms. Kathur runs a tiny juice parlour and looks after three children.

She wrote her literacy exams at a local higher secondary school carrying her four-month-old baby daughter, Ms. Thamanna last month. Ms. Kathur has scored a full 100 marks in the examinations held by the Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority.

Ms. Kathur was one among 1,998 migrant labourers who appeared for the literacy exam in the second phase of 'Changathi' across the state on January 19.

'Changathi', which translates to Friend, project is aimed at teaching migrant labourers, living in the state, Malayalam within four months. It had begun in Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district, the hub of migrant labourers in the state on August 15, 2017, a Literacy Mission officials said.

In the two phases of the exam that have been completed so far, over 3,700 migrants have cleared the literacy exam.

Mission Director P S Sreekala visited Ms. Kathur and her family in Umayanalloor and shared her achievement on social media website, Facebook.

Ms. Sreekala congratulated Romiya Kathur for her achievement who now wishes to clear the higher secondary equivalency exam conducted by the Mission.

She also said "Hamari Malayalam, the textbook prepared for students of the Changathi scheme, was very helpful in the daily life. It has helped me a lot in communicating in Malayalam, life especially in railway station and market," she said adding she also wanted to teach her children Malayalam.

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