Call for Telugu States to focus on spreading quality education, skill-based education

Hyderabad: There is a significant growth in the number of people pursuing higher education in the country. However, in the current situation, the number is still 28.4%, while in Telangana it is 40%.

This is a good result, stated Prof. R Limbadri, chairman,Telangana State Council for Higher Education (TSCHE), while speaking at the inaugural of two-day national seminar on ‘Higher Education in India - Issues and Challenges for Quality and Inclusiveness’ on Sunday at Dr B R Ambedkar Open University (BRAOU).

The event was organized by BRAOU faculty of social sciences, Department of Sociology. in collaboration with TSCHE and Indian Council of Social Science Research-Southern Regional Centre (ICSSR-SRC).

Stressing on higher education in India, he said, compared to the national average, the percentage of enrolment in HE in Telangana for SCs, STs and BCs increased. The number of women pursuing HE also rose.

The Ambedkar Open University played a very crucial role. However, all universities should pay attention to the fact that the percentage does not exceed 15 of students studying for degree every year until they reach the PG. Prof V S Prasad, former Vice-Chancellor, BRAOU and former director of NAAC said, “Distance education has wide benefits; there are huge opportunities for distance education learners, but the spread of HE has not gone in that direction.

He stated that increasing privatisation of education, marketization, inequalities in society, lack of sincerity in rulers and partisanship have pushed the education system into a deep crisis. According to the World Bank Economic Development Report-2018, a survey of what has been learned in the process of study shows unskilled teachers who have not received proper training due to which students are not guided in the right way, is not good for the education system.

It is a matter of concern that some teachers have the idea of taking steps to improve skills of students, but there are not enough resources; it seems that there is a lack of infrastructure.

Prof. Ghanta Chakrapani, director (academic), said efforts are being made to spread HE in the country, but it is a matter of concern that quality education is not being focused upon. In the Telugu States, the governments should focus on spreading quality education and skill-based education. For that they should work for creating basic facilities, without shortage of human resources, by appointing teachers.

Prof A V R N Reddy, registrar, said implementation of the new National Education Policy- 2020 is like an examination time for the universities, specially in HE. They should focus on quality education and skill-based education; only then will the educational institutions do justice to students.