The Hindu : `Combine conventional, distance education systems'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 25, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

`Combine conventional, distance education systems'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI April 24. A hybridised system which uses the good aspects of conventional and the distance educational systems was outlined by the University Grants Commission Chairman, Arun Nigavekar, here yesterday.

Utility-oriented courses designed to suit local needs could be easily accommodated under the distance education mode and freely merged with the conventional system. This approach was not to devalue the conventional system or move from the university or college-based education to an open system.

The shift to the hybrid system could help students in learning useful things, as they could access the best of learning resources and thus help in addressing problems faced by the education sector, Prof. Nigavekar said addressing a colloquium on `Crisis in higher education' organised by the United Writers Association and the Frank Moraes Foundation.

While the thrust on conventional education need not be altered, students should, however, be able to opt for completing courses offered by open universities, which provided utility-oriented skills.

He said higher education did not face a crisis, but was in a state of flux, affected by access, equity, relevance, quality and excellence, governance and resources.

Emphasis on quality

Dr. Nigavekar said while higher education under the conventional, open or distance learning mode had grown enormously in the past five decades, it was constrained by the affiliating system, the sheer number of students, lack of good and committed teachers, severe resource crunch and inability to hike fees. All these deprived the system of quality.

A new framework for higher education should, therefore, emphasise quality as a total concept, meet aspirations of all stakeholders, improve students' capability to get gainful employment, allow for easy and flexible inter-university and inter-State movement and address disparities in learning levels.

The Pondicherry Lt. Governor, K.R. Malkani, said English education, despite its advantages, was having its effect on the Indianness of the education system.

Calling for granting of primacy to learning through mother tongue, he said students should be encouraged to learn more languages, including foreign ones.

The Anna University Vice-Chancellor, E. Balagurusamy, said the number of institutions, students and administrative structures in technical education was creating its own problems.

The problems lay in managing change, competition (including the looming threat of foreign universities), customers, control systems, infusing commitment in teachers, managements and students, besides administrators and education cost.

Solution to issues could not be found in isolation by one university, government or one regulator, but by involving students, parents and the general public.

While S. Mohan, former judge, Supreme Court, wanted the examination system revamped to give room for creative thinking, the educationist, S.V. Chittibabu, called for inculcating new values, especially among the teaching community.

The United Writers Association's founder, K. Thiagarajan, spoke.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

'MLAs arrest is no breach of privilege'

We have sought early monitoring panel meet: CM

NDA allies change tack, call for repeal of POTA

CPI(M) makes its position clear on Tamil Nadu

`Combine conventional, distance education systems'

Truckers resist excess loading

HC reserves orders on Swamy petition

`Rampant violation of rules in Tirunelveli'

Vaiko remand extended, framing of charges deferred

Not inappropriate banter

Less-affluent ryots can also join wasteland development

HC admits Gopal plea against police custody