Expressing concern over lack of respect for vocational education, Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal has said this needs to be changed as such education was the key towards improving the country's economy.
Addressing a seminar on “Education Reforms: Opportunities and Road Map Ahead” organised by PHD Chamber here, Mr. Sibal said often the stigma attached by society towards vocational education dissuades parents from allowing their wards to pursue the stream.
“To build a particular expertise, the industry should come forward and ask the Ministry to set up higher education institutes in particular places where such expertise is required. For increasing investment in this sector significantly, we are trying to set up an Education Finance Corporation to help investments in education, for re-financing facilities on long term, on very low rates, on priority. Education implies expansion, inclusion and excellence.”
Comparing the enrolment rate in India vis-a-vis the developed nations, the Minister said to reach the Western standards of enrolment rate of 40 per cent the country requires additional 1,000 universities and 45,000 colleges. “It is a gargantuan task. What we need is not help in building a few universities but a large scale investment in the next 10 to 20 years”, he added.
