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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, DEC. 6. From being just centres for classroom learning, city colleges could very well be transformed into community colleges if the open learning programmes initiated by the Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) finds favour with the students and the teaching fraternity.

The Government College for Women here has become the latest to join the line of Arts and Science colleges to have opened a continuing education sub-centre on their campuses. The centre at the Women's College is now offering short-term computer courses as well as courses in cosmetology. Courses in interior designing, nutrition and dietetics and cookery are also in the offing.

It is the emphasis on internal revenue generation for colleges that has brought the CCE sub-centres to the limelight. The programmes are being successfully carried out by the CCE through 50 sub-centres in colleges and polytechnics across the State now.

Says Mr. M. Madhavan, Director of CCE, ``Our college campuses normally offer rigid three or two-year Degree programmes. But going by the current trends in the job market, we need value-added programmes rather than purely academic courses.''

The continuing education programme was initiated way back in 1992 as part of a project for the development of polytechnics in the State. It was the success of the programme which led to the setting up of the CCE as an autonomous body under the State in 1998 to extend the programme to all colleges in the State.

Among Arts and Science colleges, continuing education sub-centres were recently opened at the University College and the Government College, Kariyavattom, too. Here coaching for professional entrance exams and Communicative English courses are being offered.

``In a recent assessment, we found that in most colleges, especially after the de-linking of the pre-degree, there is under-utilisation of infrastructure as well as human resources. Thus, we have been encouraging them to identify areas in which skill-based courses and open learning could be encouraged,'' Mr. Madhavan says.

While technical colleges target skilled personnel aiming for a job abroad or those employed who are looking to upgrade his skills, the Arts and Science colleges have identified as their target group, housewives, retired personnel, school or college drop-outs and educated unemployed women and youth.

Need-based flexible courses are thus offered by each sub- centre in colleges. Some of these courses include front office management, computer fundamentals and internet, communicative English courses, tailoring and embroidery, computerised financial accounting and restaurant cooking.

Each sub-centre has functional autonomy and can decide on the courses, suitable syllabus after consulting subject experts, seek resource persons.

What makes the programme attractive for colleges is that by the optimum utilisation of its own resources and the income generated through the courses, the sub-centres could be run. The rest of the profit would go for the development of respective colleges.

There is no age bar and class timings are fixed to suit the convenience of the applicants. The course fee is also much less than the rates outside. In fact, the sub-centres are being encouraged to offer even tailor-made courses to those who demand it.

``The idea is that a student doing BCom can also take a short-term course in computer financial accounting package so that he is armed with something more than just a college degree," Mr. Madhavan points out.

Mr. Haridas, who is in charge of the sub-centre at the Women's College, says it is a dynamic concept wherein the city colleges become community colleges as in the West, where campuses are alive from morning till night and catering to all sections of people.

These sub-centres could very well repeat the success story of the centre at Government Women's Polytechnic at Kaimanam, which makes a profit to the tune of Rs. 10 lakhs every year, by offering tailor-made computer courses and other skill-oriented courses.

Says Ms. Leela, Principal, Women's College, ``We realised that instead of always looking to the Government for funds, we could generate money for our development needs by offering good short-term CCE courses. We are now in the process of doing a market survey and getting together various departments to plan more value-added courses.''

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