University College to be made centre of excellence

Chief Minister inaugurates college’s 150th anniversary fete

The government will try to make University College a centre of excellence, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said.

He was speaking after inaugurating the 150th anniversary celebrations of the college here on Wednesday.

Mr. Vijayan said a few colleges in the State should be raised as centres of excellence at the national and international level. University College should become one of them. Similarly, universities in the State should be developed as centres of excellence in some subjects.

Modern technological knowledge should be used to achieve growth in the State’s education sector, the Chief Minister said. Funds would not be a problem for the development of the college. Along with government aid, help should be sought from other avenues such as old students, organisations and those interested in the development of the college, he said.

Many challenges

Minister for Education C. Raveendranath, who presided over the function, said the education sector in the State was facing a lot of challenges. Secular and democratic concepts of education were under onslaught. To tide it over, the new generation had the responsibility to modernise education while ensuring that its essence and fundamental values were not lost in the process.

The government was committed to protecting education and strengthening its secular and democratic aspects, the Minister said. The benefits of this would be reflected in other sectors too, such as agriculture and environment.

The impact of commercialisation and communalisation of education was becoming visible in society, so if its fundamental values could be brought back, solutions to a number of problems could be found.

The research undertaken in colleges and universities should reach the common man, Mr. Raveendranath said.

Earlier, the celebrations began with a rendition of ‘Suryageetham’ written by poet ONV Kurup, a former student and teacher at the college. The Chief Minister also planted a sapling of a mango tree in memory of the old mango tree that stood on the college campus.

‘No’ to unwelcome trends

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, making evident his displeasure at the long welcome address delivered at the inauguration, refused to go into his prepared speech, citing his inability to stay beyond 12 noon.

College education

Funds not a problem for development of college: CM

‘Research benefits should reach the common man’