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Union Minister for Human Resources Development and Information Technology Kapil Sibal said here on Sunday that 800 universities and 26,000 colleges in the country would be linked through a fibre optic network to create a free information highway as India harnessed new technology to foster sweeping changes in its educational system.
The Minister said what was needed was convergence of technologies to provide interactive modules on television screens so that anybody could access them. Free flow of information and knowledge could pave the way for development of self-testing modules and self-appraisal procedures.
He was speaking at the function organised here to mark the handing over of the keys of the new library and laboratory buildings for the HMT School, built with the money raised by students of Rajagiri Public School, Kalamassery, through their I-Share initiative.
Voacational wing
The Union Minister, who also interacted with students of the Rajagiri Public School, said that the Human Resources Development Ministry planned to introduce a vocational wing for the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) so that it would have an academic as well as a vocational wing.
This initiative is to meet the large number of skilled personnel that would be needed to meet the country’s growing demands in various areas of economic activities, Mr. Sibal said.
He pointed out that only 13 of the 200 million children who enroll in schools reach the college level. There was an urgent need to take care of this large group, the Minister added.
The Minister said that he was constantly in touch with professionals in the entertainment industry, for developing animation courses and with the hospitality industry experts for developing courses for students under the CBSE.
He emphasised the need for innovation to reach education to all sections of the society as he pointed out that the average age of the Indian population would be 29 by 2020 and by 2050, India would be the work place of the world.
Programme lauded
The Minister lauded the I-Share programme in which each student at the Rajagiri Public School contributed a Rupee each a day over a two-year period, raising enough funds to build laboratories and a library for the HMT School.
Mr. Sibal handed over the keys of the new buildings in the presence of the Director of the Rajagiri Public School Austin Mulerickal and Principal Susan Varghese Cherian.
The Minister said what was needed was convergence of technologies to provide interactive modules on television screens so that anybody could access them. Free flow of information and knowledge could pave the way for development of self-testing modules and self-appraisal procedures.
He was speaking at the function organised here to mark the handing over of the keys of the new library and laboratory buildings for the HMT School, built with the money raised by students of Rajagiri Public School, Kalamassery, through their I-Share initiative.
Voacational wing
The Union Minister, who also interacted with students of the Rajagiri Public School, said that the Human Resources Development Ministry planned to introduce a vocational wing for the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) so that it would have an academic as well as a vocational wing.
This initiative is to meet the large number of skilled personnel that would be needed to meet the country’s growing demands in various areas of economic activities, Mr. Sibal said.
He pointed out that only 13 of the 200 million children who enroll in schools reach the college level. There was an urgent need to take care of this large group, the Minister added.
The Minister said that he was constantly in touch with professionals in the entertainment industry, for developing animation courses and with the hospitality industry experts for developing courses for students under the CBSE.
He emphasised the need for innovation to reach education to all sections of the society as he pointed out that the average age of the Indian population would be 29 by 2020 and by 2050, India would be the work place of the world.
Programme lauded
The Minister lauded the I-Share programme in which each student at the Rajagiri Public School contributed a Rupee each a day over a two-year period, raising enough funds to build laboratories and a library for the HMT School.
Mr. Sibal handed over the keys of the new buildings in the presence of the Director of the Rajagiri Public School Austin Mulerickal and Principal Susan Varghese Cherian.