Governor for radical change in education system

 FROM A CORRESPONDENT

BARPETA, March 21: Assam Governor Padmabha Balakrish Acharya has criticised the current education system in the country and termed it as useless and a machinery to create educated unemployed and sought a radical change in the entire system to make education a fruitful one in the true sense of the term.

Addressing the open meeting held on the occasion of concluding function of silver jubilee celebration of Sankardev Sishu Bidya Niketan here yesterday the Governor said, "Our country is very rich in tural wealth and beauty. We have rivers flowing all along the country. We are very rich in mineral resource also. But he regretted that we lack the triple 'Es' the education, electricity and employment. Without proper education, electricity no development is possible."

"Our education is creating only educated unemployed youths who lack confidence he said and added that education should develop skill as well as conferring degree," he added. Stating that India is the youngest country in the world in terms of youth population he informed that 68 per cent of the population comprises youth force and it surpasses all other tions including Chi.

The Governor regretted that universities of the country are neglecting the practical needs of the people of the country and pointed out towards the volumes of research void of any agenda for development. He suggested that small trades should be included in the curriculum especially in the sixth semester of degree level to eble the youth capable of earning his livelihood just after the formal education is over. He rued the lack of proper linkage among industry- trade-commerce and education and suggested that universities should act as a coorditor among them for proper use of education.

Criticising the subjects offered by the universities he said that each of them has department in foreign language study but none of them have department to study the tribal dialects. Tribals in the country are part and parcels with more than two hundred languages of their own but no one have shown keen interest to study them in a scientific manner. He also requested the people not to lose their own identity in the tumult of Western tordo. Terming  the present education as self-centered, he said that educated people should be responsible for society and universities should be the source of social strength. But it is matter of regret that so called educated people and the industrialist exploited the tion so much that even the Mughals and British did not exploit so.

Referring to the Northeast region of the country Acharya said that this part of the country which is very rich in tural resource lacks proper utilisation. There are abundant water, coal and petrol necessary for electricity but the region is plunged into darkness and there is no industry. The result is unemployment and insurgency. Later, the Governor visited the Barpeta Satra. Addressing the meeting held in the auditorium of the District Library with Dayal Krish Bora, president of the reception committee in the chair Hrishikesh Goswami secretary of Assam Child Literature Trust laid maximum emphasis on utilisation of time. He also rrated the negative effect of television on the mentality of child. Veteran academician, writer and former president of Barpeta Zila Sahitya Sabha Aksyay Kumar Mishra also spoke on the occasion.

Earlier, Bashishtha Dev Sarma Burha Satriya of Barpeta Satra formally released the souvenir published on the occasion. Ranjit Kumar Das, MLA, Sarbhog lit the lamp to open the meeting. Varli Deka, Deputy Commissioner of Barpeta also attended the meeting.