GUWAHATI, Feb 5 � Asserting that educational institutions needed to be brimming with a creative environment, former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam today said that the curricula and teaching should be designed to build capacity.
Dwelling on his vision for a knowledge society, while addressing a function at the Royal group of institutions and also interacting with students, Dr Kalam said that everyone, especially students, �should work hard with integrity and succeed with integrity.�
Underliving the need for inculcating values in the education system, he said that righteouness in the heart leads to beauty in character and harmony in home, which in turn ensure order in nation and finally peace in the world.
Underlining the need for addressing the emerging challenges in the education sector, Dr Kalam said that the teacher should be a coach for the students and help them in tiding over difficult situations.
�I can see India as an economically developed nation by 2020, and education will have a great role in leading India to that destination,� the former President of India said.
In a word of advice for the students, he said, �It�s now time for you to act and bring about the transformation.�
In reply to a query from a student, Dr Kalam said that the simplest way to check global warming was to plant trees.
He said that an average tree absorbs 20 kgs of carbon dioxide ever day and releases
40 kgs of oxygen into the atmosphere.
�If every person in India plants a tree then there will be significant reduction in the Carbon dioxide emission,� he added.
Emphasizing on the need for increasing use of renewal energy, Dr Kalam said that the days ahead would witness greater use of solar, nuclear and bio energy including bio-fuel.
Urging the students to devote wholeheartedly into their studies, the nuclear scientist advised them to utilize one Sunday every week to reach out to the underprivileged and teach them how to read and write.
Dr Kalam said the key to development was in thinking differently and promoting creativity and innovation.
�We need to nurture talent and encourage creative thinking,� he opined.
He went on to say that the political leaders should have a vision and should try to give effect to that vision by passion
To a question from a student who sought the logic behind India�s investment in nuclear weapon, the missile man said that it was necessitated by defence preparedness, especially in view of the neighbouring country having similar weapon.
�But, India believes in a doctrine of �no first use� and �total disarmament�,� he said and went on to elaborate on the beneficial uses of nuclear energy.
