GUWAHATI, June 4 � Eminent educationist and internationally acclaimed scientist Prof Yash Pal on Friday stated that the need of the hour was a freedom movement for the education system in the country so that students and teachers can experience the joy of acquiring and imparting true knowledge.
Particularly mentioning that higher education should be free of interference of politicians and central authorities, Prof Yash Pal observed that the education system was presently in shambles and rejuvenation was of utmost necessity at this hour.
Prof Pal was speaking at a UGC sponsored national workshop on policies and problems of higher education in Assam organized by Handique Girls� College in collaboration with the Assam College Teachers� Association (ACTA).
In his address, Prof Pal dwelled on a host of subjects including learning, teaching and accountability. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the role of teachers who simply confine their teaching to lines in the text books thus closing the window to the vast expanse of knowledge undiscovered to the students. Stressing that learning at all levels have to be coupled with discovery, Prof Pal called for mutual participation of students and teachers in the process of discovery and warned that restriction to just one sphere of knowledge will lead to loss of creativity both in students and teachers. He also warned against coaching maintaining that it kills creativity. So he advised meandering and wondering across all disciplines for the purpose of imbibing true knowledge.
Prof Pal further emphasized on innovativeness in the education system and insisted that colleges should think and act differently from each other. �I dream for a day when different people will do things differently,� he said adding that courses should be designed in such a way that one can learn a thing and again come back to learn a different thing.
Inaugurating the two day workshop, Dr OK Medhi, VC, Gauhati University called for skilled based education and the need to promote vocational training to enhance employability.
