Scholar suggests basic education at primary level

Kohima, March 13 (EMN): Pro Vice Chancellor of Nagaland University (NU), Prof. RC Gupta, has attributed to failure in imparting basic knowledge at the primary and secondary levels for attaining certain standard and quality education despite the excellent system of education in the country.

Prof. RC Gupta made this observation during a one-day workshop on ‘New accreditation framework-quality indicator framework.’ To facilitate an understanding on the new accreditation framework, the workshop was organised by the Directorate of Higher Education and sponsored Rashtriya Uchchtar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) held at Capital Convention Centre on March 13.

Speaking at the programme as the chief guest, Prof. Gupta, while emphasising on the importance of primary education, said the quality of education is compromised when special care and attention are not given at the lower section, adding in the process the student becomes dependent when he/she reached the higher level. Maintaining that the talent in a child can be easily recognised by a teacher, he said it must be groomed into that direction on how that can be utilised in the best possible manner.

Also pointing out that secondary education is a moulding stage, he said emphasis should be given more on research and consultations on the choice of the students and not be imposed.

Likening universities to ‘refineries,’ which prepare a student to face the future, he asserted that it is important to produce ‘unadulterated students’ at the primary and secondary level of education. To this, he said it should the role of the teachers to impart quality education and produce the result they seek to achieve.

‘We have to see that the input we are giving to the students must be refined. This has to be done in a very serious way,’ added Prof. Gupta.

Attributing the ‘unemployable youth’ among the thousands of graduates and post graduates due to the lack of getting the right kind of education in the right place, Prof. Gupta maintained that the system of education need to be reviewed with all seriousness and make changes with the need of the ever growing standard of education across the world.

To improve the quality of education, the professor said it should be joint responsibility of the people as well as the teachers and educators of this country to take this issue seriously. Maintaining that ‘top to bottom hierarchy will not yield desired results,’ he has rather suggested ‘collective hierarchy’ as the need of the hour to build a strong and vibrant nation through quality education of the children.

Also noting that NAAC has improved certain parameter of the quality with a visible sign of effect in the quality of the higher education, Prof. Gupta however, suggested that there should be a monitoring body in the higher education which can look after the quality concern to make it more effective.

In his keynote address, Dr. BS Madhukar, adviser NAAC Bengaluru and resource person, said ‘quality’ both internal and external is a continuous process with or without NAAC.

Reminding the educators from across the state on the importance aspect of quality, Dr. Madhukar said institutions should have their own internal mechanism – a system that should be put in place to ensure the quality of education, and external mechanism that can support and further improve the system.

Echoing Prof. Gupta’s theory, Dr. Madhukar said it is important that institution should build a strong and quality system of education from the ‘base to the top’ and not vice versa. He also reminded the educators that the first step to quality education is ‘maximising the use of the available facilities.’

He pointed out that applying for NAAC accreditation cannot ensure quality. He has rather suggested focussing on quality activity so that quality education is compromised.

The inaugural programme was followed by presentation on new accreditation framework-quality indicator framework and practical session on uploading of IIQA & SSR.