BHUBANESWAR: Amidst the growing perception that the standard of higher education is on the decline, emphasis should be laid on updating teachers’ knowledge to improve the situation, academicians observed on Sunday.
A large number of principals, academicians and college teachers, who took part in an interactive workshop on ‘Higher Education: Opportunities and Challenges’ here, felt there was a need for collaboration between colleges and universities in training and reorienting teachers. The workshop was organised by Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) University.
“Teachers need to update their knowledge, increase their ability and expand their outlook about their subject and the world,’’ said OUAT Vice-Chancellor Prof. DP Ray. Private institutions manage to maintain certain standards since they do not have to face the restrictions confronted by the government ones. However, the private institutions should pay good salary as per the UGC guidelines to attract better brains. He rued a large number of vacancies in teacher and other staff posts in Government-run institutions.
Regional Director, Higher Education, Dr KP Mohapatra said opportunities for students were created after the globalisation in 1991. The Government is encouraging the private sector to create excellent infrastructure and academic facilities in higher education, he added. ‘’We need to give more emphasis on education as it is the bedrock of society’s ‘superstructure’’’, he said adding the teachers need to identify and address individual problems of students.
Pointing out that subjects like physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology would not help in shaping a student’s character, Mohapatra said the teaching process should inculcate human values in students. The need is to spot latent talent in each student, may not be in academics but in some other areas, and encourage him or her to excel in the same, he said.
SOA University Vice-Chancellor Prof. RP Mohanty presided over the inaugural session. Director of the Institute of Higher Secondary Education Prof. RN Panda and Dr JR Das, coordinator of the workshop, spoke.