Former MLC K T Srikantegowda and retired principal Dr S N Prasad were addressing the state-level University Grants Commission sponsored seminar on ‘Participation of students on higher education’ at PET Placement auditorium by Shankaragowda Education Institution, in Mandya recently. 

They said the successive governments have failed to give importance for higher education as given to primary and secondary education.

Besides, the government never made efforts to train teachers to improve the quality of teaching which was quite essential in the current competitive world. The PU education had been sidelined for some years, but the government changed it’s stance recently and paid attention for its promotion.

The quality of teaching and infrastructure facilities in colleges and educational institutions have improved a lot after the government constituted the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and other committees to check the quality. But the government was still lagging to attract students to pursue higher education. Changes in teaching must to improve education system, they added.  Pointing out the improvement in distance education system which is attracting large number of candidates, they suggested the educational institutions to change the teaching pattern, give impetus to practical and other innovative methods.

They suggested for replacing the outdated syllabus with those to suit the present day needs of industries as it would fetch jobs. Deputy Commissioner Dr P C Jaffer said education should not be restricted to taking notes and reading text books.  The participating of students was must for higher education for its success.

Earlier, MLA C S Puttaraju, Dr Shankaragowda Educational Institution Principal Dr M R Jayaprakash, PET President H D Chowdaiah and others were present.