Community colleges, a novel concept

Updated on: Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Karnataka’s tryst with community colleges, a concept spearheaded by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), has begun with Geeta Ramanujam Educational Institution (GREI) enrolling 29 students for a two-year Associate Degree at its campus situated in Agara village on the outskirts of Bangalore.

Community colleges offer an alternative education system which seeks to empower individuals through skill development programmes leading to gainful employment.

The community colleges encourage students who may want to attend a three-year degree but are not academically, personally or economically ready to begin study in the formal system, said Pro- Chancellor of IGNOU Latha Pillai, who was present at the launch of the Associate Degree programme.

More than 100 colleges are expected to be established all over the country in coordination with IGNOU during the first phase of the programme.
Plenty of options

“In a community college, students can choose to work towards an Associate Degree (two years) in hundreds of academic and technical fields, which will enable them to get admitted to a regular college or university for completion of a degree.

The students can pursue education in whatever format suitable to them — face-to-face, online, full-time and part-time,” according to a press statement from GREI.

Ms. Pillai said a certification by IGNOU will ensure that the students secure gainful employment.

The community colleges enable mainstreaming the school drop-outs, late entrants into higher education and those in the work force, who find entry into formal system to be rigid, and equip them for a degree.

Those who have completed 10+2 or its equivalent are eligible to enrol. Eligibility for certificate programmes begins from pass in Eighth Standard.

Ms. Pillai said she was glad to learn that 29 students had registered for the Associate Degree programme, other than diploma and certificate programmes, with GREI-IGNOU community college. She called upon the Karnataka Government to support the cause of community colleges.

Director of Collegiate Education, Karnataka, Kodandaramaiah, who inaugurated the GREI-IGNOU community college, said community colleges will play a major role in shaping the future of the country.

Local public representatives including MLA of Jayanagar, Bangalore, B.N. Vijaykumar, Zilla Panchayat member G. Vijay Kumar, and President of the National Education Society A.H. Rama Rao were present.
Training manuals

Meanwhile, IGNOU has convened a three-day national workshop to develop text books and training manuals for community colleges, according to a press statement from IGNOU, New Delhi.

The workshop is expected to come out with a set of guidelines and look into issues such as Computer Literacy, Soft Skills, Tailoring, Fashion Design, Mobile Phone Servicing, Motor Cycle Repair, Desktop Publishing, Embroidery, Pre-primary Teachers’ Training and Clinical Laboratory Assistance.

C.K. Ghosh, who is coordinating the workshop, said the role of preparation of textbooks and manuals will be entrusted to the colleges with suitable guidance from IGNOU.

Community colleges, a novel concept

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