Govt for courses in fine arts, music, carpentry in school

Updated on: Tuesday, September 29, 2009

New Delhi: Your child may soon have a number of options for study at school level as the government is keen on starting courses in areas of fine arts, music, carpentry and other skills.

HRD Minister Kapil Sibal today said children and parents should look beyond the traditional courses of humanities, science and commerce to suit the abilities and preference of the students.

"There should be courses in many areas which allow the talent of the child to flourish.There could be courses for future musicians, tabla players, sitarists and so on. Why they should only study art, science and commerce? Not every child wants to be a Ph.D, not everyone wants to be a doctor or engineer," he said here at Leadership Conference-2009 "Towards Harmonious India".

He emphasised on "inclusiveness" in education sector, saying excellence will only come when the system caters to all, including the marginalised and downtrodden.

"You can't have excellence without inclusion. Leaving out the marginalised section means that you have left out millions of people," he said.

Exhorting the teachers at his alma mater St Columba's School here, Sibal said leaders like teachers can take students to where they have never been by acting as their guide and thereby lead India in competing with the global community.

Sibal said the vision for tomorrow must be "inclusive" and the leaders should represent the "harmony of a beautiful painting".

Pointing out that pumping money in real estate was no longer a passion, he said the world is investing in people's mind and looking at intellectual assets which is "real growth".

"Intellectual assets means creativity, innovation, allowing a child to attain what he likes, and not forcing a child to do what you (parents and teachers) want, but allow the child to discover his or her own genius. The education system has to cater to all that is what I mean by inclusion. It means education catering to each child who differs from another. The country can't progress in creating intellectual assets without the marginalised and downtrodden," he said.

Sibal also stressed the need for public-private partnership for far-reaching reforms in the education sector saying that "the Government can't reach everywhere".

Govt for courses in fine arts, music, carpentry in school

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